Wednesday 30 April 2014

April Beauty Favourites!

Even though I feel like i've spent most of the month indoors, not wearing makeup writing my dissertation, i've still managed to pick up a few new favourites. Most of this months favourite are actually fairly new products which have just been ticking all the boxes.
Firstly a few skincare favourites. The first being the Soap & Glory Puffy Eye Attack. This is a really light gel texture that i've been using in the morning as it is perfect to wear under makeup. The next product is the Origins High Potency Night A Mins Moisturiser. This is a fairly thick cream but doesn't feel heavy on the skin. It packs some serious moisture and my skin always feels so lovely in the morning if i've used this the night before. The final product is The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist. This feel so refreshing yet hydrating. A few spritz really wake up the skin. I've been using this morning and night and can't get enough of it. 
Some new base product favourites. First being the L'oreal True Match Foundation. This has a good amount of coverage, the shade range is really good and it wears well on my combo skin without feeling heavy. The other being the Maybelline Anti Age Eraser Eye, this has really good coverage yet doesn't feel heavy under the eyes. It also is surprisingly brightening. I like this best paired with a light base to add some coverage around the eye area.
A new product which I haven't stop using since I got it is The Body Shop Honey Bronzer, this is completely matte and finely milled so looks natural on the skin. It isn't orange toned either. To add some glow i've been loving the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter (review), this is subtle and doesn't have any chunky glitter in it so looks natural on the skin. The stick formula makes it so easy to apply. A new cream blush favourite has been the Max Factor Miracle Touch Blush in Soft Pink, this is the perfect natural pink colour which really lifts the face by adding some subtle colour. It is also super easy to apply, I just use my fingers in a tapping motion. It also looks lovely when worn on the lips. 
I tracked down the new pastel shades of the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paints. Sugar Apple is a lovely pastel mint shade which i've had on my nails most of the month. A perfect Spring shade which I will be getting a lot of wear out of. 
Finally i've been loving the Eco Tools Skin Perfecting Brush which is designed to be used with BB Creams. It is really good at blending out lighter coverage base products but you can also use a stippling motion to build up more coverage where needed. 

So those are this months beauty favourites. A surprising amount of new products this month. What have been some of your favourites this month?

Monday 28 April 2014

April Empties!

This month has been spent surrounded by notes and books finishing off my dissertation and essays. To say i've not had as much time to use products as normal i've still managed to finish a few bits that I have to share today.
 SKINCARE:
So i've finished two Origins products this month. First being the Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment, this is my third pot of this stuff so it is definitely a favourite. It is perfect for oily skin that is a little dehydrated as it packs in the moisture without feeling heavy on the skin. I will definitely be picking this up again. The other being the Zero Oil Cleanser, this had a lovely minty scent to it and although it removed excess oil really well it didn't feel the skin leaving striped. I would get this again but there are other, cheaper cleanser I like just as much. Finally for skincare I finished The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream, this was hydrating but not heavy around the eye area. I would definitely pick this up again. 
MAKEUP:
I've finished two mascaras this month. The first being a sample of the Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Holiday Mascara, this was okay, I found it dried up really quickly so I wouldn't get it again. The other being the L'oreal Miss Manga Mega Volume Mascara, this was the opposite in that it is a fairly wet formula which made it hard to apply. I liked the effect it gave but definitely not a favourite so I wouldn't get this again.
HAIRCARE:
Only one haircare product this month, which is the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave In Conditioner, I really love this stuff as it feels like it adds moisture to the hair without making it feel weighed down. It's seems to be hard to track down these days but I will pick up another bottle soon. (if I can find one!).
BODYCARE:
A bit of a boring one, the Vaseline Active Fresh deodorant, this is my favourite one and I always repurchase it as it does the job. Next the Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover, this was surprisingly good. It removed polish well and didn't dry out my nails. I've already re-purchased this. Finally I have the Boots Natural Collection Vanilla Body Spray. This is a lovely scent and is so affordable. It is more of a Winter scent so I will repurchase it later in the year. 
Another Winter product i've finished is the Treacle Moon Warm Cinnamon Nights Bath and Shower Gel. This had a lovely warming scent to it which was so nice in the colder months. Again this is a product I will pick up again in the Winter. The last product is the Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter, I always seem to end up with this due to getting them in gift sets. It is a nice product but I do get a bit tired of the scent. I wouldn't purchase it again for that reason. 

So those are this months empties. Not as many as normal but a few favourites. Have you used up any favourite products this month?

Monday 21 April 2014

The Body Shop Haul

So The Body Shop had 40% off online recently and of course I had to make a little order in the break of dissertation work. Today I thought I would share what I bought along with some mini reviews of the products. 
The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum
Aloe Protective Serum - £11.00 for 30ml.
I had been wanting to try a new serum to use in the morning instead of Hydraluron (which I still love), the reviews of this we're really good so I thought it was worth trying. It is a light cream which claims to hydrate the skin whilst being suitable of sensitive skin. I've used this three times now and it feels nice and light on the skin and seems to make it feel hydrated. It feels nice under makeup as well since it isn't heavy.
The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder 02 Fair Matte
Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in shade 02 Fair Matte - £13.00. 
I've wanted to try this for a while after hearing so many people rave about it. It is a matte bronzer which is so finely milled which helps in both application and making it look natural on the skin. I went for shade 02 which is perfect, 01 seemed like it would be a touch too pale. It is so nice to apply and leaves a subtle bronze look to the skin, a new favourite in the making for sure.
The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick 101 Red Siren
Colour Crush Lipstick in 101 Red Siren - £10.00.
I wanted to try one of The Body Shop lipstick so I went for one of the new Colour Crush ones in this lovely red colour. Again the reviews of these we're really good. I wore this on Saturday and I would say it lasted a good 6 hours before it started to show true signs of fading which I thought was very impressive. It feels lovely on the lips, just the right amount of glossiness and wasn't drying.

So those are my recent purchases from The Body Shop, so far I like everything I got. The bronzer is a definite stand out though. Have you bought anything from The Body Shop recently?

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Current Most Loved Lip Products

I seem to be that person that is always putting lip products in my bag until I have about 10 in there. On emptying them all out my bag Yesterday I noticed there were five that I just kept going back to, I thought I would share them with you today since they firm favourites at this point. 
BALM STAINS:
So I have two of the Revlon Matte Balm Stains in my bag, it's safe to say i'm a big fan of these. The first shade is Stricking, a lovely orange toned red. The other being Unapolgetic, a bright pink shade. To say these are matte they're very creamy, feel nice on the lips and last a really long time. The other crayon product is the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Mightiest Maraschino, a lovely cherry red colour. This is slightly glossy and again is very long wearing, are we seeing a theme here. 
GLOSSES AND LIPSTICK:
I've mentioned the Maybelline ColorSensational Shine Gloss in Gleaming Grenadine so many times but I really do love it. It feels nice on the lips, not too glossy but well pigmented. I new addition is the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Lovers Coral, this is a shine finish and is the perfect Spring coral colour. Just the right amount of pigmentation and shine but again surprisingly long lasting. 
Stricking, Unapologetic, Mightiest Maraschino, Gleaming Grenadine, Lovers Coral.
So those are my favourite lip products at the moment, as you can see i'm still loving the brighter lipsticks however i'm trying to move into the Spring coral shades. What are you favourite lip products at the moment?

Thursday 10 April 2014

The Edit | The Spring Face, Take Two

So for the past few days i've worn the exact same make-up, that very rarely happens. I try to use different products everyday so everything in my stash gets some love, however when you find a combo that just works, you've got to stick with it. I talked about another go to Spring face a few weeks ago, you can read that here
So I start with the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer (review) which i've raved about a lot, if you have oily skin you need to try this. Next I go onto the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser (review), this stuff is just perfect, light weight, decent amount of coverage and stays around all day. To set things in place i've been using the Revlon Nearly Naked Powder again, this also feels light on the skin and helps to keep the oils at bay.
For concealers, on blemishes my go to is still the Seventeen Stay Time 18 Hour Concealer, it just does the job, it isn't drying and covers really well. Do cover the dark circles under my eyes that are caused by spending my days writing essays, the Maybelline The Eraser Eye has a good amount of coverage yet feels surprisingly light on the skin.
Okay, onto the exciting bits. I've been in love with this cheek combo. First the Max Factor Cream Blush in Soft Pink, the perfect pink colour which is a little sheer so looks natural on the skin. Then onto the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter (review), which adds a lovely subtle glow onto the cheekbones. Then I follow with a touch of the NYC Sunny Bronzer to warm things up a little. These three together look so lovely.
For eyes i've been keeping things really simple. I've just been sweeping on a bit of the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze, I think this looks best when worn alone. For mascara i'm still using the L'oreal Mega Volume Miss Manga mascara, not my favourite but adds a nice amount of length and is very black. For brows, the L'oreal Super Liner Brow Artist in Blonde has been my go to for a while now, it does the job and is a good colour match.
I find this make-up look is more of a natural looking one so I tend to keep the lips fairly simple. The Maybelline ColourSensational Shine Gloss in Gleaming Grenadine, adds just the right amount of colour to the lips and feels like a balm, perfect.

So that's the make-up i've been wearing lately, the stand outs are the NARS Tinted Moisturiser, the Max Factor Cream Blush and No7 Highlighter, all are amazing products which I can't stop using. What products have you been reaching for lately?

Tuesday 8 April 2014

No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter - Reviewed!

It's been a while since i've tried a No7 product and fallen in love with it. I spotted these new stick/crayon style blushes which I wasn't too fused about but the highlighter looked like it could be something special. 
No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter
No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter
The packaging is really simple, you can twist up the product so there is no need for sharpening so not wastage. The fact that it is a stick makes is super easy to apply the product. I tend to just draw a line on the top of my cheek bones and blend it out a little with my fingers and it's done. 
No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter
The texture is creamy which makes it easy to blend; it is like a cream to powder finish so doesn't look too shiny on the cheeks. 
No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter
The colour is a lovely champagne colour with a hint of a golden sheen to it. It is more of a glow/shimmer rather than being too glittery so it looks pretty natural on the skin but adds a lovely glow. 

This has definitely restored my faith in No7 products I might have to check out some of bits when those No7 vouchers come around again. If you are looking for a fairly natural, fuss free highlighter I would definitely recommend checking this out. 


Have you tried this highlighter?

Sunday 6 April 2014

Week In Pictures #6

I thought it was about time I did another chatty update post since I hadn't done one since January! Since then we've moved house and i'm now in my last full month of University which feels slightly crazy that it will all be over soon. We've also booked our holiday for this year, we're going to Stockholm for a few days at the beginning of June which i'm very much looking forward to as i've fallen in love with Sweden recently and can't wait to visit. 
I've made a few new beauty purchases recently, an exciting one being the new pastel shades of the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine polishes, i've been looking for these for a few weeks but they've always been out of stock! I'm still loving the L'oreal Fibrology range, I have everything but the serum now which no doubt I will be picking up. A bit of a random one, Pearl Drops Ultimate Whitening toothpaste, i've always been curious about whitening products so thought I would give this a try since it was on offer in Boots. A new concealer favourite is the Maybelline Eraser Eye, this has really surprised me as it has good coverage, brightens underneath the eyes yet looks natural.
I've been cooking a lot more, our new kitchen is a lot easier to move around in which has inspired me. I've been trying to do healthy things. I've been loving the Quorn chicken style fillets, they're really easy to cook and go with a lot of things. I tried to make courgette spaghetti this week, it turned out pretty well and I think it's a great way to have extra veg in a meal. I've also been doing stuffed peppers with cous cous and spinach, so tasty and really filling. I discovered a great cookie recipe in the Super Healthy Snacks and Treats book, I use dark chocolate to make the chips since it's better for you, I actually prefer it. The last thing I made was 'healthy' ice-cream using bananas, this was nice, still needs a few tweaks, but I think this will be great to make in the Summer. 
Rufus has very much taken to our new house, the downstairs is open plan so he can move around a lot easier now. He loved sleeping on the sofa (hence the covers) and is a bit of a cushion hog. He also thought it would be helpful if he sat on one of my books so I wouldn't lose my page whilst I was writing an essay. Finally I treated myself to some John Hughes boxsets which I will power through as soon as i've finished all my Uni work!

MUSIC:
So i've been listening to The Black Keys a lot lately, the release of their new song Fever got me listening to them again, i'm so excited for their new album now. Someone else who i'm excited for releasing their album this month is Brody Dalle, her song Don't Mess With Me is my go to song to make me feel badass. I love everything about the woman, she makes awesome music and is married to Josh Homme! Most nights i've been listening to London Grammar as I find their music so relaxing.

TV:
I've been obsessed with Chris Lilley recently, i've watch Angry Boys and Summer Heights High so much lately. I'm kind of in love with Mr G and find myself singing songs from his musical all the time. If you haven't checked out Chris Lilley before, do it, he is hilarious and crazy talented. I've been watching the new season of Hannibal, i've loved ever episode so far and the show is so well done, from the cast, to the music and it is such a good looking show.

So that's the week (or so) in pictures. If you've been to Stockholm and have any recommendations of what to do let me know. If anyone would like food related posts let me know as well, it is something i've been considering to do once i've finished at Uni. What have you guys been up to lately?

Thursday 3 April 2014

Budget Beauty Finds #1

So i've decided to do a new series of posts where I share some products that are a little more purse friendly and that i've been loving to use. This first one is all makeup products but I might add in some skincare, haircare and body products in the future. 
To start things off I have three base products. The first being the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer (review), this is probably the best drugstore primer i've found. Yep, I said it! It is perfect if you have oily skin as it mattifies the skin without making it feel dry, it isn't silicone-y and helps to make you makeup last that bit longer. Next I have two under eye concealers, the first has a bit more coverage and is the Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye, now I don't love the packaging of this but the product is really good. It feels light on the skin but has a decent amount of coverage whilst still looking natural. It also seems to have a brightening effect to it helping to waken up the eyes. If you prefer something with a lighter coverage the Bourjois CC Eye Cream (review) is perfect, it looks so natural on the skin yet covers just the right amount. Best worn when you've had a fairly good nights sleep and don't need to cover too much darkness. 
An eye product that I bought on a whim but as actually been seriously good is the Seventeen Eye Eye Crayon in Molten Metal, this is a lovely golden bronze shade which once applied to the lid stays put all day. A great base for a smokey eye, sadly the other colour seems a bit poor but this one is a defiant stand out. Finally a lipgloss, as someone who hates lipgloss this is a bit of a surprise. The Maybelline ColorSenstational Shine Gloss in Gleaming Grenadine has made it's way into my handbag. This feels almost like a balm on the lips, has just the right amount of glossyness and is well pigmented to add a slight red tint to the lips. I definitely want to pick up some more shades of these.

So that's my first budget beauty finds posts, I already have a few products ready to test so i'm sure you will be seeing another one of these soon. What have been you favourite budget beauty finds recently?

Tuesday 1 April 2014

The 3 MAC Eyeshadow Staples

I've been slowly adding to my MAC eyeshadow palette for a few years now, i've been reaching for it a lot more recently and three shadows have stood to me a lot which I think everyone should have.
All these shades are pretty unique, the first one especially. Soba is a warm, yellow toned brown, it is a satin finish so has a great dimension to it. It looks pretty dull in the pan but on the eyes creates a great smokey look. Applied all over the lid or just in the crease, it works with other brown tones and even purples. It isn't completely matte, instead it has a slight sheen to it. The next is Patina which is a frost finish. This has so many different shades to it, taupe, greens, browns, silvers. Like Soba, it can be used in lots of different ways. Finally I have Sketch which is a veluxe finish, I don' often wear a lot of colour on my eyes but I do like purple tones. Sketch is a lovely plum toned purple with a slight shimmer to it. It works really well worth both the shadows i've already mentioned. My favourite way to use it is applied on the outer part of the eye to add a slight hint of colour to a brown smokey look.
Sketch, Patina, Soba
MAC eyeshadows are not the cheapest but the quality of these three are very good and I haven't found any cheaper dupes for these, especially Soba, believe me i've been looking! If you are looking into starting a MAC palette or adding to yours I would definitely recommend these if you haven't tried them already.

MAC Pan Eyeshadows retail for £10.00 each.

What are some of your favourite MAC shadows?