27/02/2015

February Favourites

Well another month gone. February has been a little hectic for me and I wasn't very well for a week or so with a cold so my skin just been horrid. 

My favourites this month are a little mixed bag but work well together. I have really been loving creamy shower wash's recently rather than gel like/fruity ones and this Soap & Glory one has just been an absolute life saver as my skin has been so dry over the past week or so on my body and on my face for that matter. This shower butter smells very similar to my beloved Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille range at a fraction of the cost. This has really helped to soothe my skin and it just feels super luxurious on the skin. Plus it's also just worth mentioning that this lathers up really well, I often find with shower butters that they just sit on the skin and don't really do anything but this is lovely and rich and foamy. 

As already mentioned my skin has been really dry so this Body Shop Honey & Oat Mask has really been helping. It gently exfoliates the skin and helps to leave it soft and smooth but also moisturised and soothed. 

Another item from the Body Shop is this Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate. It has a metal ball applicator which is lovely and refreshing on the under eye area and has really helped to reduce dark circles throughout this month. I would highly recommend this eye product, it is super gentle but immensely effective. 

Now onto my makeup favourites. This Chanel powder is actually quite old within my collection of makeup and I have just recently rediscovered it. The smell of this powder is just...mmm. It smells almost quite floral but really subtle and just so pretty. It gives a lovely soft bronzed colour to the skin and is matte in finish so is perfect for me. This is very similar to the Body Shop Honey Bronze which I absolutely adore but I think, if it's even possible, that I love this one more!

This is a new one from Maxfactor, they have recently released these blushes in I think 6 different shades. They are all incredible and I will more than likely be purchasing every shade available soon. They are a great dupe/alternative for the Hourglass blushes and whilst I can't compare as I don't own the Hourglass blushes these Maxfactor versions seem pretty incredible. They have an amazing density to them with great pigmentation. They look uber pretty just on the apples of the cheeks and a slightly bronzed cheek. If you don't already own these blushes then get yourself down to your nearest Boots immediately. 

Lastly is the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick, this is shade nude I think and it just gives the nicest finish to your lips. It's a lovely dusky mauve shade which really suits my skin tone and green eyes, the lipstick applies beautifully and stays put all night! I also have this in shade Hot Pepper aswell which is a lovely tomato red but I think the nudey tone is perfect for a natural daytime look for this time of year. 

So they are my February favourites, what are yours?

25/02/2015

The Best of Illuminating Primers

I absolutely swear by primers, they just really help my base to stay put and also give a nice finish to the whole look. My favourite type of primers is of course the illuminating ones with me being a dewy finish fan. I have picked out my current favourite illuminating primers from a range of different price tags to hopefully give you some ideas.

23/02/2015

Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Eye Cream

I picked up this eye cream within the 3 for 2 offer recently and it was honestly purely down to the fact that I needed to purchase a third item and I was running low on eye cream so here's hoping it's a good one. I must say I don't normally go for pots but this pot is quite large so it is easy enough to extract the cream, it's just the hygiene thing that bothers me a little but I can't get over that.

22/02/2015

#8 Sunday Sounds - Bourjois Colorband Crayons

Bourjois have recently released the Colorband Crayons and I must say I think I'm a little bit smitten. The collection consists of 6 shades, all of which are absolutely beautiful. I picked up three of the shades in my local Boots which are just a nude lovers dream. 

The crayons are said to be waterproof and 24 hour long lasting. Honestly, I can vouch for both. These crayons are incredibly long lasting and are completely smudge proof and haven't creased at all on my lids. Also the colour pay off is nothing short of a miracle. They have a lovely shimmer to them and look great all over the lid or also blended together. 

The shades I have are:
-Mauve Baroque
-Rose Fauviste
-Brun Dadaiste

Mauve Baroque is a lovely dusky mauve shade with a slight lilac shimmer to it. Rose Fauviste is a rosey gold shade with an almost champagne shimmer and then Brun Dadaiste is a lovely rich chocolate brown. All three shades work beautifully together or even on their own. 

The crayons are also so soft and buttery in texture and apply like a dream, they don't drag at all and take minimal effort to get full coverage all over the lid. 

I have absolutely fallen in love with these crayons and have been wearing them non stop since buying them. I would recommend these to anyone and everyone. 

Have you tried the Bourjois Colorband Crayons? Do you love them as much as I do?

21/02/2015

Babyliss Boutique Range Hairdryer

Nick bought me this hair dryer for my birthday last year, I was in dire need of a new hair dryer so when this landed on my lap I was a very happy girl. Plus the packaging is just dreamy. 

It is 2400W and has a salon grade AC motor, can I just say this hairdryer is pretty incredible. It is super lightweight but packs a massive punch when it comes to power. It has ionic frizz-control which helps to give hair a more smooth and glossier finish. It comes with a concentrator nozzle and a 2.8m cord. 

I absolutely love this hairdryer, it is really compact so great for travelling but the size and weight does not affect the power whatsoever. My hair is really thick and it usually takes me a good 45-60 minutes to properly dry my hair bone dry whereas with this hairdryer it takes me around 25 minutes...that is a massive time difference. It is also comes with 6 setting combinations for power and heat, I tend to have it on the high heat and low power.

All in all, I am really impressed with this hair dryer and I'm really tempted to try out other items within the range because of how great this has been. 

19/02/2015

Evening Skincare Routine

Today I thought I would bring you my current evening skincare routine, I did a post not so long ago on my morning routine so thought it's only right to do an evening one as well.

Whilst I have now got my morning routine down to a tee and I am completely 100% happy with it, I am still playing around with my evening routine and mixing and matching. At the moment these are the products which I am using and they are pretty good but I just...I just don't feel content with it yet.

First up I cleanse my face and remove my makeup with the L'Oreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil, I just pump 2-3 squirts of oil into my palms and then massage into my face for a couple of minutes to remove my makeup. This stuff is pretty incredible, it literally dissolves makeup in front of your eyes and then you just rinse your face with warm water to remove. Using an oil or balm to remove my makeup first is a must for me, some people I know use face wipes and these just make my skin so sensitive and sore. Out of the all the oils and balms I have used this is by far the best so far, there is no greasy film left behind after rinsing and it actually does remove all makeup.

Next I then cleanse my face with Clarins Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream, I like to double cleanse as I feel the first cleanse is just removing my makeup and not actually cleaning my face. This has a lovely creamy and rich texture to it which feels dreamy on my dry skin. The technique is a little bizarre but hey ho that's what Clarins advise so that's what I'll do. I bought this cleanser because of all the good things I heard about it and whilst I do like it I just feel that it I'm not 100% sure so I probably won't re purchase it once it's ran out. 

I then apply a toner, at the moment I am using Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner. I received this toner in a free gift and actually really love it. It is super soothing on my skin and helps to freshen the skin and leaves a good clean base to apply moisturiser onto. I do prefer the Elemis Ginseng Toner to this though I have to say. 

Next I apply my moistuiser, I am currently using Soap & Glory Beauty Sleep Accelerator. This moisturiser has the most lovely smell to it, it has such a rich citrussy orangey smell to it. It is super hydrating but I don't think it is all there for me as a night cream. I do really like it and it is my saving grace when in flight but as a night cream I'm just not sold but I don't have any others to use at the moment so if you have any recommendations for rich and thick night creams for dry, dehydrated and sensitive skin then I am all ears! 

Lastly, I apply my eye cream and I am currently using Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream. This is a lovely rich cream for night time, I'm not sure I would want to apply this in the morning purely because of the thick consistency. The packaging of this cream isn't the best, it is a tiny pot and I struggled to get the product out, I'm not a massive fan of pots as I just don't find it very hygienic. The cream itself is lovely and I have definitely noticed a difference from using it, my eyes are less puffy and dark circles have started to disappear slowly. 

So that's my current evening skincare routine, as already mentioned I'm not fully happy with the products that I am currently using so if any of you have any recommendations then I would love to hear them!

17/02/2015

This Months Empties

It's that time again for another empties post, I tend to put all my empty bottles into my box and then when there is enough for a post I sort through them. Every time it amazes me how many empty bottles are in there because I don't ever think I use up that many products, I have that many lotions and potions in my cupboard that nothing ever gets used up.

15/02/2015

#7 Sunday Sounds - My Favourite Blogs

Morning lovelies, I don't know about you but on a Sunday I love to stay in bed with a cup of tea catching up with my favourite blogs and increasing my ever growing wish list of products. So with it being Valentines this weekend I thought I would share the love and tell you guys what my favourite blogs are and which blogs inspired me to get into blogging.

First up is Lily Pebbles, I love this girl, she comes across as being so incredibly genuine and just lovely. She also has a very similar skin type as I do so any skincare she recommends I am reasonably confident it would work for me also, I know this sounds quite silly but finding another blogger with the same skin as you really is extremely helpful. I also watch Lily on YouTube and just love her videos, they are always so creative and she doesn't seem to ramble on like other YouTubers I have seen. Her blog is most definitely one of the reasons I got into blogging. 

Other favourites that I class as the 'big boys' and ones that really inspired me to start my own blog:

Then I have my favourites which are more like my own blog, just starting out or a year or so down the line. The girls behind these blogs are what keeps me going and have just made me fall in love with blogging. The community and network is just so supportive and one day I would love to meet these ladies. Their blogs are so unique and all very different in their own lovely and quirky ways. I would highly recommend you check out the below:


So there you have it my current favourite blogs, I am always finding new blogs that I love but these are the ones that I check out all the time and love to keep in touch with the lovely ladies behind the blogs over on Twitter etc. 

I would love to hear what your favourite blogs are. 

14/02/2015

Valentines Makeup

This is the first valentines day that I have been single for about 8 years so my best friend Lucy and I have booked to go see Fifty Shades of Grey! Girls night...what can be better.

You know me and dewy bases, I just can't get enough of them so my foundation of choice has got to the Maxfactor Skin Luminizer. I just adore this foundation, the finish it gives is just incredible and I always think a dewy base looks more romantic, if that's even possible, then a matte finish. I found this MAC blusher in the bottom of my drawer a month or so ago and have since fallen back in love with it. It is in shade Sunbasque and it's just a lovely bronzed tone blush which goes great with a simple eye and bold lip. When concealing and highlighting the under eye area of course my fingers will be heading for the YSL Touche Eclat. I really love this product, it conceals and highlights at the same time giving your eyes a fresh bright eyed look. 

For eye shadow I like to keep it simple when opting for a bold lip so the gold glitter shadow out of this Clarins palette is perfect for just that. Giving a nice shimmer all over the lids. To compliment the gold shadow I like to just finish it off with a touch of eye liner to define the eyes slightly and my current favourite is this L'Oreal Blackbuster Super Liner. It's pretty much just a felt tip pen with a pointed nib making application ever so easy and simple. I tend to apply eye liner just to the outer halves of my eyes starting really fine at the middle and then graduating ever so slightly thicker to the end of the lash line. I just find this suits my eye and face shape. And then finish off the look with a touch of macara, I love the MaxFactor mascaras and this has got to be one of my favourites. It leaves the lashes looking full but not clumpy. 

And lastly, of course it's Valentines so how can you not wear a red lippy and my current favourite combo is this ELF Matte Lip Color in shade rich red as the base with this Revlon gloss over the top. The matte lip color helps to stain the lips and the gloss just gives a nice sheen and isn't sticky or gloopy. 

So there you have it my 'Valentines look', what will you be wearing?

12/02/2015

Dior Glow Maximizer Primer

You know me and primers...it's like a match made in heaven! And this Dior beauty is no exception. 

I love a dewy finish to any makeup look so a good illuminating/highlighting primer is just vital to my routine. This primer packs a serious punch when it comes to highlighting, not only can it be used as a primer but it can also be used as a liquid highlighter for on top of foundation. Or it can be mixed into moisturiser for those makeup free days. 

This is just my top highlighting primer, it is a little pricey but my god is it worth it. You only need a tiny amount with the serious amount of glow it contains so the tube lasts an incredible amount of time. After using skin is left looking healthy, radiant and youthful but not like a disco call as it doesn't contain any glitter. 

If you're in the market for a highlighting primer then this is for you, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. 

10/02/2015

Lancome Ombre Hypnose Dazzling Eye Colour

I actually spied this eye colour in my mums beauty drawer when I was having my annual nosey. The shadow itself is a lovely bouncy formula with a mousse like consistency. The product comes with a little brush but I have actually found it easier to use my ring finger and just gently pat and blend onto the lid this way. 

08/02/2015

#6 Sunday Sounds - Benefit Facial Cream & Foamingly Clean Wash

Benefit have really gone up recently in my estimation for skincare, I have always loved their makeup but never really paid much attention to their skincare purely because I knew what I liked and didn't want to change but Nicks mum bought me these two for my birthday last year and thought I would give them a go. I did have the mini set a while ago but they just got put away for travel as they are the perfect size. 


06/02/2015

Office Makeup Tips and Tricks

After working in an office environment for a number of years I have come to perfect my morning makeup routine for work. There a few rules that I try and stick to when it comes to makeup for the office, see below:

03/02/2015

Revolution Blush Palette Hot Spice

I was introduced to Makeup Revolution not so long ago and I am completely hooked, they have some beautiful products at such incredible bargain prices. I am a big fan of palettes, purely because they are a lot more travel friendly and can be organised and stacked a lot easier in your dressing table than individual products. I have got my eye on quite a few of their palettes so will most likely have a haul post for you all soon. 

01/02/2015

#5 Sunday Sounds - My Top Face Masks

I am a big fan of face masks and completely rely on them to keep my skin looking it's best. There are so many different types of face masks out there that it is very easy to get confused and you end up going with something that isn 't the best for your skin type. I have been using face masks for a number of years now and as you can imagine have tried quite a number over the years so have come to understand and know what's best for my skin. I feel they are an integral part of any skincare regime and are just nice for an evening to yourself when you want a pamper and a glass of wine.