Tuesday 30 July 2013

Haul | July Beauty Purchases

After visiting London and Paris last month and probably spending a little too much (you can see that haul post here) I've tried to not spend as much this month. I think i've done pretty good to say there has been a lot of sales on recently. I thought I would share with you the few bits I did pick up this month. 
I've been into haircare a lot more lately so I thought I would pick up some new bits to try. Escentual has 20% off everything this month so I decided to try the Klorane Conditioner with Mango Butter which I have heard good things about. I also picked up the Klorane Shampoo with Chamomile for blonde hair. I've only used these once but I did really like them, especially the conditioner. I was in Aldi the other week and I noticed their Miracle Oil which is a dupe for Moroccan Oil, this is a little runny but seems to be doing the job of keeping the ends of my hair soft and it was only £4. 
The other thing I picked up from Escentual was the Triology Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, i've wanted to try this for a while since i've heard it is good for scarring, I will keep you guys posted on this one. I went to Waitrose for the first time this month and was happy to see that they were selling Amie products, they were also all half price! I picked up the Morning Dew Matte Finish Moisturiser which i've wanted to try for a long time and the Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash, which i've also been wanting to try. Each of these worked out to be around £2 each which I thought was a great deal. 
I picked up a few nail polishes this month,the Essie ones I got from Fragrance Direct for £1.99 each. I was getting some for my friends birthday present and of course got some shades for myself. From L-R Go Ginza, Bond With Whomever and Avenue Maintain. Superdrug also have 3 for 2 on nails at the moment so I picked up some more of the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine polishes. The shades I got were Passionfruit and Blue Grape, I also thought I would try the Nail Art Pen in White. 
My favourite under eye concealer ran out this month so I thought I would try the Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer. So far I do like this although the shade Naked 1 is a little pink toned for my liking. I also picked up the Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick in Bad Girl Bronze which is great for a doing a quick smokey eye. I also decided to brave the bright blue liner trend and picked up the Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in Bright Blue. I've been pairing this with a simple smokey eye and I really like how it looks. 

So those are my beauty purchases for this month, I think I got some pretty good deals. Lets see if I can do the same next month. What has been your favourite beauty purchase this month?
 

Sunday 28 July 2013

The Repurchased.

As much as I love trying out new products, there is always those few that I always repurchase and I will always have in my stash. I thought this would be good to share since these are some of my all time favourite products. 
 
Bioderma Sensibio H2O - £11.60 for 500ml.
I am still yet to find a better makeup remover that this stuff. This micellar solution removes every bit of makeup, even stubben mascara and is also great for touch ups. This is my second bottle and have have two big back up bottles waiting to be which I picked up in Paris since it's a lot cheaper there. Safe to say this will always be a firm favourite. 
Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo - £4.99 for 400ml.
I've lost count of how many cans of this i've gone through. Perfect for adding a bit of volume and bringing some life to second day hair. The tropical scent is definitely my favourite since it smells like coocnuts.
REN ClearCalm3 Replenishing Night Serum - £22.00 for 50ml.
I don't often repurchase skincare products but this one I had to. A light serum which I apply every night to help get rid of blemishes. This not only helps with any blemishes I have but I also think it helps stop me breaking out as often. Perfect if you have oily skin as it doesn't feel heavy on the skin. 
Garnier Summer Body Gradual Tanner - £7.15 for 400ml.
This is a lovely gradual tanner which smells like apricots and is perfect for just adding a natural tan to the skin. The light shade is perfect for getting rid of that ghostly glow in the Winter months and the darker shade is a great quick fix when getting the legs out in Summer. An added bonus to this is that it is also very moisturising to the skin. 
The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel - £4.00 for 250ml.
An old favourite that I always seem to have a bottle of. A lovely fruity shower gel that is also moisturising to the skin. For a natural product this is affordable and it lasts a long time too. I've tried a few other scents in The Body Shop shower gels but this one is the one I always go back to. 
Seventeen Pressed Powder - £3.99.
There are very few makeup products I find myself repurchasing however after using this powder only a few times I knew it was going to be a firm favourite. This is my second compact and the thing I love about it is that it is so finely milled and reminds me a lot of more expensive powders. It looks natural on the skin and keeps my makeup in place and helps with oil control. 
Bourjous Healthy Mix Concealer -  £7.49 for 10ml.
The fact that I bought I second tube of this before i'd finished the first one shows how much I love it. The perfect all in one concealer which looks just as good under the eyes as it does on covering blemishes. It wears well, doesn't look cakey or cling to dry patches. Basically it ticks all the boxes. 

So those are some of the products i've repurchased and I can see myself carrying on to in the future. What beauty products do you always repurchase?
 

Friday 26 July 2013

Haircare Routine

So apparently I have never done a haircare routine post in all the time i've been blogging. I honestly don't know why i've put it off, but now i'm pretty happy with the products i'm using so I thought it was about time I shared them with all of you. For starters I have fine hair which is very flat. My roots get oily but the heads of my hair can get dry, I have have blonde highlights so I often look for product that help protect my coloured hair. 
Shampoo is something that I tend to change up a lot, my all time favourite is the Pureology Pure Volume Shampoo. However I dug out The Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Shampoo for coloured hair and i've been really impressed by it. It doesn't make weigh my hair done and smells lovely. It is also sulphate free which is something I tend to look for in a shampoo. Once a week or so I use the Pro Voke Touch Of Silver Shampoo to help keep my blonde highlights looking vibrant. 
My all time favourite conditioner is the Organic Surge Colour Protect Conditioner, this stuff smells like sweet peaches and nourishes my hair without making it feel heavy. Once a week I tend to use some sort of hair mask, i'm really not fussy with what I use. Currently i'm using the Boots Coconut and Almond Intensive Hair Mask, this is cheap and is surprisingly good. It makes my hair feel lovely and soft, it is great to use after the purple shampoo which can be a little drying.
After washing my hair I use a leave in conditioner, I either use the Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri Wheat Leave In Conditioner which is nourishing to the hair without making it feel greasy; the other one I use is the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave In Conditioner, this one is more intensive and is a great one step product since you don't really need to use an oil with it. I also use my Tangle Teezer with both of this to help comb through my hair. For oils I love the Macadamia Healthy Oil Treatment however I recently found the Miracle Oil by Aldi's own brand and it is actually pretty good! I would recommend it if you're looking for a cheaper alternative to some of the expensive hair oils. I apply either of these to just the ends of my damp hair. 
I keep it very simple when it comes to styling my hair. I always use the Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo, this adds volume which is very much needed and is great for giving a bit of life to second day hair. If i'm wearing my hair down I use a bit of the Toni & Guy Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray, I tend to spray a bit of this on my hands and then rub it through my hair to give more body a texture. For hairspray i'm not fussy, at the moment I'm using a John Frieda Volume Hairspray which is okay and does the job. 

So that's everything I use on my hair. If you have any product recommendations for fine or coloured hair I would love to hear them. What is your favourite product in your haircare routine?
 
 

Wednesday 24 July 2013

The Skincare TAG

When I read Beauty Bird's version of this tag I knew I would have to do, being a self confessed skincare junkie after all! So let's get straight into answering these skincare questions. 
 Describe your skincare routine in 5 words
  • Cleanse, tone, exfoliate, serum, moisturise.
What's your skintype?
  • Oily/Combination but it is also dehydrated. 
What's your favourite skincare product?
  • This is a hard one since I have so many! At the moment it is probably the Indeed Labs Pepta Bright since that has really made a great improvement in the pigmentation of my skin. 
Top blemish zapper.
  • The Origins Super Spot Remover is pretty awesome, I always reach for it to help get rid of the horrible under the skin blemishes. 
Face wipes, yay or nay?
  • Definitely nay! I haven't used face wipes for such along time because they don't remove makeup effectively and they dry your skin out. 
Toner, yay or nay?
  • Yay for sure, toners are great for balancing your skin after cleansing, make sure it doesn't contain alcohol though since that will just dry the skin out. Gentle exfoliating toners are great to use as well.
High end makeup or high end skincare?
  • As much as I love expensive makeup I prefer to spend my money on high end skincare. I'm a firm believer of if you use the right products on your skin that contain good ingredients, you will not have to use as much makeup. 
You're in a French pharmacy and you can only pick one item - what is it?
  • I was actually in a French pharmacy last month and it was like skincare heaven, if I had to pick one product it would have to be the La Roche Posay Serozinc, you can't get hold of the easily in the UK and it is a great toner. I actually picked up two bottles of the stuff whilst I was in Paris!
Tell us your top skincare tip
  • I think to always double cleanse in the evening is my best tip. If you wear makeup or an SPF you need to double cleanse to make sure it is all removed. I first cleanse with a micellar solution (Bioderma) and then use a balm to wash my face. Also if you have oily skin clay mask are your best friend!
So that's all the questions! I really enjoyed doing this tag and I tag anyone who wants to do it because I would love to read your answers. If you've already done this tag feel free to send me a link to your answers. 

Monday 22 July 2013

Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30 - Reviewed!

When you have oily finding a good facial SPF can be a bit of a nightmare. This Summer I decided to be prepared a do a bit of research on finding the perfect one, there are surprisingly a lot on the market these days. The french skincare brands definitely seem to offer the best range of SPF for oily skin, Bioderma especially. 
The Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30 claims to be  a mattifying fluid with high protection. Although it is little frangranced with a citrus scent which is very pleasant it is paraben free. 
The packing is nice and simple which makes it very easy to dispense the product. The cream itself looks like a classic sun screen, a thin white cream. 

 I apply a generous amount all over the face, it does sometimes give a slight white cast however this goes after a few minutes. The cream is definitely matte as it sets after it is applied which makes it great if you have oily skin. Even though I apply a lot of product, normally twice as much as shown above to make sure I have a full protection all over the face, this never feels heavy on the skin. 

All in all I am very impressed with this SPF, it feels light and mattifying on the skin and I haven't burnt at all since using this, even with this hot weather recently. It is great to use under makeup or on it's own. I also haven't broken out in any blemishes since using this. 

Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30 retails for £13.70 (Currently 20% off at £11.96).

What is your favourite facial SPF?

Friday 19 July 2013

Drugstore Favourites

I've seen a few of these post and videos recently and I think they're a great idea. I love drugstore makeup so i've chosen my favourite products from each category of makeup. This was surprisingly easy for me to do, I did find that I do love highend blushes though, that seems to be my weakness for sure. 
Primer - Witch Anti Blemish Skin Clearing Primer - I've tried a good few of the primers available in the drugstore and this is the only one i've stuck to. It helps with oil control and keeps my makeup in place all day. It also claims to help with blemish which I haven't noticed but it definitely doesn't break me out. 
Foundation - Bourjous Healthy Mix Radiance Reveal - Bourjous just get it spot on when it comes to base products, this foundation reminds so much of more expensive foundations with the way it wears and looks on the skin. It lasts well on my oily skin and doesn't cling to dry patches. 
Concealer - Bourjous Healthy Mix Concealer - There are a good few concealers I love but i've picked this one because it is a great all rounder. It works just as well under the eyes as it does on redness or blemishes. It lasts really long on the skin to.
Powder - Seventeen Pressed Powder - This is definitely my all time favourite powder, it's is so finely milled and sets my makeup without it being cakey. I don't hear enough people talk about this, this is my second one and I will always repurchase it. 
Blush - Natural Collection Blusher in Peach Melba - As I said at the start, high-end blushers are my weakness however the Natural Collection blushes are the best i've found and for £1.99 they don't break the bank. Peach Melba is definitely the best shade, it's a lovely peachy pink shade that looks lovely on the cheeks. 
Bronzer - NYC Sunny Bronzer - Not the easiest bronzer to get your hands on in the UK but if you can it's pretty awesome. It is a matte bronzer which adds a lovely warmth to the skin and looks great on pale skin. 
Highlighter - ELF Golden Bronzer - This is definitely more of a highlighter than a bronzer, it comes with 4 shimmery shades which look just as good on their own or swirled together. It's shimmery but doesn't have chunky glitter in it so looks lovely on the skin. 
Mascara - L'oreal Telescopic and Volume Million Lashes - L'oreal definitely do the best mascaras from the drugstore. The Volume Million Lashes is definitely my favourite however I don't have it at the moment, i'm currently using the Telescopic mascara which adds lots of lengths and makes the lashes look defined. 
LinersRimmel Scandaleyes and Sleek Eau La La - Rimmel definitely know what they're doing when it comes to liners, their nude one is perfect for waking up the eyes and the Taupe shade looks lovely smudge out on the lid. I also have to give a mention to the Sleek Eau La La liners since they come in lots of different shades and can also be used as lip liners!
Shadow Bases - Maybelline Colour Tattoos - The closest i've found to the beloved MAC Paint Pots, I don't find these last as well but they're a great cheap options, I just wish they would bring out more shades in the UK.
Brows - Collection Brow Definer in Blonde - It is so hard to find a good brow pencil for blondes, this is the best i've found and it is super cheap. The shade is an ashy blonde which is a great match, it is also waxy so stays put all day. 
Eye shadows - Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette and Soap & Glory Lid Stuff in What's Nude - Eyeshadows are another product I ten to treat myself to the high-end offerings. If you can get your hands on Wet N Wild the Comfort Zone palette is pretty darn awesome, for the price the quality of these are just incredible. Something I've found that is a little easier to get hold of in the UK is a this Soap & Glory offering, not as cost affective but the quality is fab and this is the perfect nude quad. 
Lipstick - Rimmel and Revlon Lip Butters - The Kate Moss lipstick by Rimmel are pretty darn awesome, the shade 107 is my go to berry lip in the Winter. An honorary mention has to be given to the Lip Butters to, not really a full on lipstick but this balmy numbers are always finding their way into my handbag. I think I have over 10 now which shows how much I love them.
Lipgloss - Barry M Lip Gloss - I don't often wear lipgloss but my favourite ones definitely the Barry M ones, this coral shades is perfect for Summer and the non sticky formula feels so lovely on the lips. 

Nails - Barry M Nail Paints and Gelly Hi Shine - Barry M have such an amazing colour range and the formula of their polishes is top notch. I love both the regular nails paints on the Gelly versions. For the price i'm yet to find something that beats them.

So that's all my drugstore favourites, hopefully this was interesting and if you're popping into Boots or Superdrug soon I would definitely recommend checking out some of these products. What are some of your favourite drugstore products? 

Wednesday 17 July 2013

NOTD Rainbow Polka Dots

So the other night I had a bit of time on my hands so decided to have a go at some nail art. I didn't want to do anything do complicated so I decided to go for some polka dots. I thought multi-coloured ones would look really nice and was surprisingly easy to do. 
 I used my normal Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat first followed with a white polish. I went for the Barry M Matt White. This is a great cheap polish which only took two coats.
After the base colour was completely dry I put a small amount of the coloured polishes on some paper and used a bobby pin to create the dots. You could use a dotting tool but these work just as well. 
I did 5 different coloured dots on each nail, you could do them randomly but I do like the fact that the dots match on each nail.
After I had done all the dots I made sure the nails were completely dry, I left them for about 20 minutes before putting on a top coat. If you put the top coat on too soon the colours will drag and ruin the design.

The colours I used were, Revlon Buttercup (yellow), OPI Red Lights Ahead..Where? (red), Models Own Beach Party (orange), Topshop Awol (blue) and Barry M Greenberry (green). Of course you could use any colours you have.


So that's it, I really like the finished result and I will definitely be experimenting in other designs in the future. What is your favourite nail art designs?

Monday 15 July 2013

Week (or so) In Pictures #4

So I realised that I hadn't done a week in pictures/update-y type post in a while and today I thought I would change that. I currently on my Summer break from Uni which is so lovely, I can't express how nice it is not to have any deadlines to stress about! My skin has also been very thankful for this too. I've been trying to spend less money too, which as always proves to be rather hard! I'm not doing too bad, since I got back from London I haven't ordered anything online or made any huge purchases which is very good for me! 
This time of year is always awesome for magazine freebies, Glamour have amazing Balance Me freebies at the moment, since the magazine will only set you back £2 I may have picked up three copies.. I went for the Face Wash, Shower Gel and Tinted Lip Salve which has already made it's way into my handbag. The other magazine I picked up Yesterday was Natural Health, i've never bought this magazine before and I have to say the Melvita freebie did draw me in. I've been trying to be a lot healthy so hopefully there's some good tips in here, it also came with a free Food Rules book and a Beauty Awards magazine. Even though i've been trying to spend less I may have picked up some essentials in Boots, I mainly got boring things like toothpaste and dry shampoo but I did take advantage of their current offers and some coupons I had and managed to save just over £10 on the whole shop! Not bad if you ask me. Lunch is often the meal I make for myself and last week I decided to have a fish finger sandwich but to make it a little more interesting I added some spinach and it tasted so good! Spinach is amazing for you and has lots of added skin benefits so i've been trying to put it into everything!

I was feeling a bit bored of having a plain manicure so I dug out the L'oreal Confetti Top Coat, how did I forget how amazing this stuff is!? I paired it with the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Blueberry and got so many compliments on it, the only downside is it was a bit of a pain to remove! The weather has finally picked up here in the UK which means i've been able to dig out my sunglasses which have been collecting dust in my draw since going to L.A last September. I've also been applying my Bioderma SPF 30 everyday and i've been very impressed with this stuff, a review is definitely in the works. I've also been wearing minimal makeup since it's been so hot, the Dr Jart Regenerating BB Cream SPF 30 has been doing the job just nicely in this heat. Something I love about Summer is being able to have catch up with one of my best friends when she's home from Uni, the other week we had a good old chat over cocktails and good food and next week we plan on having a movie day which lots of chocolate like we used to always do. Perfect. 

Since i've had a lot more free time on my hands i've been able to watch some TV shows i've heard great things about. First off I started watching True Blood, to say i'm addicted to this show would be an understatement, I even made sure I had some episodes on my tablet when I was away. Season 6 is half way through airing now and the past few episodes have had me hooked, this week they ended the episode with a duel between my two favourite characters, Eric and Pam, if either of them die I will not be happy! Also Alexander Skarsgard who plays Eric is just.. I've become a big fan of all the Skarsgard family but Alex is definitely my favourite. I've also been watching The Killing (U.S version) I love crime dramas and this show, like True Blood has me hooked. I really like the relationship that is developing between the two main characters. Joel Kinnaman who plays Holder is a seriously great actor and I look forward to seeing him in other projects in the future. He is in fact going to be playing RoboCop in the remake coming out next year! Pretty cool, he is also Swedish, I seem to have developed a thing for Swedish actors, first the Skarsgard boys now Joel, hmm definite obsession in the works which has brought back my want to visit Stockholm really bad! If by any chance if you've been to Stockholm I would love to know what you thought of it.

So that's it, a little update of what i've been doing and watching lately. I really like doing these kind of posts and need to get back into doing them more often! Please tell me your favourite TV show, I would love to check them out. Now I need to get back to watching The Killing I find out who really killed Rosie.. (I told you it's an obsession!) 

Saturday 13 July 2013

The Sunny Day Must Haves

So the weather has actually been very nice in the UK recently and it has inspired me to do a post on my go to products for a sunny day. The weather was even nice enough so I could take these pictures outside, oh the perks of Summer and perfect lighting!
Of course the most important thing on a sunny day is SPF! For body my favourite is the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF 30, this is the nicest smelling sun cream because it smells of coconuts and makes your skin feel lovely and soft. When in comes to the face i've been putting the Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30, this again has a pleasant citrus scent to it and is great for oily/combination skin because it doesn't feel greasy on the skin and is great for wearing under make-up. Finally don't forget the lips, the trustworthy Carmex Cherry Lip Balm has an SPF 15 and is very moisturising. 
If you are an oily skinned girl like myself you need the Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets in your life, these little sheets take away any oilyness on the skin without disturbing any make-up you're wearing. A go to product every Summer to refresh the skin is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, this is perfect for a mid day refresh to the skin without making your face too wet, it also smells lovely too. When it's hot I tend to where as little make-up as possible, a big pair of sunglasses paired with the Topshop Lip Bullet in Joyride has been a go to look for me. There is definitely something special about a red lip and sunglasses. 

So those are my sunny day must haves, what products do you reach for on a hot Summer's day?

Thursday 11 July 2013

Soap and Glory Lid Stuff in What's Nude - Reviewed!

I've had my eye on this little quad for so long now but just never got round to buying it. I would tell myself I don't need anymore eyeshadows (which is very true) so never made the purchase. When in Boots the other week I was picking up a new mascara and noticed there was a buy one get one half price offer on so I decided to take advantage and get this quad at half price.
The palette itself comes in a plastic casing which feels very sturdy. It doesn't come with a sponge applicator which on the back there a little comment on how that would just drive up the price, this did make me chuckle since I never use them and much prefer using a brush.
There are 3 matte shades and one shimmer. Normally it is matte shades that tend to lack in pigmentation, however Soap & Glory seem to have mastered this and all the shadows are very well pigmented. The light pink shade named Pink T has the Soap & Glory logo pressed on it, this does seem to be wearing away quickly though with use. All the shadows feel very creamy and blend easily. The texture reminds me a lot of high end shadows like Urban Decay. 
L-R Vanilla, Pink T, Mud Honey and Aubersheen
All in all I am very happy I finally purchased this quad. It is a great neutrals quad and the shadows are great quality and last well on my eyes. I would definitely recommend this is you are looking for some everyday shadows that won't break the bank balance. 


Have you tried any shadows by Soap & Glory?

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Getting The Legs Summer Ready

So over the past few days the weather in the UK has been so lovely and warm which means i've been wearing shorts all week. After about 6 months of wearing skinny jeans thanks to our freezing cold Winter, my legs were looking very pasty and a bit neglected. I had a look around and found some product that have made braving the shorts a lot easier so I thought I would share them with you today. 
First up in the shower The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel smells lovely and fresh and is soap free and has soya oil in it so isn't drying on the skin. I love this stuff and have been through so many bottles of it. A razor is also needed to de-fuzz the legs, I don't really have a preference I tend to just get whatever is on offer whilst doing the food shop. A great product to make your legs feel super soft is the Soap & Glory Pulp Friction, this is a foamy body scrub which is a cream with seeds in it. It has a citrusy scent which is very refreshing. After the shower to help get rid of that pasty glow the Garnier Summer Body Gradual Tanner is a long time favourite of mine. It smells of apricots and gives a lovely natural tan without looking fake. Finally something to use when you're not tanning is the Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion, this has a pleasant scent to it and is very moisturising. The best things is that it gives a lovely sheen and radiance to the skin without looking glitter. It makes the skin look glowing and healthy and is a great Summer time product.

So those are my go to product for getting my legs Summer ready, I tend to use these products all over but they're especially good for using on the legs. What products do you use to get your legs Summer ready?
 

Saturday 6 July 2013

Topshop Lip Bullet in Joyride - Reviewed!

Over the past year or so i've been moving away from the safe nude lips and going for something a bit bolder. The one i've still not mastered is the red lip. A red lip is such a classic look but for a longer time i've just not felt brave enough. Whilst browsing the Oxford Street Topshop I swatched this beauty and decided to bring it home with me, it is safe to say i've been wearing it ever since. 
Topshop Lip Bullet
Topshop Lip Bullet
The packaging is very similar to the other lip crayons available at the moment, the only downside is i've found the white 'bullet' picks up dirt and finger prints easily, especially if you get product on it when applying which is hard to avoid sometimes. 
Topshop Lip Bullet Joyride
The formula of these Lip Bullet's is very pigmented and creamy. They're a lot more pigmented than other balm stains and the darker colours can bleed a little if you're not careful. I've been enjoying wearing this by smudging the edges with my finger, almost in spirit of the blurred lines trend at the moment. 
Topshop Lip Bullet Joyride
The shade Joyride is a lovely bright cherry red which looks just as good applied sheerly or in full pigment. It feels very moisturising on the lips and the colour wears evenly. The wear time isn't as good as other balm stains, after a few hours you may need to top it up however it does leave a slight stain to the lips.

All in all i've become a little obsessed with this beauty and it has definitely helped to make me more confident with wearing a red lip. I really want to check out the other shades available since i've loved this one so much.

Topshop Lip Bullet retails for £8.00.

Have you tried these new Lip Bullet's? What is your favourite red lip product?

Thursday 4 July 2013

Haul | London and Paris

So i'm back from having a little break in London and Paris and of course I did a little bit of shopping. One of my main excitements about going to Paris is for me is the amazing cheap skincare. We went to City Pharma, I would definitely recommend this place because they're cheaper than everywhere else but get there early because it gets very busy!
First off i'll share my London purchases, I got the neon orange bag in the John Lewis sale for £19, it is real leather and you can fit loads in it! I also got this lovely bangle from Forever 21 which was around £3, I love how simple it is and the fact it goes with everything.
I also finally made a trip to & Other Stories and I really liked the store and the way everything was displayed. I picked up this amazing make-up bag for £12, I love how bright it is and it feels really good quality, I can also fit loads in it too. They had so many lovely body products but I settled on the Fig Fiction Body Scrub, this smells amazing and I was in need of a new scrub. 
I always love having a browse at the make-up section in the Oxford Street Topshop, I picked up two lip products because I hadn't tried any before. I got one of the lipsticks in Macaroon, this is a lovely bright pinky coral shade. I also got one of their Lip Bullet's in Joyride, this is a lovely cherry red shade which i've become obsessed with. This feels lovely on the lips and can be worn bright and sheerly. 
Some haircare bits, i've heard amazing things about the Dove Leave In Conditioner so had to pick it up. I've also been wanting to try a salt sprays so decided to try the Toni & Guy offering because this travel size was only £2, so far so good I will report back on both of these once i've tried them more.
Onto skincare, I had to pick up some more Bioderma, I also wanted to try some more of their products and I had heard good things about their Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30 as a great SPF for oily skin. 
I've been really into hydrating mask result and wanted to try some more. I pick up the Embryolisse Hydra Masque and the Bioderma Hydrabio Moisturising Mask. I'm yet to give these a good test but expect reviews soon.
One thing that was at the top of my list was the La Roche Posay Serozinc, this stuff is raved about yet isn't available in the UK. So far it is a lovely gentle toner and i'm really liking it. 
Something that i've had my eye on for a while is the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Toner, this wasn't that much cheaper than the UK price but i'm definitely excited to use this and so far i'm really liking how it makes my skin feel. Finally I picked up the Avene Cleanance Masque, i hadn't heard anything about this but it says it is a clay based mask with AHA in it to exfoliate the skin. I've used this once and I liked it but again I will report back on this. 
Finally I went shopping on Saturday with my friend and pick up two bits, first the L'oreal Telescopic Mascara, i've heard great things about this so I thought I should finally give it a go. Boots have a buy one get one half price deal on at the moment so I decided to finally pick up the Soap & Glory Lid Stuff palette i've had my eye on for ages. The quality of the shadows is really good so expect a review soon.

Phew, that's everything! I definitely plan on doing very little spending in July especially since I now have lots of products to test out! What beauty bits have you purchased recently?