On The Face Today... #1

I was never able to take decent pictures for FOTD on my old camera but since getting my lovely new camera for Christmas i've been having a play around and manage to get some pictures of a current favourite make-up look of mine so I thought I would share it with you. 

 I recently treated myself to MAC Soba eyeshadow and Groundwork Paint Pot and i've been lovely wearing the two together. They make the perfect lazy smokey eye and isn't too dramatic for day time. I've also rediscovered (again) for Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua for providing a lovely light base, i've been pairing it with the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm and the two are working well for my skin at the moment. I also dug out one of my favourite blushes, Topshop cream blush in Head Over Heels which i've missed wearing since it's not really a Winter blush, i've found it's actually been helping my skin look a lot more alive so it's definitely getting put back into rotation. Finally i'm still in love with berry toned and darker lips, this time I went for the Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie because my lips felt a little dry. 

 Products Used -

Face

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

Bourjous Healthy Mix Concealer

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer

Topshop Head Over Heels Blush

NYC Sunny Bronzer

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

Eyes

MAC Groundwork Paint Pot

MAC Soba and Ricepaper Eyeshadows

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara

MUA Pro Brow Eyebrow Kit

Collection Brow Pencil in Blonde

Lips

Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

So that's one of the looks i've been loving recently, if you like these types of post please let me know so I can keep them up!

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation - Reviewed!

I definitely don't need to get anymore foundations, however i'm still on the hunt for that perfect one that ticks all the boxes. So when I heard that Revlon's new release was being compared to a few high end foundations, and that it looks natural but covers I knew I was going to give it a go. 

The packaging is nice, a simple glass bottle with a white lid. The lid can be a little stiff sometimes but that can be a good thing because it means it's less likely to leak all over your make-up bag. The only downside to the packaging is that it doesn't come with a pump which I can get past but I know that can be a deal breaker for some people.

The big claim around this foundation is that it looks 'nearly naked' on the skin. That find that this is such a thin foundation helps it create a natural look to the skin. The coverage of this is also very nice, I would say it is definitely a medium coverage however this is a very buildable product so depending on how good your skin is looking you can apply less or more.

I have the shade 130 Shell, which is a little yellow toned for my skin but it cancels out redness really well and when blended it seems to settle into the skin looking very natural. I've actually just picked up the shade 120 Vanilla as well and the two blended together make a perfect shade for me since i'm in between shades at the moment. This wears very evenly on the skin without going patchy and leaves a nice glow to the skin.  I can get a good 8 hours wear before I need to powder.

The shade range seems to be pretty good for a drugstore foundation. As someone who has combination skin this works well on my skin however if you're very oily it might not last as long however it's worth testing it in store because it is a really nice product. I would definitely recommend it and it is definitely one of the nicest drugstore foundations i've tried, it's is on a par with the Bourjous Healthy Mix as my favourite. 

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation retails for £8.99.

Have you tried this foundation?

February Empties!

I'm not sure how but I seem to be on a bit of a role when it comes to using it products, which is good because I have a lot of beauty products! This month i've been trying to get through some of my Winter products ready for some (hopefully) warmer weather soon!

First up bubble bath, it's no secret i'm a bath person. The first one is Dirty Works Bath Soak, this is a really nice bubble bath that ticks all the boxes and is cheap. I will repurchase soon. Next the Boots Botanic Foaming Bath Soak, this lasted ages and made my skin feel so soft however I don't think you can get it anymore but I would repurchase if I could.

Onto body products, first two foot cream one being The Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector which is amazing for dry feet and a Winter staple. I will repurchase if you feet get dry again. Next The Body Shop Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion which had a lovely minty scent that felt very refreshing on the feet. I think I will repurchase for the Summer time. Finally The Body Shop Joly Orange Body Butter, this had a lovely spicey orange scent and was really nice to use but they don't seem to do it at Christmas anymore which is a shame because I would definitely repurchase it. 

I've been using up all my cranberry scented products, first being from the Boots Extracts range. The Cranberry Body Butter had a sweet scent and was moisturising but it's not my favourite body butter (The Body Shop have that title) so I don't think I will be repurchasing. Next is the Cranberry Body Wash, again this was a little too sweet for me and was a bit average as body washes go so I wouldn't repurchase.

Onto a cranberry scent I love, The Body Shop Cranberry Shower Gel, I get this every Christmas because it always makes me feel festive. I will repurchase next Christmas for sure. Next I have the Treacle Moon My Coconut Island Body Scrub, this wasn't my favourite coconut scent and it wasn't scruby enough for me so I won't be repurchasing.

Only two skincare products this month, first being the Caudalie Cleansing Water, I like this because it's refreshing and removes all my make-up but I won't be repurchasing for a while because i've gone back to my Bioderma which works out cheaper. Next is a mask the Apivita Express Beauty with Green Clay mask, this was a nice clay mask but I didn't see any results really however it did make my skin feel really clean. I don't think I will be repurchasing though. 

I used up another L'oreal Elnett Supreme Hold Hairspray, I had a few of these half used for some reason, I like this hairspray because it does make my hair feel sticky however it isn't the cheapest so I will only repurchase when it's on offer. Another Body Shop product is the White Musk Body Spray, this is a lovely scent and the body spray was a nice handbag size, I think I would repurchase this in the future. Finally is the Covergirl Lash Blast Volume, I got this in America and I found it pretty average on my rubbish lashes so I don't think I would repurchase it. 

So that's my empties for this month, who knew a girl could use up so many Body Shop products in one month! 

If you've done an empties feel free to leave a link in the comments. 

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara - Reviewed!

There seems to be a good new mascara coming out at the moment and this is one that really caught my eye whilst browsing Superdrug in my lunch break. I had read some good reviews already so I took advantage of the £2 off and bought it. 

The packaging is probably what caught my eye, it's a bright metallic lime colour. When it comes to mascara I do like bright packaging because it makes it easy to find in my make-up bag in that early morning sleepy haze. 

The wand is plastic which doesn't bother me too much because it doesn't collect excess product on it like some can. The mascara claims to have a 'grow lash complex' due to the fibres in it. I haven't been using it long enough to notice if it has helped my lashes grow but it sounds I little too good to be true. 

My lashes aren't amazing and this pictures doesn't really give the mascara justice however my lashes are super straight and pretty rubbish but this mascara helps hold a curl all day and adds a good amount of length to my lashes.

It really gives a defined looked however if you apply too much it gets a bit on the clumpy side. I can normally get away with my normal two coats. I have the black version and it is very black which I really like. It is also easy to remove and doesn't transfer onto the skin.

So all in all I do like the mascara but it isn't a favourite of mine purely because it can look a little clumpy. I would purchase it again if it was on offer though and I would recommend giving it a go.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara retails for £7.99 (Currently £5.99 in Superdrug)

Have you tried this mascara?

Rimmel Apocalips - Reviewed!

I know everyone and their mother seems to be talking about these at the moment but I thought I would chip in my thoughts on them because I feel like I have a bit of a different opinion on them to everyone else. 

First off I really like the packaging, I like black packaging and the fact you can easily see each shade makes it quick and easy when finding the colour you want to wear.

These are being sold as 'lip lacquers' in which they're a cross between a lipstick and lipgloss. They're pigmented like a lipstick but they have the texture and shine of a lipgloss. 

They come with a sponge applicator which I like, but they seem to have a hole shape in them which i've found a lot of product can collecting which if you're not careful can be a little messy when applying. 

Most of the shades in the collection are bright shades however there are a couple of pinks and a nude. The first shade I have is Celestial which is a dusty pink shade, very natural and a good everyday shade. The other shade I have is Apocaliptic which is a bright red toned fuchsia.

So what I like about them is that they're very pigmented and look glossy on the lips. What i'm not a fan is that the lighter shade doesn't have amazing staying power with it lasting around 2 or so hours however the darker shade does last longer. I'm not a huge fan of the applicator because it can be a little messy and if you are wearing a lip balm with these I did find them to be a little greasy.

All in all I do like them but I haven't found them as amazing as everyone has been saying, I also find them to be very similar to the MUA Intense Kisses, especially the darker shades which are only £2 and look pretty much the same on the lips and you could get 3 of those for the same price.

Rimmel Apocalips retail for £5.99.

Have you tried these yet? 

20 Random Facts

I've been enjoying seeing my favourite bloggers do this tag recently so I thought I would do it myself because I think it's a good way to get to know the person behind the blog.

1. I have one older brother who's 24 who i've become closer to as i've gotten older, we now have a lot in common when it comes to movies and music.
2. Music is a huge part of  my life and I can't remember the last day where I didn't listen to music.
3. I love all different types of films, my favourite director is definitely Quentin Tarantino, but I also love Kevin Smith films too. 
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers are hands down my favourite band and I finally got to see them in November 2011 and it was one of the best days of my life.
5. For a long time I was scared of dogs until we got are own dog Rufus about 7 years ago, now i'm a big dog lover and couldn't imagine not having one around the house especially one as funny as Rufus.
6. My family has always been very close and I find it strange when other people don't have a close family because it's something i've had all my life.
7. My parent's are divorced but still get along which definitely doesn't seem to be the norm these days!
8. I've always been somewhat shy but my confidence has definitely boosted since going to University. I open up ones I get to know people and becoming a lot louder!
9. I've never had lots of friends, instead I have a few very close friends who I feel I can share anything with and have a lot in common with. 
10. I'm currently studying a degree in Behavioural Sciences and i'm loving it, I love Psychology and find looking into the reasons why people do things very interesting.
11. I'm fairly independent and enjoy spending time on my own, I think I got this from my Mum who is very much the same.
12. I love traveling a lot and have a list of places I want to visit. So far i've been to Berlin, Malta, Spain, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbabra and various places in the UK.
13. I'm a very organised person and love getting new storage and making notes.
14. I'm very close to both of my parents, my Mum and I are very similar in the why we act and asses situation and with my Dad we have similar taste in music and films and both love Photography.
15. I think i've always had a love for make-up and I remember as a child trying on my Mum's lipsticks.
16. Due to my cousin and I being similar ages (she's a year younger) we would often spend weekends at my Gran and Grandad's house playing dress up and shops. These are some of my favourite childhood memories.
17. I actually enjoy eating healthy and if I over indulge or have too much junk food it can often make me feel ill.
18. My favourite TV shows are Breaking Bad, Community, Girls, New Girl and Impractical Jokers.
19. I love biography's and my favourites are Anthony Kiedis Scar Tissue and Kevin Smith Tough Shit.
20. I love baking and cooking in general, i'm often the one left to make any sort of pudding in the family.

 Onto some pictures! L-R Fun in TK Maxx with Laura, my adorable dog Rufus, on holiday in Malta topping up that non-existent tan, doing my best shocked face in Malta, clearly finding my cat Rosie hilarious, Sunny Santa Monica, enjoy a lovely Ben's Cookie and milkshake in Convent Garden last November, Ever RHCP album I told you I loved them, San Francisco, Hanging out with a Storm Trooper in Leeds with Laura and another pic from Malta with a random fan! 

So that's my 20 random facts, I hope you all enjoyed this post I sure enjoyed writing it and looking through some funny pictures!

 

MAC Paint Pots - Reviewed!

I've been slowly collecting MAC Paint Pots for a while now because they are my favourite eye shadow base products, I now I have ever shade I think I want so I thought it was time to confess my love about them in a review.

I really like the packaging of the Paint Pots, simple glass jars with a black lid. Although when standing up it is hard to tell which shade is which, I store all my cream shadows upside down so that they don't dry out and it also means I can see each shade colour.

The texture of them are just the right amount of creamy base without out being too creamy or too dry. I have both matte and shimmery shades and each apply easily onto the eyes. I normally apply them with my ring finger but also apply well with a blending brush.

The first shade I got was Bare Study which is the perfect champagne bases for eyeshadow and makes them appear more pigmented on the eyes. My next shade was Painterly which is a pink toned skintone colour which is perfect for using as a base to any eyeshadows and cancels out any redness or discolouration on the eye. The next shade I got was Rubenesque which is another shimmery base, this one is a orange toned bronzey colour which has a pink tone to it as well. This one is my least you out of the lot but it is a great base for a bronzey smokey eye. Finally my latest addition is Groundwork, which is a mostly matte toned brown which has a sheen to it which looks beautiful on it's own or paired with another shadow. I love wearing it with MAC Soba eyeshadow.

L-R Groundwork, Rubenesque, Bare Study and Painterly.

I find these last around 8 hours on my without creasing, they make my eyeshadows looks a lot more vibrant and also look just as good alone. These are definitely still my favourite cream shadows even with brand like Maybelline bring out cheaper alternatives.

MAC Paint Pots retail for £14.50.

Have you tried any Paint Pots?

 

Products I Regret Buying #1

I've been meaning to do this post for a while and I finally got round to getting those products together that just weren't that great and I thought I would share them with you all.

The first product is the Burts Bees Radiance Exfoliating Body Wash; I like the texture of this product and it really lathers up well but the smell is so off putting! I can't describe it, it's just not pleasant at all. The next two products are from the same range; first the L'oreal Ever Pure Shampoo (review) this shampoo did nothing for my hair and made it feel greasy. I love sulphate free shampoos but this one was just rubbish. The other is the L'oreal Ever Pure Mask, this again did nothing and in some ways it even made my hair feel dry.

Onto skincare, first being the No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm, this reason why this disappointed me was that it's not a balm it's just a cream cleanser and is pretty average as they go. The other is the Superdrug Spot Clearing Gel, this felt alright but did nothing for clearing up blemishes. 

Onto face products first being the Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation, i'm really not a huge fan of Rimmel foundations and these one I found to be drying a looked cakey on my skin. Next is the Bourjous Flower Perfection Primer (review), this didn't help my foundation last longer in fact in made my foundation go very patchy! Onto concealers, the first being the Miss Sporty So Clear Conealer, to be honest I don't like stick concealers because I find them drying and this one didn't change my mind on them, it has good coverage but goes patchy on my skin. The next being the ELF Under Eye Concealer and Highlighter, this didn't really cover anything and the highlighter is just a white cream which again didn't do anything.

MUA is a brand that I like but some of their products just didn't do it for me. First being the MUA Every Lash Mascara, I accidentally got the waterproof version of this and it is a pain to remove the other reason I don't rate it is because it does nothing for my lashes at all. The other is the MUA Mosaic Blush in English Rose, this is a raved about product but I found it was too shimmery and when swirled together made on odd shade for my cheeks.

Finally I have some lip products, the first is a Revlon Lip Butter which I love normally but this shade just doesn't work for me. It's the shade Strawberry Shortcake and it's a very pale shade of pink that doesn't work for my skintone. Next is one of my least favourite products out of the lot which is the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Puckers, these are the stickiest lip glosses i've even tried, it's almost lip putting tar on your lips! They also tingle so much which make your lips hurt.

So that's the products I regret buying, I try to research a product before I buy but sometimes no matter how much research you do some products don't work for you. 

What products have you tried recently that you regret buying? 

 

REN ClearCalm3 Replenishing Night Serum - Reviewed!

I picked this serum up a few months ago when REN had a 20% discount code, for some reason it's taken me a while to review even though I really like the product. I featured it in my Evening Skincare Routine recently and thought it was time to review it in full.

 I'm a big fan of REN skincare and love the packaging, it's simple and colour coded to the range the product it is from. This is from the Blemish Prone range and has the blue packaging. 

The product is a gel based serum meaning that it feels light on the skin which is perfect for blemish prone skin. It has lots of natural extracts too and doesn't feel harsh, I definitely think this would be safe for sensitive skin too.

It claims to make the skin feel comfortable, clear and calm whilst reducing the appearance of redness and pigmented scars. I definitely finds that it takes the pain out of blemishes and reduces the redness of them. It also helps to get rid of any dryness around blemishes that are on the way out.

I have found since using this product and some others that my blemishes don't leave as harsh red scars behind although it hasn't made a huge difference to any old scarring i've had for a longer time.

I would definitely recommend this product if you have blemish prone skin because it is a nice gentle treatment that doesn't irritate the skin and really has improved my skin; I definitely seem to get less blemishes now.

REN ClearCalm3 Replenishing Night Serum retails for £22.00.

Have you tried this product?

 

Glitter Nail Polish Collection

I have to admit that I am a bit of a fan of glitter polishes, they look so pretty on the nails the only downside can be that they're a pain to remove. This is why I often opt for applying just on my ring finger to add a bit of something to a boring manicure. Today I thought I would share with you my glitter polishes because I seem to have a good few!

First up I have some Barry M Nail Paints, I love these polishes because they're cheap and good quality. The first one is called Amethyst Glitter, which is an opaque mix of blue, pink, green, gold and silver glitter. The other being Pink Sapphire Glitter which is a mix of different shapes of pink glitter.

I only have a few OPI nail polishes, most being from their Muppets Collection, both of these are from that collection first being Excuse Moi! is a mix of pink and red glitter; very Miss Piggy indeed. The other being Rainbow Connection which is a glitter polish that has every colour of the rainbow and more in it!

Another affordable polish to forfill your glitter needs is NYC Lights Camera Glitter which has a mix of different sized blue and silver glitter. A limited addiction glitter polish that I love is the No7 Silver Glitter, you need to give this a good shake before applying but it has lovely chunky silver glitter in a clear top coat.

Speaking of glitter top coats I have some more, first being Nails Inc Glamour Glitter which has lots of small gold glitter particles. Onto two ELF polishes, first being Golden Goddess the other being Twinkle, both look great over other polishes.

Onto some glitters that look great on their own, first Revlon Facets of Fuchsia, chunky purple glitter in a black polish that looks amazing on the nails. Next Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle, lots of pink glitter in a pink polishes, perfect for Winter. Finally Essie Leading Lady was my Christmas day polish of choice, lots of red glitter in a red polish.

L-R Barry M Amethyst Glitter, Barry M Pink Sapphire Glitter, OPI Excuse Moi!, OPI Rainbow Connection, NYC Lights Camera Glitter, No7 Silver Glitter, Nails Inc Glamour Glitter, ELF Golden Goddess, ELF Twinkle, Revlon Facets of Fuchsia, Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle, Essie Leading Lady.

So those are my glitter polishes, what is your favourite glitter polish?

 

Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask - Reviewed!

I mentioned this product in my Top 5 Face Masks post and I thought it was about time it got it's own post. This was the first Antipodes product I tried and i'm definitely loving the organic product of the brand and will be trying some more things for sure.

First off a lovely the packaging of this mask, it's so simple but looks really good. As I said above Antipodes are an organic brand so this mask is full of natural ingredients like manuka honey and avocado oil. It also has vanilla pod and mandarin oil in it as fragrance to help sooth your spirit.

To me the scent is a honey lemony one which I have to agree is very relaxing whilst being refreshing. The mask is meant to hydrate skin if it is dehydrated and the manuka honey will also work as an antiseptic and help with any imperfections and get rid of impurities. 

The product itself is a thick yellow cream which i tend to apply a thick layer all over my face for 15 minutes and rinse off. The mask does not feel tight has it dries and afterwards my skin feels so nourished and moisturised but not oily. This definitely helps my dehydrated skin and I think it also helps with an blemishes I have.

This product has been a Winter staple for me and I can see me using it all year round too. It's the perfect skin treat if you've been out in the cold all day and your skin needs a boost.

I think this mask would work for all skin types, it works great on my oily/combination skin but i've also heard people with dry skin rave about this product too.

Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask retails for £21.50.

Have you tried this mask?

Shopping The Stash #2

I haven't done a shopping the stash post in a while and I really want to get back into doing them and using products that have been a little neglected in my collection. I actually like all of these products I just want to start using them more.

First up is eye products, I have a few of these ELF quads and I really like them because they're cheap and good quality. This one is called Brownstone and has some lovely everyday shades. Next are two Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliners in Damsel and Moray. I don't often wear eyeliner but these are too nice not to use. They blend out so easily and last all day.

Onto lip products, first is the No7 Nourishing Lip Shine, this is a nice sheer peach lip gloss which isn't sticky at all. Next is one of my favourite lip products the Miners The Matte Factor in Peach (review), this is a lovely peach colour that lasts ages on the lips, since i've been wearing berry lip products recently I haven't used this as much.

Finally I have a few face products, first being the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (review), I like this as a primer because it makes a great smooth base and doesn't feel drying. Next is the 
MUA Blushes, I have 4 of these now and they're really well pigmented and definitely need to use them more often. Another blush that's been neglected is the Miss Sporty Oh Blushed Again Blusher in Sienna this is a really nice terracotta shade and is a great colour to wear this time of year. Finally I have a MAC Mineralised Skin Finish in Rose Quartz, this was from the Semi Precious collection and is too pretty not to be used more often. 

So those are the products i'm going to be trying to use more, as I said I really like all of these products they've just been a bit neglected with trying new products out.

Are there any products you want to try and use more often?