31/03/2015

ZOEVA Makeup Brushes

I have seen tons and tons of reviews of these brushes and they are all just singing their praises so I asked for some for my birthday last year and let me tell you I was not disappointed. I know the last thing this world needs is another review of these brushes but I'm gonna do it anyway. 

The set includes 8 different brushes within such a lovely matching travel bag. There are four face brushes: 102 Silk Finish, 110 Face Shape, 127 Luxe Sheer Cheek and 106 Powder. The 102 is great for foundation to buff into the face. 110 I have been using for under eye concealer as it blends so well. The 127 I have been struggling with slightly as it isn't as firm as I normally like but it is lovely for sweeping a little highlighter over the cheek bones. 106 is a great powder brush, just the right size for what I like and it picks up super well. 

Then there are 2 eye brushes; 227 Luxe Soft Definer and 231 Petit Crease. 227 is a lovely soft bristled brush to use when applying shadow all over the lid and blending into the corners/creases. The 231 is a little too pointed for me for the crease but I have been using it for applying eyeshadow on my lower lash line as with the pointed end it is really great for this thus giving you more precision. 

Lastly there is 142 Concealer Buffer and 317 Wing Liner. I don't particularly wear a lot of gel liner so I prefer to use 317 as my brow brush, I find the width and length just perfect for my brows and it really helps to give a natural looking eye brow. 142 is great for concealer and buffing into the skin to blend. 

All in all, I really love these brushes. They wash well and just look super nice on your dressing table. Arguably they are not the best brushes I have ever used but with that price tag and the beautiful rose gold detailing they are so completely worth it. 

Have you tried these brushes? What are your thoughts on them?

29/03/2015

#13 Sunday Sounds - This Months Empties

So another month gone, I don't quite know where the time is going at the moment. I've been so busy with work and bits and bobs that I don't think I realised where the month has gone. Well anyway, here are my empties for the month of March.

First up is this French Connection Body Lotion, I got this lotion within a gift set for Christmas and I have just absolutely loved it. It is quite a thick consistency but doesn't feel greasy whatsoever on the skin. I have just loved this.

Next is the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle, I love this stuff. I tend to use it 2-3 times a week and leave it on for a good 5-10 minutes. I love how it lathers up slightly and just leaves your hair so incredibly soft and conditioned. It also gives your hair colour a great boost when it is looking a little lacklustre. 

The MAC Brush Cleaner wasn't one of my favourites really, I found to be really greasy/oily and it took forever to wash my brushes with this. I had to use a lot of product for each brush meaning the bottle really didn't last that long at all. I just couldn't really get on with this product at all. 

I received a sample of this Elemis Hydra-Nourish Night Cream when I purchased a full sized item just before Christmas and have been using as my night cream for the past month and actually really loved it. It is really quite thick in consistency but doesn't feel greasy or heavy on the skin at all. I did really like this and might think about purchasing a full sized tube at some point. I also got a sample size of the REN Revitalising Night Cream which I liked but I didn't love. I love receiving samples for items, it gives you the opportunity to try products which you either wouldn't normally think of getting yourself and also to see if the products actually work for you first before purchasing. 

Another sample this month was this REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask which I have completely fallen in love with. I will most certainly be buying a full sized tube of this. The mask goes on really evenly and once removed leaves your skin feeling and looking pretty incredible. 

Lastly is my beloved Clarins Everlasting Foundation, this is a medium to full coverage foundation and is quite thick in consistency and just suits my skin perfectly. I've tried other foundations and nothing has ever come close to this, I have re purchased this foundation probably in the region of around 8-10 times since first ever using it which I think says a lot about the product. 

So they're my empties this month, have you tried any of these products? 

28/03/2015

Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder

This bronzer seems like it has earned cult product status throughout the blogging community. Everyone raves about it and there are so many reviews so I am sorry to be adding to the pot but I also just wanted to share my personal thoughts as well.

The bronzer is a lovely warm toned and is quite subtle in colour so just gives a very natural glow to all skin tones. The bronzer is aimed more towards paler skinned ladies but the bronzer does come in a number of different shades so I'm sure you would be able to match a shade to suit any skin tone. Because it is very subtle it is great for light contouring for a day time look and is a matte finish so doesn't give any shimmer to the face which is the last thing I want in the day.

I have to say this bronzer most definitely lives up to the hype. It is super soft upon applying and blends seamlessly with minimal effort from yourself. Because the powder is very subtle with it's finish and tone there is no muddiness, it just gives a lovely natural sunkissed look. I absolutely adore this powder, it picks up well onto brushes with minimal fall out and distributes evenly across the skin so you don't get a patch upon first application with the brush.

There isn't a lot more I can about this bronzer other than I love it, I love it, I love it. Body Shop you've done it again.

Have you tried this bronzer? What are your thoughts?

26/03/2015

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer

I have never been one for concealer, I just find it's a bit fiddly and an extra step to your makeup routine which is unnecessary, oh how wrong was I. I was having a mooch around Laura Mercier ages ago and I mean probably around a year ago and purchased this pot of concealer after the nice sales lady had applied it on me. I know what you're thinking, why has it taken so long to do a post, because I took images as soon as I purchased the concealer for a post but forgot about the pictures. So please excuse the not so great images as they are quite old. 

I bought this in shade 1 which is has a more yellowy undertone to it. It's a creamy formula and is incredibly thick so a little goes a long way. I use it under my eyes to hide dark circles making my eyes look wide awake and fresh and also on blemishes. I apply the concealer either with my ring finger or my small No7 concealer brush. 

There's not a great deal I can say about this concealer other than I really love it and have now been converted over to concealer. The coverage is pretty incredible, it hides dark circles like a dream and also covers blemishes perfectly. I love the fact that it comes in a little tub, it is a lot more hygienic than the usual doe foot applicator but still it's not fully hygienic as you have to put your finger or a brush into it. I much prefer squeezable tubes for concealer as I find them faultless for hygiene purposes but you can't always have everything. 

All in all, I love this concealer and will most probably re purchase it. 

Have you tried this concealer, what do you think of it?

24/03/2015

KIKO Haul

So I went a little mad on the KIKO site a month or so ago and bought these few little beauties and thought I would just do a little haul post and give my first impressions. 

So going from left to right, I bought 2 shades of the Mystery Smokey Eye Pencil. I got shades 02 - Extraordinary Sapphire and 06 - Powerful Burgundy. I am loving these pencils at the moment, I normally just always wear brown and black eyeliner so it's really nice to have a different option. The pencils are really soft so don't drag the skin and they are super pigmented. I've been liking the burgundy one with a plum smokey eye and the sapphire on just to liven up a normal dark shadow. I really quite like these pencils and may buy some more colours within the range, the only thing I wish was different was no being an actual pencil that you need to sharpen. I much prefer screw like pencils that you just twist the bottom to get more product but this is just nit picking. 

Next I got a couple of eye shadows. I got shades 226 Matte Coral Rose and 229 Metallic Golden Camellia and honestly these look nothing like what they did on the website. The actual shadow is lovely and really buttery and pigmented but I haven't worn either yet as I just don't the shades in the pan. I am really quite disappointed with the shades as they look completely different and now I feel like I don't want to buy any other shadows in case the colours aren't anything alike. I can't comment yet on the durability and longevity of the product as I haven't even worn them yet.

And lastly I got, these two lip markers as I thought they were a little bit different in shades 104 Deep Pink and 105 True Red. I have worn them both a couple of times and quite like the colours but they seem to bleed quite a lot so a lip liner is essential with these. The red is really a great red shade, it is quite pale and pinky which don't get me wrong I actually really like the colour but if you are wanting a true vibrant red then this won't be for you. 

Overall I have mixed feelings about this haul, I absolutely love the eye pencils, not so sure about the lip markers and am really disappointed with the eye shadows. I would like to try a few more bits from KIKO at some point so if any of you have any suggestions or recommendations then please let me know. 

22/03/2015

#12 Sunday Sounds - My Favourite Spring Scents

When it comes to Spring I like to wear quite fresh and floral perfumes so I thought I would pick out my current favourites for you.

Top of the list is the Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne, this is so light and pretty and is just perfect for a Spring day. When first spritzed it is quite sharp and crisp smelling but once it has settled down a slight musky scent starts to come through which just brings it back down. It is absolutely lovely and great for this time of year when you want something that feels light and subtle but still gives a lovely fresh scent. It lasts all day so there's no need to top up throughout the day which I feel very glad about as the bottle is quite big and bulky and is actually quite heavy when in your handbag. I might invest in a smaller travel friendly bottle of this perfume as it is my favourite and it would be really handy to have.

Next is the D&G 3 L'Imperatrice. This is a really sweet smelling perfume, quite a few of my family and friends can't stand this perfume as they find it a little too sickly sweet but I love it. It has a real signature scent to it and I can always smell it if someone wafts past me wearing it. The bottle is similar to Jo Malone in that it is quite heavy and bulky so not great for chucking in your handbag but it tends to last me all day so there's no need to carry it round.

The Hugo Boss Ma Vie Pour Femme is a lovely scent, very fresh and floral with cactus flower, pink freesia, jasmine and delicate rose buds so perfect for the Spring and Summer months. The bottle isn't tiny but not too big if you wanted to throw in your handbag quick. 

And lastly, Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh. This is just a newer version of the original daisy. It is a lovely floral scent but not floral as in smells of just freshly cut roses, it has many different ingredients giving the perfume a real depth. The thing I love most about this perfume is the pretty bottle! I love the little flowers on top, it makes it uber pretty on your dressing table and even the colours on the bottle just remind me of Spring. 

What are your favourite Spring scents?

21/03/2015

Priming Perfection

Hi, I'm Amanda and I'm a primerholic. I absolutely swear by primers, I cannot apply my makeup without applying a primer beforehand. I just genuinely believe that they make such a massive difference to your makeup and skin. There are so many different primers to use and choose from so you can easily get overwhelmed but don't be put off by that...embrace it! 

I personally prefer to use more highlighting primers as we all know what a fan I am of the dewy base look. I have a whole host of primers that I like to use and they all offer very different purposes and advantages but these two are my little dream team.

The Stila One Step Correct is aimed at colour correcting the skin. It contains three ribbons of colour correcting genius; green to neutralise redness, lavender/purple to reduce sallowness and peach to perk the skin pick and create a brighter complexion. It is lovely and light in texture so doesn't feel heavy on the skin and with it's brightening qualities it is perfect to use alongside an illuminating primer. My holy grail illuminating primer has got to be the Dior Glow Maximiser, it is super super illuminating and instantly gives the skin a healthy glow to it. What I love most about this primer is the versatility of it, I use it as a primer, mixed in with moisturiser, mixed in with foundation, as a highlighter on it's the own...the list is endless.

If you are new to primers and are wanting to try an illuminating one then honestly I would say try the Soap & Glory Hocus Focus first. Not only is it cheaper than Dior so if you aren't a fan of the finish you haven't wasted too much money but it is also a lot more subtle than the Dior version to ease you gently.

Do you wear a primer? Have you tried either of these products?

19/03/2015

Clarins Exfoliating Body Scrub

As previously mentioned on a past post I am not one for exfoliating, I just find it a chore and quite frankly I can't be bothered with it. I much prefer an exfoliating body wash. So when I received this Clarins scrub free with a purchase a while ago it just got shoved to the back of my cupboard as I just knew I wouldn't end up using it. But now that Spring is coming up and my legs will be out on show a lot more over the next few weeks  I thought I had better sort my pins out and give them the exfoliation they deserve.

The scrub is full to the brim of lovely natural ingredients, just to name a few: bamboo powders to help exfoliate, moringa extract to help rid the body of toxins and shea to moisturise and condition. It is a creamy formula which is packed with exfoliating beads, just one circular motion is enough to exfoliate dead skin away and reveal lovely youthful looking skin. It spreads easily over the skin so you only need the tiniest amount to suffice for the whole body.

If any scrub is ever going to convert me it's this one, because of it's creamy formula it isn't like an actual scrub where you scoop a handful of grains out of a tub and slap onto yourself. It feels ultra moisturising and luxurious on your skin and I don't feel the need to moisturise after getting out of the shower as this scrub has already moisturised my skin.

All in all I really love this scrub and I will most definitely be adding this to my favourites. 

17/03/2015

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

I have always in the past much preferred more high end foundations because I just immediately thought the quality will be better but now I know this is not always the case even though I am still extremely addicted to my Clarins foundation. I needed a new foundation for work and as I don't particularly like using my more expensive foundations for day to day wear I thought I would turn to Bourjois as I have heard many good things about it.

So far so good, the smell of this foundation is just lovely which is probably mainly down to the ingredients of the product, melon, apple and apricot; all of which promote radiance, youth and hydration. It is a light to medium coverage foundation and is extremely buildable. It feels super light on the skin and gives a lovely dewy look to the face. As it is really hydrating the dewiness of the foundation can quite easily turn into oilyness so I would suggest people with oily skin to steer clear whereas ladies with normal or dry skin it would be perfect for. I didn't find the longevity of this product to be too good, I found myself having to top up throughout the day which I don't like doing because then my face feels caked up with makeup and I don't always have time to go and top my makeup up.

All in all I like the foundation but I don't think I will be re purchase purely down to the fact that it doesn't last long enough for me.

Have you tried this foundation? What do you think?

15/03/2015

#11 Sunday Sounds - Spring Makeup Bag

Spring for me is all about pale pinks, dewy bases and natural eyes and this is exactly what will be filling my makeup bag this season.

These are the products that I will be reaching for on a regular basis throughout Spring and the start of Summer. For my base you all know how I love the dewy finish so this Maxfactor Skin Luminizer Foundation is just the ticket, it contains a swirl of foundation and a swirl of luminizing liquid which mix together when dispensed. This foundation gives skin such a lovely dewy natural finish and also feels super lightweight on the skin so is great for a warm Spring day.

To add a flush of colour to my cheeks I use this Stila Convertible Colour cream blush in Petunia, I apply this with my ring finger and just dab until blended, it gives the nicest finish to any look and complements a dewy finish base perfectly. It's perfect for Spring as it just gives that lovely subtle wash of colour.

For my eyes I like to keep them bright and fresh and I do this with the help of Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl eye liner in shade Nude. This is really lovely for applying to the water line and giving eyes a brighter more wide eyed look. 

To keep my eyes looking natural I have been loving the L'Oreal Palette Nude, it contains a number of different rose/pinky toned shades perfect for this time of year. It also contains a couple of taupes/browns and darker shades. It is my current go to palette, it has every shade I need for this season and it is super compact so great for keeping in your makeup bag. To keep my eyes looking natural I like to use a brown mascara as I personally think it gives a nicer more subtle finish to the lashes rather than black. This Maxfactor mascara is one of the best I have ever tried. 

And lastly for my lips it's got to be a nudey pink, the best nude/pink lipstick I have ever used is this MAC lipstick in Peach Blossom. It is just my all time favourite and is a permanent fixture in my makeup bag throughout the whole year. It's just the perfect colour for my Spring. 

What are the contents of your Spring makeup bag?

12/03/2015

Bobbi Brown Extra Bright Serum

Nick bought me this serum for my birthday after a rather dramatic paddy in Selfridges when I was told by the lovely lady in Elemis that they had discontinued my favourite serum. I hate it when brands do that! But to be completely honest I am kind of glad they did now as I absolutely love this serum. 

10/03/2015

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow

I have a real obsession right now for cream based eye shadows, they are just so much easier to work with and you don't get any fall out like you do with shadows. So when these Maybelline beauties were released I knew I had to get my hands on them. 

08/03/2015

#10 Sunday Sounds - Oat, Pecan and Choc Chip Cookies

So today I am throwing a surprise baby shower for Nicks sister in law, Toni. We're having a tea and cake type party so I was busy baking away in the kitchen yesterday and made these cookies. These cookies are my perfect cookies, I love oats, I love pecans and I love chocolate...and yes I will be scoffing these cookies all day. I may not even tell people I made them so I can keep them all to myself!

To make these cookies you will need:
-1 cup flour
-1 1/4 cups rolled oats
-1/2 tsp coarse salt
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-3/4 cup unsalted butter
-1 cup light brown sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 large egg
-1 cup chopped & toasted pecans
-1 cup chocolate chips

How to make them:
-Mix the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy. In a seperate bowl mix the flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
-Add the vanilla extract and egg to the sugar and butter mixture. Mix until fully combined.
-Gradually add the flour mix and fold until combined.
-Add pecans and chocolate chips.
-Roll mixture into small balls and place on baking sheet and then bake until puffed and golden around the edges.

Tip: if the mix is a little too thick/dry then add a little milk to give a little moisture.

To find the recipe for these cookies you can click the link below:
Recipe

I'd love to know if you try this recipe and if you love the cookies as much as I do!

06/03/2015

Bobbi Brown Sand Eye Palette

I actually got this palette back in October last year and I am only just getting round to reviewing it! Can I just start by saying look how pretty. Bobbi get's it so right every time with the releases and packaging and the product isn't half bad either.

The palette contains 8 different shades ranging from mattes, sparkles and shimmers. All shades are meant to reflect the sand theme which I would say they do. All 8 shades are just lovely neutral colours that are easy to wear, you could wear on them their own, together, create a smokey eye, use the dark colour as a liner...the possibilities are endless. The quality of Bobbi Brown shadows never cease to amaze me, they are lovely and buttery and blend like a dream. They are also super pigmented which is good as I often find with Bobbi palettes that the pigmentation and density of the shadows falls down a little...not sure why but this certainly isn't the case with this one.

I have really been enjoying using this palette and the large interior mirror makes it ultra travel friendly. What do you think of this palette?

04/03/2015

Hair Care Favourites

I don't tend to use a lot of products on my hair because it easily gets greasy and heavy so I have a select few products which I like and have been using for quite some time now.

02/03/2015

Max Factor Facefinity All Day Primer

There's no hiding it I am a primer girl. I know a lot of people that don't use primers and I just can't get my head around this. I think they make such a difference to the look, feel and durability to your makeup that you really can't afford to not use one. 

01/03/2015

#9 Sunday Sounds - 5 Items Forever In My Makeup Bag

When it comes to my makeup bag items get chopped and changed that often that I'm surprised any products make it for more than a month, even the bag itself gets changed constantly. So with this in mind, any products that do actually stand the test of time in my makeup bag must be pretty incredible.

My skin used to be so oily that I would end up with a t zone that people could use as a mirror it was that shiny, but over the past 9 months or so my skin has got increasingly drier and I have really struggled to find a powder that not only isn't mattifying but also doesn't stick to dry patches and just generally gives a nice finish without looking cakey. Enter the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder, this powder is just incredible. The powder itself is very finely milled so picks up really well onto the brush and spreads evenly onto the skin. I have just been using it to set my base in the morning and and it gives the nicest finish to my makeup. It doesn't look cakey, it doesn't clog up any of my pores and the scent is just yummy. This is the first powder I have found that I will just keep buying for as long as I can and it is now a permanent fixture in my makeup bag. 

Next is the Body Shop Honey Bronzer, this is my all time favourite bronzer. It gives the nicest flush of colour without looking too much. It has a matte finish which I personally prefer for bronzers, a lot of bronzers that I have tried in the past just end up making me look muddy and end up going patchy but this one stays put and just gives a lovely warmth to the face.

I picked up this Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer a month or so ago and haven't been able to put it down since. I use it for under my eyes and to conceal blemishes and it's perfect for both. It doesn't go cakey and blends super easy. Honestly, I can't ever imagine not having this concealer in my life...I think I'm slightly smitten. 

My eye brows are really fair and pretty much look non existent when they aren't filled in so I always carry a brow pencil on me for any little touch ups and this Revlon Brow Fantasy is my favourite brow product currently. It is dual ended with a pencil on one end and a gel on the other to set, It's everything you need in a brow product in one so it's travel friendly. 

And lastly, how could I not include a red lippy. A girls best friend. This ELF Matte Lip Colour has got to be my most favourite red lipstick. Ever. It's matte but isn't drying on the lips at all and is a crayon like applicator with a twist end. I always like to carry a red lippy on me just incase, you never know when you might have to go for a last minute client meeting or impromptu drinks with the girls. I always think even if you can't top up the rest of your makeup, if you have a red lip on you can't go far wrong. 

So they are the products which are forever in my makeup bag, what are yours?