Favourite Things #4

I'm trying my absolute best to not make a comment about how quick the past month seems to have gone, but in the past sentence I have done nothing but say just how quick the past month has gone. So... I should probably get onto my favourites...

Beauty Favourites-
There's a lot of products reappearing this month, so it should be quite a quick one today, which is quite handy as I'm currently feeling very hungry and in the need of food!

Neal and Wolf Super Shine Spray- As with my other holy grail hair product, the Neal and Wolf Guard heat protectant, I feel sucked in to buy something everytime I go to my hair salon. Laura, my hairdresser used this on my straight hair, and I've never seen it look so glossy and healthy, as it did with this product. Like all of their products, the scent is incredible, the product sprays in an even mist, and doesn't leave hair feeling greasy or heavy. I'll be reviewing this very soon, as I think I've finally found my favourite shine spray of all time! (Insert cheesy Cheshire cat grin here.)

Miss Dior Eau De Parfum- The most beautiful, feminine, elegant and luxurious scent (and bottle- don't lie to yourself, it makes a difference!) I've ever owned. I was bought this last year, and it's definitely one of my favourites in my collection. Thanks to it having been my birthday, I've reached for this one the most, because it makes me feel absolutely amazing.

Xen-Tan Moroccan Tan- One from the last months favourites post too, I'm still loving this tan, and will definitely be applying it later tonight so I can wake up looking a little less deathly than Edward Scissorhands.

Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon- As with all Revlon lip butters, it has an amazing, soft and buildable texture, with a lovely natural/glossy finish to it. Wild Watermelon is a gorgeous cherry-red colour, and I like to wear it blotted out to look more like a stain in the summer months when our makeup bags get a summer overhaul.

MAC Quad with Nylon, Naked Lunch, All That Glitters and Mystery- A quad I made for myself, and the colours all go together so beautifully, can look natural or dramatic, and are ideal for day/night. I genuinely couldn't pick a favourite shade from this palette as all four are very, very beautiful!

Dior Iconic Overcurl Mascara- I'm sure you're all sick of hearing me waffle on about this, so I'll link in the original review for anyone who hasn't seen it just yet.

Essie Nail Polish (Ballet Slippers)- My nails have been in great condition recently, so I've been using my first ever, and all-time favourite polish, more than normal. It's so versatile thanks to how buildable/sheer it is, and like all Essie polishes, has that amazing thick, curved brush which makes application a dream.






Origins GinZing Moisturiser- Another one well-raved about by myself, and I've just repurchased (first moisturiser I've ever repurchased-wahoo!) so I'm truly loving it this month. Original review is here.

Avene Thermal Water Spray- And another with it's own review already... I promise this is a coincidence. This seems like my laziest favourites post yet.

Non-Beauty Favourites 

Chupi "My heart is open" Ring- Ignore my pale hands in the picture above, I'm scrubbing all of my fake tan off to start with a clean canvas, so to speak. My Nan and Grandad bought me this ring for my birthday, and I've never took such care of a piece of jewellery in my life. We're currently inseparable...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Complete Collection- Season 4 is my favourite, and I've been getting through episodes of this like a crazy person. And confession time... My crush on Spike is starting again. Cor, I'm so embarrassing...

Vampire Diaries Books- In my impatient state of waiting for the fifth season of TVD I've been reading the novels on my Kindle for iPad. They're actually quite different to the TV show, which is definitely my preferred out of the two, but these are quite a good easy read for the summer-time, and perfect books for reading whilst on the go.

Hope you've enjoyed this post! And remember you don't have long left to enter my giveaway, to win Soap and Glory, Bumble and Bumble, Millie's Lashes and Maybelline Baby Lips goodies!

Perfume for your Hair?! - Dior J'Adore Hair Perfume Review

Listed on Escentual's website as a "Hair mist" it's easy to say that this is one of the most peculiar things I've ever owned - a hair perfume! It's easy to say I'm quite the sucker for things that are different, I love owning things no one else has (such a drama queen, aren't I?!) so when I read about this in a magazine, and with me being a self-confessed Dior addict, I knew I had to get my hands on one.

This is a 30ml bottle and is priced at £26.35 (at time of posting) on Escentual here in the UK. So, in my opinion is quite good value for money, given that Dior perfumes are a lot higher on the price scale...

The product itself is cased in a perfume shaped bottle, and comes out in a perfectly fine mist, so your hair doesn't get drenched with product, nor does it distribute unevenly in those dreadful little spits that hair sprays often do. I use about three sprays, for the sides and back of my hair, which tends to last from when applied in a morning, to when I scrape my hair up into my Invisibobble at night-time. But this product isn't only for making your hair smell like heaven, it is enriched with Ylang-Ylang oils, providing shine and nourishment to your locks.

The scent, is the same as the J'Adore perfumes, and is a beautiful floral, and feminine scent, with top notes of Ylang-Ylang, heart notes of Damask Rose, and base notes of Sambac Jasmine.

The packaging of this is completely beautiful, elegant, and looks nothing short of amazing lined up with my Miss Dior, Jo Malone and Diptyque on my dressing table. As with most Dior products, it has the little Christian Dior logo etched into the top of the bottle, a nice little touch don't you think?

On the less glamorous side, I feel like my hair smells amazing after washing anyway, so I wouldn't dream of unnecessarily product, so this does only see use when my hair is already dirty. While I like using quite natural dry shampoos, I find they don't disguise any (cue, upcoming TMI) unpleasant scents, so when the scalp is getting oilier, and the ends drier, this comes in more than handy for freshening up your "I really should have washed it last night" hair...

Overall, I love this product, if it runs out I'll definitely repurchase, as luxurious as it is, it really does perk me up, and make me feel so special when I go out. And much unlike the Velvotan Self Tan for the back applicator I reviewed last week, this is a novelty which works, and I thoroughly recommend to anyone who, like me, feels the urge to squirt their perfume all over their hair, too.

More Crownbrush Love - Duo fiber Face Brushes Review

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I was lucky enough to win the beautiful duo-fiber face collection of brushes from my faves, Crownbrush UK. As always, they came with immaculate packaging, and super-speedy delivery just a couple days after I had passed my address onto them. I used three of these brushes on my birthday, and everyone commented on how lovely my skin looked, as well as the complete adoration of my flawless face make-up myself. (That sounded completely big-headed, and it was the only way to get my point across, I apologise, but it was totally unintentional!)

The brushes from left to right are; Bronzer C442, Face Powder C406, Liquid Foundation C404, Blush C436.


Despite that this is stated as a bronzer brush, I found this brush worked best at buffing in my foundation. With it being my birthday, and having a little more time to spend on make-up, I applied two shades Laura Mercier's silk creme, to lightly contour, and my foundation was left twice as flawless as it usually would be with a Real Techniques Buffing brush, or my triple-the-price Urban Decay Optical Blurring brush.

I have used this brush for applying both cream blush products, and cream highlighters, and have loved the finish created with both. It is a similar size to the liquid foundation brush, but thanks to the shorter length of the bristles, this brush is a little more dense, and I find moves the product around less, which is ideal for getting a more precise application either on the apples of the cheeks, or the tops of cheekbones, depending on what it's used for. I hadn't realised that I already had the liquid foundation brush, and have already reviewed it in my previous Crownbrush post (here) but I've chosen to use this brush for applying my radiance primers, as I found the application with a brush makes the product work into my skin easier, and I can use less product than I would normally.




This face powder brush probably hasn't seen as much action as the others, as I tend to favor a natural finish to matte. But whilst we had the horribly sticky and warm weather, I applied my powder with this, and applied a little MAC Fix+ afterwards, and I have to say, it left a much nicer finish than without the powder. My makeup stayed put, even after a long country walk and a few wine and sodas.

I'm completely thrilled with these brushes, and once again Crownbrush has knocked every other brush company off my radar thanks to their incredible customer service, speedy delivery and more than perfect professional quality brushes.

If there was an angel and devil sitting on each shoulder, even the angel would be telling you to treat yourself on the Crownbrush site. I promise you won't be disappointed, go, go, go! I currently have a 10% code off for all my followers too, which is FINJA13, and my link in the sidebar will take you straight to their site.

Thanks so much Crownbrush. You have once again, completely revolutionised my make-up routine!!

My MAC Eyeshadow Collection

Hey everyone! So the birthday celebrations are more or less over now, so I thought I'd get to work on a post I've been planning for quite a while now, a very much overdue eyeshadow collection to join my previous lipstick collection. This one is forever growing, but at the moment, this is my MAC x15 eye palette, in all of its beautiful glory.

The colours in this palette, with the finishes from left to right are:

Vanilla (Velvet)

Brule (Satin)

Quarry (Matte)

Omega (Matte)

Cork (Satin)

Woodwinked (Veluxe Pearl)

Patina (Frost)

Satin Taupe (Frost)

Charcoal Brown (Matte)

Embark (Matte)

Sumptuous Olive (Veluxe Pearl)

Club (Satin)

Cranberry (Frost)

Sketch (Velvet)

Carbon (Matte)

All the swatches in this post have been done using a blending brush, to create a more realistic view on what the colours will look like when applied.

MAC shadows are easy to blend, last well, especially when used with a primer, and some are more pigmented than others, but overall, their shadows are pretty damn incredible, and the colour selection is perfect for beginners and professionals.


The "mattes"- (Left to right, Vanilla, Brule, Quarry, Omega, Cork, Charcoal Brown, Embark, Carbon)

Both Vanilla and Brule were very hard to photograph, because they are so pale, and don't show up a lot on your lids anyway, but both are ideal as base colours, or very subtle highlight colours, depending on your skin tone.

Quarry is an ideal crease colour, a lot cooler in tone than most, so looks very natural, making it ideal for a "pin-up" 50's inspired eye look. Cork is also amazing for this, but it's a lot warmer, so I tend to use it if I'm a little more tan, or if my makeup look is a lot more bronzed and Victoria's Secret-esque. I also like to use Cork all over the lid, and under the eye if I decide to go for a bohemian/grunge Cara-esque look.

Embark and Carbon tend to be used as liner, as powder colours are a lot more subtle than liquid and gel liners for certain occasions. Embark is a lot more subtle than Carbon, which is a true black. The red undertones in Embark are truly beautiful, and make this one of my favourite shades in this palette.

Both Omega and Charcoal Brown are brow colours for myself, depending on how intense my makeup look is, and because I dye my brows, Omega is good for the days where it has faded, a mixture of both in between, and Charcoal Brown for when they are darker. (Girl problems, ey?)

The "shimmers"- Left to right (Woodwinked, Patina, Satin Taupe, Sumptuous Olive, Club, Cranberry, Sketch)

Woodwinked is a beautiful colour to be used alone, as when blended out, it seems to come across as two colours, starting as a deep bronze/gold shade, and leaving a very warm red/brown on the blended edges. Quite similar to Sumptuous Olive and Club, which when blended also have the effect of two shades. Club is completely multi-tonal, it appears brown in these pictures, but has tones of green running through it, similar to Sumptuous Olive, making them a perfect combination.

Sketch is quite similar to the darkest shade in my Estee Lauder Raisins palette (review: here) a deep plum, which is very flattering on pale blue/green eyes like my own. Cranberry is similar in finish, but more of a deep red, than deep purple, it's very obvious to see why this is such a favourite, it is beautiful, and so different to the usual eyeshadows on the market.

Patina and Satin Taupe are also beautiful shades, with Patina being what I would call a very subtle bronze, and much more appropriate for daytime wear for anyone nervous about having too heavy of eye makeup in the day. Satin Taupe is quite similar to Woodwinked I'd say, but as the name suggests, it has tones of Taupe running through it (too obvious?!)

I'd say my favourite finish would be a toss up between matte and frost. I like mattes as they are so easy to wear on a day to day basis, and blend well, however frost is almost like a shimmery version of matte, without having huge shimmer particles that make you look like Edward Cullen, it's a subtle way of doing shimmer, and making your lids look more glossy, rather than sparkly.

My favourite combinations, are; 

-Brule across the whole lid, Quarry in the crease, with cat-eye liner flick for the perfect 50's inspired look.

-Patina across the lid, Embark used as liner, and blended a little. Embark is a brilliant alternative to black liner, and the red tones are so flattering on pale blue/green eyes like my own.

-Sumptuous Olive and Cork through the crease, with a little Carbon dabbed as close the lash-line as possible to thicken the lashes.

I feel as if I've waffled on for what feels like a lifetime now, if you want to see any looks, or anything reviewed in depth, please let me know! I'm going to post about my two MAC quads next week, I think.

One of them things you don't REALLY need - Velvotan Fake Tan Folding Back Applicator Review

Whilst ordering some more of my favourite fake tan the other day, I saw this little contraption come up on the same page, and I thought, despite how much of a novelty product it seems, how kind of brilliant the idea behind it was. 

Velvotan Folding Self Tan Applicator- £4.99- Feelunique

But what did I really think of it? The concept, and the idea is pretty good, and I can imagine, quite the money-maker! However, the design just isn't quite there yet, it's too flimsy and small to get an even finish on your back, and takes so long to use, that by the time its even, your tan has actually dried, and gone a little "crumby" - it wasn't pretty!  I like the fact that it folds, and has a replacement pad, for ease of storage and use, but out of storage, it just isn't worth the money.



So I'm pretty sure you can all guess whether or not I think this is a total novelty? So much so, I wish I'd have spent my money on five bars of Dairy Milk from the pound shop. But let's be serious, chocolate is welcome anytime, anyday. (Is that some Dairy Milk in the fridge??? BYE!)

Favourite Things #3

(Insert typical British comment about how brilliant this sunny weather is...) Thanks to the much welcome sun finally making it's appearance, I thought I'd fill up my little wicker basket with tons of beauty products, my camera and get outside to take some pictures. This time my favourite things post seems very much summer orientated, and has more fake tan than I think most people own. Hey, the things you'll do when you aren't blessed with olive skin...

Xen Tan Moroccan Tan- Okay, the story behind this tan, I bought it WAY back in Winter '12 when it first came out, and being nervous that it was going to be way too dark, I ended up sticking it in a storage box and overlooking it everytime I applied a fake tan. So about a month ago, I thought sod it, I need to give it a go, right... So I did. I left it on for about five hours, when the tube says three. However, it hardly developed and I was left the same colour as I was previously. I tried it again a couple weeks ago, and decided to sleep in it, and after a doctor's appointment the morning after, it had been left on for about 14 hours, and this time, once washed off, I was left with a beautiful olive, natural deep tan (not as dark as most people make it seem, however.) with zero streaks, and I smelled like a holiday, thanks to it's lovely coconut scent. It wore quite well too, and lasted about a week. I'll get a full review posted of this at some point...

This Works Perfect Legs Gradual Tan- To keep up a tan, I moisturise and exfoliate regularly so that the colour fades evenly, and to keep it looking glowing, about 4/5 days into the tan, I top up with a gradual tan. This Works Perfect Legs products are packed with vitamins and other fancy-shmancy ingredients which help even out skin tone, and cover bruises and blemishes. I often get a little nervous about fake-tanning my legs, as after shaving it often settles in pores and just looks horrible. This doesn't, and makes me feel as confident as those women that seem to jump around like kangaroos in Veet and Bodyform ads.

LDN: Skins Lotion TONE 1- ANOTHER TAN? GOD, SHE MUST LOOK LIKE AN OOMPA LOOMPA? No, I use this one for the upper half of my body in the middle of the week. It has a slight tint, making it easy to apply, and it smells divine, leaving me smelling my own shoulder all night when I've applied this. It is a gradual tan, and just leaves your skin moisturised, and keeps up the "moroccan" olive glow which comes from the Xen-Tan offering.

(Just to add, I apply tan ALWAYS with either a mitt or latex gloves, which I buy from my local chemist. This avoids stained palms, but always remember to use the remaining product leftover to graze over the tops of your hands...)

Diorskin Forever Foundation in 020- Another product which got slightly abandoned from fear of it being too dark, and guess what, it wasn't! I've rediscovered this baby, and I'm loving it even more this time round. It's a wonderful foundation, definitely not popular enough for how brilliant it is. It's a medium coverage, long-lasting, natural matte foundation which manages to blend in perfectly, and makes your skin look fantastic! Another Dior product getting raved about from me... I just LOVE Dior!

Clinique Chubby Stick for eyes in Ample Amber- I bought this after seeing it on LLYMLRS' blog, as I thought when they first came out that none of the shades were very wearable, but this is a gorgeous shade, described perfectly by it's name, Amber. It's a lovely warm shade, and looks amazing on its own, but also works fantastic as a base colour, for the rest of the shadow to cling to.

MAC Art of the Eye Collection (Rimal Dahabia palette)- In particular, the shade I've been using the most is Shroom, a colour in MAC's permanent collection, but a new discovery for me, and it makes the most perfect inner corner highlight colour, and seriously finished off any eye-look, by brightening the eye area and making it look just a little more glamorous. (I feel like that whole statement came off a little "I think I'm a Kardashian." but just to clarify, I very much dislike the Kardashians, so I apologise...)

John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3 Day Straight- Being a curly girl with very thick hair, it does become occasionally hard to manage, but I've started using a very small amount of this spray with my usual Neal and Wolf Heat Protectant, and it manages to keep my hair a lot less frizzy, and minimises styling time across several days. 

Avene Thermal Spring Water- Technically an empty bottle now, but it shows how much I've been loving it! I won't waffle, as the review is here.

Bourjois 1 Seconde Polish Remover- Yes, I'm very late to the party with this one, but I must admit, that I'm kind of loving this. Despite the weird sensation of sticking your finger in a foamy hole (avoid giggles!) and its one second claim this is quite the revolutionary product. It's much tidier and easier to use, as well as minimising the need for packs of cotton wool and nail polish remover, it's kind of brilliant... 

Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File- Another anti-waffle product, as the review is here.

Wishes and Wants #5

Oh, here we go... More things I want? My ever growing lust list, is doing just that, growing...

These are a few things I'm lusting after...

Chupi "My Heart is Open" ring in Gold 

MAC Lipsticks in Pure Zen and Pink Nouveau

Chanel Le Vernis in Ballerina and Tendresse

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder in No 1 

Shop Dixi Echo Clear Quartz Rosegold Necklace

CND Solar Oil

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Top of my lust list is this gorgeous delicate open heart ring by an Irish jewellery designer, Chupi. Isn't it just gorgeous? Another jewellery piece from the brilliant Dixi, a brand which sell the most perfect bohemian and festival inspired jewellery, is the rose gold quartz necklace. You can find tons of variations on these quartz necklaces everywhere, but this is by far the prettiest, with its rose gold accents instead of silver. 

MAC Lipsticks again, I'm telling you, they're like a drug! Pure Zen is a beautiful nude shade, not too pink toned, and not too "concealer lips" so it looks ideal for me. Pink Nouveau is something totally out of character, as I hardly ever wear pinks, but I'd blot this on to leave my lips with a subtle pink sheen. And more Chanel  Le Vernis again? More beauty drugs... I promise these aren't the same shades, Ballerina is more of a milky/french manicure type shade, whereas Tendresse is more of a sheer pink. Both are my favourite types of polishes, and I tend to favour a sheer pink/nude feminine shade over a bold shade in the summer months especially.

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder has been popping in and out of my mental wishlist (I sound cuckoo!) for some time now, I guess it's one of those that you just have to try products. I'm looking for a new cuticle oil, and provided that CND Solar Oil is used by a lot of beauticians and after application of Shellac I thought it would probably have the most benefits for my nails. Who knows? Another to give a go...

It's no secret that I'm a little bookworm, I have been for as long as I can remember, and surprisingly, I still haven't read the Notebook, or any Nicholas Sparks novels for that matter, so I'd love to get my hands on a few to read. Seeing as I know have a new lamp in my bedroom, I can finally read at bedtime again, woohoo!

And a little less realistic, but still completely on my "please be mine" radar....

AllSaints Walker Leather Jacket

Mulberry Alexa in Black 

Canon 650D

Yes, the jacket has popped up before on my wishlists, but provided I'm a big biker jacket fan, I NEED this real leather one to be gracing my wardrobe soon. Mulberry bags and I have an odd history, I haven't actually owned one, but when I went into John Lewis last year, I tried to take one off the shelves to look at it close up... Little did I know it was hooked up to an alarm system which just started blaring across the whole floor. I was dying of shame, I didn't know whether to run or stay there... Totes awkward... 

Despite already having a camera, it isn't a full DSLR, so that's my excuse for wanting a new one. I did Photography at College and I enjoy it a lot more now that I'm not being graded on it, so I'd love to have one of these! 

I shop a lot/Haul

You all must know by now that I shop, a lot. I've bought a lot more than this in the previous month, believe me, but I thought I'd show you some of the more interesting things... I think I may make hauls a regular thing on my blog. My Instagram pictures of tons of beauty products tend to be popular, so I may just bring them over here. Think I may do them every month around the time of my Favourite Things posts, and the next one will be after my Birthday, so hopefully that'll be an exciting one. (Fingers crossed...)

Given that Boots had "buy one get one half price" on all cosmetics, it'd be wrong to not buy myself some new Essie polishes wouldn't it? I'll just keep telling myself that... I picked up "The more the merrier" a beautiful bright lime green shade from the summer collection, and Splash of Grenadine, an opaque purple with slight pink-tones. Both are equally beautiful and very summery, ideal for this beautiful weather!



MAC YOU GET ME EVERYTIME! Okay, so I may or may not have treated myself to a new quad, no biggie... Left to Right, it's Nylon, Naked Lunch, All that Glitters and Mystery. I also picked up Vanilla Pigment. As you can tell, this quad, my 217 and myself have already been on a date (wink, hubba hubba...)

I couldn't resist posting more pictures of these beauties by Chanel. How I managed to stop myself at three, I really don't know. Despite my Chanel Soleil tan de Chanel, these are my first Chanel makeup purchases, and I decided to get something classy, and elegant, given that Chanel is almost like the God of elegance in beauty. I decided on the Rose Cache Le Vernis, and the Rouge Allure in Evanescente, a beautiful pink/nude which is a "your lips but better shade." I'm going to save both of these for my upcoming birthday to make me feel extra special. Chanel, I do believe you have started a love affair...

With all that nail polish, I need a new remover, right? I'm loving this one at the moment! The scent is very strong when you open the tub, but the scent which tends to linger on your finger tips is really quite lovely, very floral and summery.

I can't think of a snazzy title - Estée Lauder Eyeshadow Duo in Raisins Review

I was looking at my blog stats and all that boring stuff a couple days ago, and I noticed that someone had gotten to my blog by looking for Estee Lauder's Raisins eye palette, however I hadn't actually reviewed it, so I thought, given how beautiful it is, and how amazing it looks in the sunshine, I would review it for whoever was looking for a review... 

The typical Estee Lauder gold packaging is the epitome of elegance, it looks so much better and feels a lot more luxurious than brands like, for example, MAC or Bobbi Brown. I find it can be a little stiff to open sometimes, but I'd sooner have it hard to open than easy, as knowing my luck, it'd pop open and I'd find it in crumbled pieces.

I like palettes with mirrors on the inside of the lid, they make them much more travel-friendly, and it always saves bag space when you don't need an extra mirror as well as your make-up. But, onto the product itself... the shades are a pink-toned champagne colour, which when applied on the lid, thanks to its very subtle shimmer, looks more like a beautiful gloss finish than glitter, and a rich cranberry/blackberry type colour, also with multi-tonal shimmer running through it. Both shades are perfectly soft and easy to apply, have zero fall out, and are highly pigmented. As with most shadows, the colours are much more vibrant and last a lot longer when used with an eyeshadow primer (my primer of choice being Nars Pro-prime Eyeshadow base) but even when used without a primer, they last a long time on my non-oily eyelids. The only fault with this palette is just how pigmented the darker shade REALLY is, it's so dark that it's very easy to overdo it, so making sure you apply layer by layer, and with a very good blending brush is a necessity.

This palette, is overall, pretty impressive. I bought it for the gorgeous shades, but didn't particularly have high expectations, and I've been blown away by just how amazing the quality of the shadows. As with most palettes now, I haven't even touched the dinky little applicator that comes with it, but when websites like Crownbrush are around, you can get professional quality brushes for such affordable prices, that you do not need to consider these (excuse my French...) crappy foam applicators.

Hope you're all loving the sun, but make sure you know you're SPF, UVA and UVB are protecting your skin, we don't want any horrible symptoms of sun damage, do we?

Lots of love. 

Things I've never heard of but love all the same...

First off, I apologise for the products which you probably won't be able to get your hands on, but I'm currently loving them so much I want to share them anyway. And maybe if you're planning a holiday you'll be able to find these yourselves? I dunno, but here we go, I'm waffling on... 

These are a couple of things the lovely Emilie got me in our swap, and both are brands I hadn't heard of previous to this, but are now severely on my beauty radar. 

 

The raspberry lip balm by a brand called Estelle and Third (cute name, right?) looks more like a gloss with it being cased in a lip gloss style tube, but once applied feels like a lightweight balm, and is completely sheer. It isn't overly glossy or tacky, leaves lips feeling moisturised, and on a day of minimal makeup finishes off the look by making your lips look healthy and conditioned, as well as feeling it.

The eyeshadows by a brand called Kicks are seriously pigmented, and the swatches above are one swipe of each colour, they blend easily and don't have a lot of product fall out. making them a solid near-perfect eyeshadow. But we all know that nothing is perfect...
(For reference, the bronze shade is called Bronze Heat, and the deeper brown is called Lady Godiva)

For all the English ladies wanting something like these shadows, MAC's Woodwinked and Satin Taupe are a perfect alternative. I haven't actually tried either of these products, but I can guess from what I've seen that Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfectors and No7 BB Lips are brilliant alternatives for the balm too.

I've just put Magic Mike on my iPad thanks to Netflix, so I'm off to watch that (and to remember to blink, oh and no dribbling...)

An Irritating Beauty Chore - Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File Review

I'll take a guess that I'm not the only person that seriously dislikes nail filing? I hate it, but it's something that must be done, to keep nails in a good shape, and to smooth any rough edges. For as long as I can remember I used metal nail files, you know those horrible ones you get in manicure kits which people buy you for Christmas when they don't know you well enough? How I used them, I do not know. Then 3 years ago I got hooked onto the less terrifying emery board, but still found nail filing was a tedious chore. With my nails in SOS mode, I ordered a crystal nail file off Amazon, a little pricier than their metal and emery board counterparts but with a promise of a lifetime guarantee, and easier nail-filing. But, do they live up to the hype?

With the file being made from glass, the packaging is one of the most important aspects to stop it from smashing as soon as it gets put in a handbag. It's case isn't the most attractive, but is very protective, with an aluminium coating, a black velvet type cushioning, and a plastic flip top lid. 

When you file your nails with any other type of file, you tend to get that residue, which leaves what can only be described as dust underneath your nails, meaning you have to do a little tidy up after filing. Something which attracted me to this file is the fact that this is eliminated, as the edges of the nails are "sealed" whilst filing. (I must apologise for my dreadful descriptions in this post, but I am in no way an expert on nails or manicures, can you tell?!)

For a very obvious reason, I cannot comment on the "lifetime guarantee" as I haven't had it for a lifetime... But with a person as clumsy as myself, I dare say that I will drop this at some point, and it'll be another fallen victim to my wooden floor in my bedroom.

But I cannot recommend this file enough, it's completely revolutionary, and I've now got two of my Aunty's lusting over these. This is one of those items which is a complete game-changer, knocking everything else out the ball-park!

In the picture above, I had broke a nail (very low, ouch!) and so I needed to file my nails down quite a lot to make them all match a little more. When I would usually use a nail scissor and an emery board, the crystal nail file was the only thing I needed, to take at least a few mm off the length of my nails I spent about five minutes filing both hands... making it easy to use, and quick? My ideal product!

You can buy this file from Amazon, here. You can also buy larger ones, but in my eyes, this is the perfect size to keep your nails in shape, especially if you have quite small finger-nails and nail beds like myself.

And I forgot to mention, that I haven't forgotten I promised to hold a giveaway, but I was a little concerned that if GFC ended, then my "100 followers" giveaway would become a little obsolete. Anyway, now it's still here, I'm definitely going to be shopping so I can hold my first giveaway! How exciting!!

New In from Real Techniques

Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I had the prettiest dress arrive in the post today... I ordered it last weekend but hadn't realised the order didn't go through properly thanks to a mistake on the billing address, woops! So yesterday I went on ASOS to reorder it and much to my disappointment it was out of stock, and determined to not give up I spent four hours refreshing the page hoping for a size 12 until I FINALLY GOT ONE. Haaaaalllllelujah!!! Although another bit of clumsiness came when it arrived this morning... The postman woke me up at about half past eight, and we keep our house alarm on at nights, so when I jumped out of bed I forgot to turn it off, and whilst signing for the parcel, with eyes I couldn't open, the house alarm was blaring very loudly, thankfully he didn't laugh at me and was more than sympathetic and accepted the dot and squiggle I left on his "signature machine."

And five hours later I'm onto the post...

Like half of the female population (maybe a little over-exaggeration) I have fallen in love with the makeup brushes by Real Techniques. So when I found out about the news that they were bringing out a limited edition duo-fibre collection I let out a little squeal. With them having appeared in other countries before the UK, every time I saw pictures on Instagram or blog posts I sat in envy wanting them to be mine, anyway, jealousy aside, me and my Nan went to Ikea last week and I "just nipped" (never a good sign) into Boots whilst I was there. When I saw these I was like a kid in a candy shop and ran over to buy them, skipping down the aisles with my brand new Chanel lipstick in a carrier bag by my side... My poor Nan was probably left feeling embarrassed by my excitement over lipsticks and makeup brushes...

And apologies in advance for the icky brushes, I forgot to clean them and wanted to take advantage of the natural sunlight before it disappeared, so I decided against brush cleaning...

 

I don't think Real Techniques as a brand needs an introduction does it? Well, anyway, Real Techniques is a makeup brush brand designed by the makeup guru Samantha Chapman, one half of Pixiwoo. The collection includes three brushes, a face, contour and eye brush and all are duo-fibre. The design is different to the usual RT brushes, and I'm not sure what I prefer, I like the simplicity and minimalistic design of these, but the metallic colours of the permanent collection are to die for. Also, unlike the other collections by Real Techniques these don't come with the little case/stand, but currently having two of them left unused, I don't think I mind about this.

I cannot comment on the face brush properly, as I don't apply powder on my face, other than under my eyes to set my concealer. Although, I tested it by applying Nars Laguna bronzer, on the high points of my face and it did look more natural than normal

The winners of this collection for me are the contour and the eye brush. To use the eye brush to its maximum potential, you apply your shadow to the white bristles only, and to get a defined crease, you apply it in the similar wind-screen wiper motion that you would usually and the black bristles will do the blending for you. Fool-proof blending for pros and beginners.

The contour is absolutely perfect for, guess what? Guess what it is super good at doing? Did you guess? Did you? Did you? (Currently seeing Dory in Finding Nemo... Maybe it's time to shut up.) YUH-HUH, it's brilliant for contouring!! Thanks to its more oval rather than circular shape, you can turn the brush on its side for the different parts of your face, and whether you're using contour colour or highlighter. To make the most of this, I tend to use the slimmer side for adding a contour to my cheek, and then turn it the other way around to blend it out to avoid the "stripey" effect which comes from not blending properly.

So yeah, these brushes are pretty damn wonderful! And if you're starting a kit, I'd recommend this
and the core collection to get you started. These brushes are especially foolproof for beginners, especially the eye brush. Go and get some whilst you can, because these are amazing!!

Hope you've all enjoyed my review and are having a brilliant weekend. Lots of love.

Hydration, Hydration, Hydration.

Those of you that know me will know I'm never seen without a bottle of water by my side, and for as long as I can remember I have been reaping the benefits of drinking water. Despite the obvious, it keeps you hydrated, and makes your skin look good, water has also been linked to joint and muscle health, regulating kidney and bowel functions as well as weight loss and an increased metabolism. But today I'm not talking about internal benefits of water, I'm talking about the external, with a little review on the Avene Thermal Spring Water I picked up a few days ago.

The label states that this helps to give "Instant relief to the skin wherever it feels tight and uncomfortable." It can be used for sunburn, after anti-acne treatments, nappy rash, minor irritations, razor burn, for setting/cleansing make-up, It's cooling properties are amazing for after outdoor activity, in summer months or for re-hydration while travelling. With it coming in various sizes (the one pictured being a 50ml) there are sizes for every occasion, and I fully intend on buying a full-size one for using post-cleanse, and a couple travel size ones for having in my travel bag, handbag and one by the side of my bed during "summer" - That term being used very loosely provided I live in the doom and gloom of the UK.

Much unlike previous water sprays and other setting sprays, this does apply in a fine mist, not in a "fine mist" which actually leaves you looking more like a wet dog, than one of the models in a skincare advertisement. So far I've used this on my irritated after shaving/sunbathing legs, and as a cooling mist on my face, and for both purposes I have found it soothing, calming and super easy to use (by this, I don't mean I'm an absolute simpleton, but don't you feel that some sprays aren't easy to direct because they have a mind of their own? Is it just me?)

If you weren't already convinced by Avene's Water, check out this video on their site, it's so interesting the history of this, and you'll be surprised and just how long this little beauty has been around for!

Bye Bye, Beauty.

I personally, absolutely love "empties" posts, I think they show a brilliant insight into how good, or how bad a product is. If something is dreadful, it probably won't ever be an empty tube, but if something is amazing, it'll get severely mutilated with a pair of kitchen scissors to get the last teeny little drop from the bottom. And for those who aren't aware of the "empties" concept, it is where over an amount of time, you keep the empty packets of the things you've used up, and comment on what you think of them when you've can determine just how good they really are.

My apologies for the dreadful photography in this post too, I'm in the middle of "having a clear out" making a mess and only have a little area under my window where I can see the floor. And with it being under my window the light isn't the best. But all of a sudden all my products seem to be running out, so I thought I best get all of these out of the way and in the recycling bin.

Skincare 

REN Radiance Perfection Serum- Although I love the scent of this, and its sister product, the Glycolactic mask I just wasn't hooked by this product. I didn't see any improvements or radiance coming from this product, and if I went a day without using it, my skin didn't look dull or feel any different. It does apply like a dream, and feels so lightweight on the skin, but unfortunately these are it's only redeeming qualities. Would I repurchase? No, I've tried better, and I own better.

Origins GinZing Eye Cream-Yes, more Origins... This cream seemed to have lasted an absolute lifetime! I liked it, but not as much as everyone else seems to do. It's illuminating properties are great for days when you want to wear no makeup, but I don't think it offers as much moisture as it could. Would I repurchase? In all honesty, I'm not sure. I'm quite loving the Kiehls eye cream which has circulated into my routine, but if for some reason I started to dislike that, I think I would repurchase this. But I'm not in a rush to replace this. 

Origins Brighter by Nature- For an Origins moisturiser, I thought this one was a little "meh" it seemed quite heavy on the skin, despite its texture being light, and it tended to leave my skin feeling a little tacky. And as for its claim of being brightening, I didn't notice this at all. Would I repurchase? No, this is definitely more suited to day-time and you all know that GinZing is now my one true love. 

La Roche Posay Micellar Solution- You all know my love for micellar water, I won't waffle for too long. This thoroughly removes makeup easily, and leaves zero residue on the skin. Would I repurchase? YES. Completely 110% I'll repurchase this product, and I already have a backup! 

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me- This is the first time EVER that I have finished a lip balm. So I guess it's quite the monumental moment for me. But I love this product so much. Would I repurchase? Definitely, my Aunty actually brought me two back from when she went to Vegas so I should be stocked up for a while.

Bodycare

Soap and Glory Clean, Girls Body Wash- A delightful smell, and the lovely moisturising and quick lathering wash that you expect from the much-loved Soap and Glory. I'd go as far as saying this is my favourite wash by them as a brand. Would I repurchase? In the future, yes... But as I have so many various bottles scattered across every inch of my bedroom, I don't think I need any yet!! 

Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion- I got this as part of one of those gift sets, the ones with miniatures that costs the same price as the product itself so you think "well I may aswell if it's free" but then it gets stuck at the back of a drawer and not touched. Anyway, I found this and thought I'd give it a quick go, much to my surprise, I loved it! It had a pleasant, subtle scent and soaked in quick enough for me to not freeze whilst running around semi-naked waiting for it to soak in. Would I repurchase? As with the above, when some of my current products have run down, I'll repurchase, definitely! 

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream- Single handedly (okay, great pun, but unintentional) the best hand cream I have ever tried. And like the Baby Lips, this is the first time I've finished a hand cream too, I tend to just fall out with the ones which leave you feeling greasy and with overwhelming scents. The scent of this reminds me a little of baby products, which I don't like but its immediate moisture and it's ability to make yucky hands look worthy of a million pound diamond ring make the scent less of an issue. Would I repurchase? As soon as this finished I was scouring the internet for the cheapest tube (Debenhams- 10% off)  to have it arrive two days later. And let me tell you, those two days were PAINFUL.

Haircare 

Toni and Guy Finishing Shine Spray- This seems to have been discontinued as I cannot find it anywhere. I bought it a couple years back and reintroduced myself to it, to remember why I loved this lightweight shine spray so much. Would I repurchase? Sadly, I can't. Sob....

Avon Moroccanoil Hair Mask- With my Aunty being a Rep for Avon I got this before anyone else did, and yes, I probably should have reviewed it then, but hey... turns out I'm a little slow. (nothing new...) But for its price (I paid £1.50 but Avon prices are forever fluctuating) this hair mask is pretty damn incredible! It's a very thick consistency, like most masks, and after 3 minutes of this being on your hair, and rinsed off in cold water, flyaways are non-existant, frizz is eliminated and sleek locks to envy Mila Kunis will be yours. Would I repurchase? Totally, it's a genuine bargain and makes the greatest companion to Moroccanoil. 

Fragrance

Ted Baker XO EDT- The name "XO" makes me cringe, but as you can see, it had pretty much rubbed off the bottle, and I'd be lying if I said I'd purchased this, I kind of, pinched borrowed it from a relative. It's a lovely scent, sensual and timeless, encased in a gorgeous bottle, but like most EDT doesn't have a strong staying power. I'd compare this to more of a body-spray than a perfume. Would I repurchase? Probably not, I have better perfumes at the moment which I'd choose over this. Although I'd recommend this for younger girls, or a gift for someone who you don't know very well.

Valentina Acqua Floreale EDT (Sample)- I'm pretty sure I put this in a wishlist post a while back. This is the most incredible scent, and lasts so much longer than the typical eau de toilette. I absolutely adore it, not to mention the gorgeous bottle of the full-size version. Would I repurchase? Totally. Not quite yet as I do have quite a few perfumes, but this is so lovely I will get a bottle at some point.

Miscellaneous

Avon Nail Experts Conditioning Cuticle Pen- Currently on a health kick for my nails, and cuticle oil isn't new for me, but I used to use it as and when I needed it, now, I've decided on a every day and night routine. This one has a brush applicator, similar to that in Touche Eclat, enabling you to apply the oil easily and not get a greasy oil all over your finger tips. I quite like this oil, and I'd go as far as saying it's my favourite I've used so far. It has a beautiful lavender scent, which when you apply just before bed is very relaxing and soothing soon as your head hits the pillow. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would. I very much prefer the applicator to other oils even if it doesn't hold as much product as some others.

Eye Candy Lash XLR8- This popped up in my first favourites post a couple months back but hasn't been mentioned since. I thought that once I stopped using it I might end up with dead-looking, sparse brows, but how wrong I was. They seem to be even fuller since I've stopped using this. How this has happened, I don't know... Would I repurchase? Seeing as it didn't actually do anything for my brows, no.

Bassetts on the go Vitamins (Maintain)- As you can see there's two packets of these, so they're definite repurchases for me, but I'm unsure on how you "review" a vitamin... These taste good, there you go... Would I repurchase? I do, everytime I'm about to run out. These must be something like my 8th tubes now.

Hope you've all enjoyed this post. And with the thought of GFC soon becoming obsolete, make sure you click that Bloglovin button in the sidebar, I don't want to lose a single one of you lovely lot!

Lots of love.

How Did it Get Late so Soon? - Nighttime Skincare Routine (And extras)

Much unlike my morning skincare routine (post here), my nighttime is much more complex (yes, THAT serious!)

I start off by removing all my makeup with whatever Micellar water I have on the go at that moment. I'm currently working my way through a bottle of Bioderma, which may I add.. I love! Then I apply a little La Roche Posay below my cheek bones (down to my jaw), across my chin and I rub whatever is left on my fingers across my nose. At this point I usually do everything else that I have to do before bed, brush my teeth, hair, put my pyjamas on and apply a body moisturiser. This gives time for the effaclar duo to soak in a little before the next step in my routine. 

I then apply the same serum as I use in the morning, Dr Weil x Origins Skin Tone perfecting serum. I do the same as in my morning routine now, by applying my eye cream prior to my moisturiser. The current nighttime moisturiser of choice is Starting Over by Origins, which I must say, I'm not too keen on, but I'll be switching this out my routine when I've finished the pot. I just want to comment on also, that YES this is an anti-aging moisturiser, and YES, I'm only 18, but the clue is in the name it is "ANTI-aging" it is a preventative, not a cure. I'm only commenting on this because does anyone feel there is a bizarre stigma surrounding people using anti-aging products from a young age?! It's not at all like I'm having botox, its a moisturiser, which more than likely, has nothing which will help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles anyway.

I then apply a generous amount of lip balm depending on whatever I have handy (Burt's Bees, Nuxe Reve de Miel or Blistex Relief cream is my lips are in bad condition). I'm currently using Nuxe's balm, as provided its heavier, waxier texture, it isn't one that I use often in the day. This is all after using Lush's Bubblegum lip scrub to remove any dry or flaky skin (much needed after a day of wearing a matte MAC lipstick...)

The skincare extras I tend to use when I need them, or on a weekly basis are Glamglow Supermud, Origins Drink Up intensive and REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. These have all been mentioned several times on my blog, so I won't go into a lot of depth surrounding them. but I love them all equally for different purposes.

Hope you've enjoyed my mini-series of skincare routine posts. If any of you have skincare routine posts, I'd love to see them, I always love a good nosey at skincare regimes.