Christina Marie says..

Guest Post: Beautiful Woman, Beautiful Cancer Survivor!

2012-01-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! Hope you're all well? Today's post is a little different to my usual posts, a lovely lady named Jackie Clark contacted me not long ago and asked if it would be possible to write a blog post about a topic which both Jackie and I feel strongly about. I hope you enjoy it! Here goes:
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If you’re facing cancer treatments, it’s important to pamper yourself. Spending just a little extra time on yourself helps you feel beautiful in your own skin, even while you’re still adjusting to the “new normal” of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation.

Hair:

Many cancer patients lose hair with chemotherapy. While it may be tempting to shave it all off when hair starts to thin, this is often not the best choice. Unless you shave your head every day, the new growth can become itchy. A better option is to cut your hair in a short, stylish cut when you start to lose hair. As hair loss becomes more pronounced, you can experiment to find the best head wear.

(Loads of celebrities and non celebs wear wigs now days. Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga being a few! Not only are they trendy and very pretty, but they allow you to try out new styles too! - Christina)

If you choose to wear a wig after cutting your hair, selecting one in a similar short style is usually less of an abrupt adjustment. A short wig also makes an easier transition to the growing-out phase. In addition, short hair is cooler than long hair, a welcome relief for women who find wigs to be hot.

(Audrey Hepburn rocking a short crop and a head scarf, that's how it's done ladies! - Christina)

Hats and scarves can be a comfortable alternative to wigs. Choose a colour that complements your natural skin tone. Light skin with blue undertones comes alive in raspberry, watermelon, dusty violet and other shades with a blue cast, but if your skin is darker, punch up the intensity with fuchsia, cranberry, purple and other bold colors. If your skin has orange undertones, as many redheads do, select colours with a yellow or orange cast like salmon, copper or peach.

Clothing:

Chemotherapy often has the side effect of weight loss. Women who were already slender may prefer to give the illusion of weight with clothing. Long prairie skirts, topped with a long sweaters or vests that flare gracefully at the hips, gave a more substantial appearance. These skirts, which usually come with elastic waists, are also comfortable when you need to lie down for a rest.

(Hands up, who loves a bit of clothes shopping? - Christina)

Some cancers such as mesothelioma, a rare cancer often related to asbestos exposure, can affect breathing capacity. Women who are forced to give up high-intensity running may find themselves gaining weight until they find another exercise program they like. To give the appearance of a more slender, streamlined silhouette, choose tops and bottoms that are similar in colour, intensity or tone.

Makeup:

If you only add two makeup products during cancer treatment, choose eyebrow pencil and eyeliner. Apply the eyebrow pencil in short, feathery strokes for the most natural appearance. Unless you’re in your 20s, eyeliner generally gives too harsh of a look. Apply eye pencil right at the lash line, and then blend it with your usual eye shadow.

(Any chance lippies can be added to the equation?? ;) - Christina)

Because feeling beautiful helps women going through cancer, many healthcare organizations now offer hair, clothing and makeup workshops for patients.

Don’t allow cancer to define how you look. Instead define how cancer will look and that is beautiful!

Thanks for the brilliant post Jackie! I hope this helped someone in some way. I think what Jackie is doing is brilliant, thanks so much for choosing to share something like this on my blog!

If you'd like to contact Jackie further you can tweet her at @JakieClrk or visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog. Speak soon!

2012 - My Goals!

2012-01-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! Hope you're all well? First of all ''Happy New Year!!'' (I know, bit late!). Secondly once again I'm so sorry I've not been blogging much recently!

I thought I'd get back into the gist of things and share with you some of my new years resolutions/goals. Here goes the first (and hopefully not last) post of 2012!

1) Learn to drive; I said the same thing last year but financially I don't think I could really afford it at the time. Now that I have a job I think it's something I want to do at last. I'm pretty nervous about going for it but fingers crossed it all goes well!

2) Go on holiday; Again, this was on last years list but it wasn't financially realistic :( Me and my mate have been looking at flights recently and are very determined to finally go on holiday in 2012! Were thinking of Spain, France or Rome. If you've got any cheap-ish alternatives please do let me know ;)

3) Write more; Whether it be blogging or creative writing, I'd love to get back into it. Writing used to be my biggest hobby and now it always seems I don't get chance for it anymore. I'm hoping 2012 will change that! I've began writing up a few book ideas and have decided to try and blog as much as possible too!

4) Make more plans; I work pretty long hours (I'm up at 5:30am and don't get in until 7pm most nights) so I don't do as much during the week as I did in the past. A while back this resulted in me getting pretty down with life. I realise now that spending the majority of the free time I actually get watching TV in bed is NOT how to live life. I'm going to try and make as many plans as I can on my weekends/days off!

Those are my main four goals this year. I've tried to be a bit more realistic than I was last year (although having said that I did complete 5 of my goals). I'd love to know what your goals are this year, please do let me know!

Speak soon!

Collective Nail Polish Haul!

2011-10-25T07:43:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! I'm back again writing my first ever scheduled blog post! Over the last few weeks I've been updating my nail polish collection. I've been trying to use up most of my old one's which has only lead me to splurge on some newbies (oops!). I thought I'd round them all up and show you guys which one's took my fancy. Here goes:

I got a few nail paints from Model's Own as they were having a 50% off sale a while back. A lot of the colours I wanted were unfortunately sold out. I was slightly disappointed with a few of these because they looked slightly different online. However, they are great quality so I shall be using them!

(Left to right)

- Blooboo

- Lemon Meringue

- Orange Sherbet

- Top Turquoise

- Prussian Blue

- Tangerine Queen

(All £2.50 each, originally £5 each)

- Black Nail Art Pen (£3, originally £6)

I was a bit out of loop with these and didn't actually find out about them until I read Leanne's post over at A Slice Of My Life. I ended up getting 3 as they were 3 for 2 at Boots. I picked up Green, Lilac and Blue. I think the concept of these polishes are amazing and they look so cool. However, I was majorly disappointed with the chipping (which is seriously not good when you're attending a wedding). I may do a quick review on these although I'm sure you've probably heard all about them.

Ciate's 'Dangerous Affair' (see left) is my all time favourite nail polish. It's a beautiful raspberry red (very similar to Barry M's Raspberry), the quality is amazing and it last for ages without going all gloopy. This is my second bottle and my go to winter nail polish!

I also purchased Maybelline's 'Cosmic Flash' (right) as I saw it over on Sara's blog (SWalkerMakeup). It's a beautiful topcoat which has blue sparkles in it!

Both of these were £3 each on Ebay.. bargain!

I randomly decided to have a little Barry M splurge the other day and ended up getting a few nail paints which I'd been wanting to try but could never seem to find in store. Once again Barry M never fails to impress!

(Left to right)

- Once Upon A Time (A beautiful polish with tinsel type chunks of glitter in. All types of colours!)

- Racing Green (The perfect winter colour, a metallic dark emerald green)

- Hologram (Massive chunks of silver glitter which changes colour)

- Lemon Ice Cream (A pastelly yellow colour, lovely for summer!)

-Lavender Hologram (similar to 'Hologram' but with lovely purple toned chunks of glitter)

All £2.99 each

(A closer look at Hologram, Once Upon A Time & Lavender Hologram)

Let me know if you've tried any of these polishes! What are your current fave nail paints? Speak soon.

TAG: What's In My Make-up Bag?

2011-10-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Hope you're all well? Since I'm feeling a bit poorly today and have the day off work I decided to take advantage of my free time to write up a few blog posts! I was tagged AGES ago by Emma over at Cupcakes You Say..? to do this tag but I never got around to it (sorry!!). Better late than never, right?

Make-up bag from Forever 21 (UK)

I love this little make-up bag from Forever 21, it reminds me of The Little Mermaid.. all green and sparkly. It was only £3.90 and came in 2 other colours! Click here for other colours/to buy!

Lips:

(Left to right)

- MAC Lip Liner - Redd

- ELF Lipstick - Posh

- MAC Lipstick - Ruby Woo

- ELF Lipstick - Gypsy

- Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick - 05 (Kate Moss Collection)

- The Body Shop Hemp Lip Protector

Face:

(Left to right)

- ELF Shine Eraser Sheets

- Revlon ColourStay Foundation (combination/oily skin) - Ivory

- Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - Light

- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural - Light

- No7 Natural Blush -Soft Damson

(A closer look at MAC's Mineralize Skin Finish Natural & No7's Natural Blush)

Eyes/Eyebrows:

(Left to right)

- Bourjois Volumizer 2 in 1 Mascara - Noir

- L'Oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss - Noir Carbon

- ELF Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

- Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil - Hazel

- Max Factor Khol Pencil - Black

Tools:

(Left to right)

- ELF Powder Brush

- Scissors

- Shu Umera Eyelash Curlers

- Superdrug Angled Tweezers

- Eyebrow Razor

- ELF Blush Brush

(I also have a mini eye pencil sharpener but I keep that in a drawer to avoid mess!)

So that's all that I keep in my make-up bag, looking at it now it seems like quite a lot! If you'd like to know a little more about any of the products shown let me know and I'll see what I can do. I tag anyone who wants to do this tag! Speak soon!

I'm back & Products I'm Loving Right Now!

2011-09-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, LONG time no speak! I'm sorry I've been so absent from blogger lately, I've had quite a lot going on but I'm going to try my best to keep up with the blogging now that things are (hopefully) starting to sort themselves out! Hope you've all been well (I can't wait to hear from you all!). To get back into the swing of things I'm going to tell you about a few products I've been loving lately. Here goes!

1) Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Conditioner

I recently fancied a bit of a change in my hair colour, having been Red for almost 3 years I decided to do something a little different.. and so I added Blonde highlights! Now I'm not going to lie, the bleach and constant heat really has managed to mess up the condition my hair was once in (boo!). However, this little baby has been quite good to me and has really changed that! Not only does it sort out my brittle ends but it also leaves my hair a lot silkier and shinier than it was before I started using it. It also leaves my hair smelling nice and fruity too! I prefer to leave the conditioner on for about 2 mins before washing it out.

2) Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

I first started using Liz Earle back in May when I received the starter kit as a birthday pressy. Since then it's managed to remain one of my biggest loves! I've noticed such a dramatic difference in my skin since using it. I'm sure you've heard loads about this already but I thought I'd let you all know how great it is too!

3) Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

Another Liz Earle product that I've been loving for months now is the facial toner. I think it works amazingly well with the Cleanse & Polish and in a way I actually like it more than the cleanser! It does have a very strong scent (think elderly people as my mate so kindly put it!), but it's amazing none the less!

4) Liz Earle Superskin Moisturiser

Okay, okay, last Liz Earle product I swear! This moisturiser is brilliant, it acts as a brilliant base for my makeup and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and smooth. It took a lot to get me to stop using E45 (as I'm sure you all know is probably my favourite product ever!) so guys.. it's good!

5) Original Source Vanilla Milk & Raspberry Shower Gel

This is literally heaven in a bottle! This shower gel smells EXACTLY like strawberry milkshake. It's the perfect wake up call (and trust me you need one of those at 5:30am every weekday). There's not a lot I can say other than.. YOU HAVE GOT TO SMELL IT! I love how it lingers on your skin after using it too.

6) Lovestruck - Vera Wang Perfume

I very rarely buy perfumes for myself (I normally hint and hint and hint until it magically appears in my Christmas stocking) but on this very rare occasion I decided I just couldn't wait any longer and had to buy it asap after smelling a tester. Not only is the bottle amazing but the scent is too. It's fruity and sweet but also has a slight floral kick to it as well. If you like sweet girly smells I recommend you give this a sniff!

7) Batiste Dry Shampoo (Diva)

Now that I'm Blonde I've been able to use dry shampoo loads more and I love it! I've been able to get away with not having to wash my hair every other day. I find that the lighter your hair colour the better Batiste works. It also gives me great volume when my hair is lacking it. I'm deffo going to re-purchase one of the new big sized bottles!

8) ELF Matte Nail Polish

I was never a massive fan of the 'matte' look but decided that for £1.50 I may as well give this a try. I've now completely converted and have decided that I LOVE matte nails. This gives a really smooth looking finish and not only does it make the nail matte but it also makes the polish dry much faster than normal. Always a plus! All you have to do is pop it on top of your fave polish and it's done!

So they're the products that have really stood out for me recently. I've surprisingly been buying less and less make-up recently which explains the lack of make-up items :'( Sorry!

Let me know which products you've been loving lately (I need some recommendations!). Hope you're all well..

speak soon!

Diet Chef Begins!

2011-07-31T05:08:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Hope you're all well? I've a little bit of a different post for you guys today, lets hope it goes down well!

Recently I've been literally piling on the pounds and eating really unhealthily (it doesn't help that I work practically on top of a cafe meaning cheese on toast and bacon sarnies galore!). To say I was horrified when I stepped on the scales recently is an understatement! I've practically rocketed from being a size 10 to a 12-14 (mainly a 14 now). I figured it was time to do something about it rather than sitting and fantasizing over the wonders of liposuction! I'm the kind of person who has no disclipline when it comes to food or exercise. I'm the first to admit that if something gets too hard, I take the easy way out and quit. I was debating over how I would possibly diet and go with out all my fave foods (lasagne's, Chinese etc..). Then I remembered Diet Chef!

For those of you that watch Pixiwoo's video's you may remember that Sam lost a bit of weight (not that she really needed to!) recently. I remembered how she raved about Diet Chef and I decided to look into it. A few months later I finally decided to give in and went for it!

For those of you who don't know what Diet Chef is, it basically is as the name suggests (sort of!). It's a specially designed diet which is cooked and prepared for you by a chef. You're able to pick a calorie intake which suits you most (it's suggested that women stick to a 1200 calorie diet and that men stick to the 1500 calorie intake) and you're also able to pick the food YOU like. It's also up to you how long you stay on the diet. I chose the three month diet plan as realistically I'd like to loose about 2 stone (if possible). This plan costs £195 a month which is pricey I know but I'm hoping it will benefit me. Also, if you're unsure of what the food tastes like, Diet Chef will send you a free meal (full sized) to try out. I was sent some macaroni cheese which was so tasty, it really didn't taste like diet food at all!

I received my order yesterday and have started the diet today (so far so good). I've got a mixture of different foods including; porridge's, milkshakes, popcorn, curries, soups, lasagne's and more! I can't wait to start dieting which is really quite a weird thing to say!

If you'd like me to keep you informed on how it's going then please let me know. It's something I'd love to share! I'm off for some specially made chicken soup now ;)

If you're interested to know what it is I'm banging on about you can visit the Diet Chef website here! Take care!

P.S - I wasn't asked to write this or advertise the website. It was purely my decision to share :) x

Review: biOrganic Moisturising Conditioner

2011-07-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! First of all, I'm so sorry for not blogging in over a month! A lots been going on and I just haven't had time to blog :( I'm going to do my best to write as much as I can when I'm not at work from now on though! Hope you've all been keeping well? Now onto the actual post!

I was recently contacted by the hair care brand 'biOrganics', I was asked if I'd like to try out and review one of their products which I agreed to. Shortly after I received a package containing a 'Remoist Moisturising Conditioner' which I couldn't wait to try out! Here's what I thought of the product:

biOrganic Remoist Moisturising Conditioner = £7.99

biOrganics do a range of different hair care products which all contain organic products, this means no artificial ingredients have been used which of course leads to healthier hair! I think it's also important to let you know that the company do NOT test on animals (always a plus in my eyes).

The Remoist conditioner contains pure vegetable protein, essential oils (rosemary and lavender) and also has a natural UV sun screen in (brilliant for those who like to feel protected!). I found the smell of the conditioner was not at all perfumey or over powering, it has a subtle salon smell (which really is the only way I can describe it). The smell also stays in your hair after use which is quite nice.

The conditioner itself is very thick, I haven't actually come across a conditioner quite like it. The directions on the bottle say to towel dry your hair and then apply it but I actually found that quite hard to do because of the thickness. I found it easier to apply it to completely soaked hair as it spread much easier. Once the product had been applied my hair and washed out it did feel VERY smooth.

Once my hair was dried I can't say I noticed a massive difference in my hairs condition (but to be fair my hair wasn't dry to start off with). I think for me personally, this conditioner is one of those that work without showing a physical effect (meaning it's ingredients make the hair feel healthier as apposed to looking healthier). However, one difference I did notice is that my hair felt and looked a lot thicker than normal, perhaps if you have quite thin hair this could benefit you.

Overall I do like the conditioner, I feel for the £7.99 price tag I was expecting a little more but as it works in the same way my other conditioners work then I'm happy to continue using it. I don't think I'd repurchase it due to the price but I do love the fact that healthy products are used and of course that the brand do not test on animals. If you'd like to read more about biOrganics or even browse/buy a few products, you can visit their website here: http://www.biorganics.co.uk/

Hope you're all keeping well and let me know if you've tried anything from biOrganics. Speak soon!

My Interview with MsDriftedSW!

2011-06-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you're all well? You can expect a proper post very soon but for now I just wanted to let you know that the lovely Maria over at MsDriftedSnowWhite has just posted a little interview between me and her that I did a few weeks ago. I'd love it if you checked it out!

Even if you don't want to read the interview, Maria has a great blog and YouTube account which you may just like to check out! One or two of you reading this may even be mentioned ;) Post/blog link here!!

Thanks if you do, speak soon!

Lush Reviews: Dragon's Egg

2011-06-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Hope you're all well? Today I'll be telling you my thoughts on the Dragon's Egg by Lush. Here goes:

The Dragon's Egg is another bath ballistic from the normal Lush line. A simple white ball with odd specs of colours thrown in here and there, this defiantly seems like it would be one of the less 'visual' bath ballistics. This product is £2.99 and you get 200 grams of it!

The Dragon's Egg is scented like lemony sherbet (and bergamot according to the Lush website). It also contains citrus oils in as well which are supposed to 'wake you up' on groggy days or before evenings out. I personally wasn't a massive fan of the smell, it smelt a bit like baking powder more than sherbet. However, it wasn't an unpleasant smell, just one that didn't make me think 'wow'. If you like bath ballistics that have a slightly less overpowering smell, you may just like this!

^ The bath without Dragon's Egg

^ The bath with Dragon's Egg

As you can see the water looks very unusual and not at all what you would expect from just a 'plain white bath ballistic'. In fact this bath ballistic was anything but plain!

As soon as I popped the Dragon's Egg into the bath I noticed it started fizzing away rather madly. After a second or two the bath ballistic's top popped off revealing a bright pastely orange colour (very similar to how an egg would hatch). I thought this was so cool (especially as it's named 'Dragon's Egg'). I also noticed the scent became quite a lot nicer and smelt much more like a subtle lemon smell as apposed to baking powder.

Here's a few photos of the Dragon's Egg in action:

This bath ballistic was extremely frothy! I always prefer the bath ballistics with quite a lot of froth as I feel they leave my skin really smooth! I also noticed that this bath bomb was taking FOREVER to dissolve. There was so much going on, it really was such an entertaining display to see what was going to happen next!

After a while I noticed that there was a shimmery gold cube planted inside the ballistic (or egg) yet didn't think too much of it. However, a while later I then saw that the bath was filled with beautiful gold glitter (as well as loads of froth)!

I will admit, although the glitter looked gorgeous in the water it was a bit of a pain on the skin. It seemed to stick in certain places on my skin instead of spreading evenly out, so it kind of made me look like I hadn't washed in certain places. This did result in me having to have a shower afterwards but the glitter did come off as soon as I showered it off so that was good!

Overall I'm really happy I tried out this ballistic. It left my skin feeling incredibly soft afterwards, it had a nice subtle smell once it had dissolved and it was certainly VERY fun to watch!

Let me know if you've tried the Dragon's Egg yet, if so.. what are your thoughts? Speak soon!

Review: Bourjois' Healthy Mix Foundation

2011-05-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Thanks so much for all the lovely birthday messages you girls left me on Twitter and Facebook, I'm now officially 18! After my recent haul (post here!), a few people requested that I talked a bit about the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. I'm sure most of you have seen this mentioned so I'll try to keep it as short and honest as possible. Here goes:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - £9.99 (for 30ml)

On first impressions I thought this foundation smelt amazing! It was fruity, fresh and unlike any foundation I'd ever smelt before (not that I normally go around sniffing foundations that is..). I then read that it had fruit extracts in which help the skin; Apricots for radiance, Melons for hydration, Apples work as an anti oxidant and Ginger for energy. That information certainly made me feel like my skin was being looked after!

When I first applied the foundation using a foundation brush I thought the foundation looked lovely and dewy (baring in mind I have oily/dry combination skin). My skin looked healthy and fresh without looking shiny in the slightest. However, when I went into natural light I was somewhat horrified! The foundation had picked up on ALL of my dry areas and made my face look cakey and generally not very nice.

The next day I had a good scrub (when I say scrub I mean I exfoliated.. a lot!) and still noticed the same thing was going on. I couldn't understand it as people with dry skin had been raving about this product non stop! I was determined to make this work for me so the day after I applied it using my fingers and hurrah I finally got the look I was after! Like I said before, it gave a lovely dewy and fresh look to my skin in and out of natural light this time!

The consistency of this foundation is quite thin but not watery. It's VERY full coverage and one pump literally covers my whole face and jaw area. It's easy to blend (when using your fingers) and feels very light weight.

I'm really impressed with the packaging of this product too. Not only is the pump very handy for getting the desired amount out but the bottle also has a 'pusher' which pushes the foundation up meaning you really will get the very last scrap of foundation out of the bottle. I approve ;)

So overall, I really do like this foundation. You do need to figure out how to make it work for you and I defiantly recommend exfoliating at least twice a week and taking your makeup off before bed (I was far too tired one night and was left with a very oily face as well as a spot the next day!), but other than that it's a lovely foundation and I probably will re-purchase once I've used up all of my foundations.

Let me know if you've tried Bourjois' Healthy Mix! Speak soon!

Product Rave: VO5's Miracle Mist Leave In Conditioner!

2011-05-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! I'm so sorry I haven't blogged in what feels like forever! Basically, I've got myself a job.. the hours are outrageous and seem to be taking up all of my personal time! I'm up at 5:30am, starting work at 8am and finishing at 5:30pm (and I don't get in until 7pm!). Ahh!

Anyway, before I start rambling on! I have a little product rave which I'd like to tell you all about. Here goes!

VO5's Miracle Mist - £4.28 (for 150ml)

A while ago I went to a bloggers event which was organised to celebrate the re-launch of VO5 products (post here!), whilst I was there I was given a few of the new products to take home and try.. including this little baby right here!

VO5's Miracle Mist is basically a leave in conditioning spray which has 5 natural oils in. It's supposed to 'rescue tired, damaged, dry or frizzy hair' with just a little spritz! It also has heat protection in which is brilliant for me as I'm always blow drying my hair on the highest setting for quickness (naughty me!).

This product smells SO nice! If I'm not mistaken I can smell a tiny hint of coconut but other than that it just smells like that typical hair salon smell (yet slightly more perfumey and pretty smelling!).

You spray the product onto towel dried hair and brush through, then blow dry as normal. It made my hair feel lovely and silky as soon as it was applied! My hair was so much easier to straighten/manage than it is normally. I also got a few compliments after using it which is always a plus!

I wouldn't say this product made my hair unmanageable in the slightest (I cannot stand it when products make my hair go overly silky so that I can't do anything with them!) but I think if you sprayed too much, it would cause that effect. I always use about 5 small spritz on the ends of my hair then brush through.

I'm really pleased with this product and I now use it every time I wash and blow dry my hair! I love how you don't have to wash the spray out and that you can smell the product once your hair is dry too!

If you're interested in buying the new VO5 Miracle Mist you can do so here! They're also sold in Boots and Superdrugs but have yet to make it onto the websites as of yet.

Let me know if you've used any of the new VO5 products, if so.. which were your faves?

NOTW - Fit For A Princess!

2011-05-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Just a quick post to show you my nails of the week!
As you probably already know a few weeks ago the lovely Kate Middleton married Prince William, the event was certainly the most talked about thing for months! Kate Middleton as I'm sure you'll all agree looked amazing.. as did her nails! I decided (along with a few fellow beauty bloggers) to purchase the exact same colours that Kate wore on the day (yes, I know.. sad!). Here's how they turned out!

Left: Essie's 'Allure' (around £10)

Right: Bourjois' 'Rose Lounge' (£5.99)

It's a very formal sort of nail look, it'd be great for interviews, meetings and of course weddings. It's a lot less 'sheer' in real life and also a loss less watery looking. It almost looks as though I'm wearing falsies which is nice and elegant looking.

I don't think the colours are spectacular but they are nice and easy to work with. Bourois' Rose Lounge took two coats and Essie's Allure took one coat.

Hope you're all well? Speak soon!

Collective Beauty Haul - MAC, Benefit, Burts Bees & More!

2011-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Lately I've gathered up a few beauty items and thought I'd show you what I got. If you'd like a review on anything in particular let me know and I shall try and do that asap! Once again I'm having to use my phone camera so apologies if the quality isn't as good as it could be. Here goes!

Debenhams:

MAC's 'Love Thing' Mineralize Blush - £17.50

Although this looks scary it is VERY pretty! Lately I've been wanting to try out a few highlights/mineralize face products as summer's coming up and I feel a matte look just won't do! It's very pigmented though so you really do need the tiniest amount for a nice flush of colour.

Benefit's Benetint Lip/Cheek Stain - £22.05

As some of you may know I had the travel sized version of Benetint and loved it. I used it everyday and it's lasted me for months. I will admit I think it's far too expensive but it was down by a great amount so I decided to re-purchase it. It is something I use everyday though so I don't feel as guilty as I should!

(There was 15% off around Easter so I managed to get both of these for a bit cheaper, however the prices you see above are what they normally cost on the Debenhams website)

Blog Sales:

MAC's 'Soft & Gentle' Mineralize Skin Finish - £11 (originally £20.50)

I bought this off of the lovely Emma from a 'twitter sale'. I'd been after this product for ages but couldn't justify spending £20 on it if I didn't know for sure if I'd like it. I bet you can imagine how happy I was when I saw that Emma was selling it. I'm so glad I got it.. I love it!

MAC's 'Bare Study' Paint Pot - £5.50 (originally £13.50)

I bought this off of Rosy who has a Youtube channel (rosy2oo6 .. go and sub!) for another bargain price. It's a really gorgeous shimmery champagne colour. It's much more pigmented in real life than it shows up on camera though! This looks really pretty alone AND with an eyeshadow on top!

Holland & Barrett:

Mango Burt's Bees Lip Balm - £3.59

I've been obsessing over mango scented things lately so when I saw this lip balm I did get a bit excited. I'm a little disappointed with the smell if I'm honest, it isn't as nice as I thought it'd be. However, it does feel nice on my lips and does the job so I won't complain too much! This was my first Burt's Bees purchase!

Amazon:

Essie's 'Allure' Nail Polish - £9.50

I'll be the first to admit.. I'm a saddo! I did only get this nail polish because Kate Middleton wore it on her wedding day. As soon as I found out what she had on her nails I rushed online to buy it (without looking at reviews/seeing what it actually looked like). If I'm honest I'm a little disappointed by this as for the price tag it barley does anything but add a shine.

Boots:

Bourjois 'So Laque!' Nail Polish's (Left: Rouge|Right: Rose Lounge) - £5.99 each

Rose Lounge is another colour that Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day. I had a feeling this would sell like hot cakes so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and get it too (shameful I know!). As there was a 3 for 2 offer in Boots I picked up Rouge too which I heard was similar to Ciate's Dangerous Affair (my fave nail varnish) which is true!

Bourjois' Healthy Mix Foundation (Light Vanilla) - £9.99

I'd heard a lot of hype about this product and as my beloved Revlon Colour Stay was running out I thought I'd give this a go. I won't say too much about this product as I'm hoping to review it sometime during the week. Keep your eyes peeled for that one!

Sainsbury's:

Skin, hair & nails! Vitamins (x30) - £3.09

After seeing Hiadee's skincare routine I noticed that she'd recently started taking skin, hair & nail vitamins, I think it's fair to say I was intrigued! I had a look in Sainsbury's and saw these one's for quite a good price so decided to get them. For those interested they contain vitamins, minerals, grape extract and cysteine. They supposedly help maintain healthy skin, hair and nails and are also meant to help your immune system. We'll see!

Zavvi:

Misfits Soundtrack CD - £8.55

Although this isn't a 'beauty' item I thought I'd chuck it in anyway. I'm obsessed with Misfits as you may already know. I absolutely loved the tracks they used on the show so I was SO excited to see the soundtrack. I pre-ordered this from Zavvi and it came 2 days early.. woop! Very good album!

So that's what I've collected up these past few weeks, very naughty I know! Hope you're all doing well? Speak soon!

Review: TBS - Almond Oil Nail/Cuticle Treatment

2011-05-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Hope you're all well and enjoying all these little bank holidays that we keep getting? Today I'm going to be reviewing The Body Shop's Almond Oil Nail & Cuticle Treatment!

£7 (for 1.8ml)

What is it? What's in it?

This nail and cuticle treatment from The Body Shop has almond oil in which helps to prevent nails from splitting and breaking. Almond Oil is also extremely moisturising which means this is a fab treatment for those who may have dry skin (around your nails) or dry cuticles. It also contains Vitamins A & E which supposedly helps to improve your nails condition. There's also a rubber cuticle pusher at the top of this product which you would use if your cuticles have over grown.

How does it work?

Very easily! It has a bit at the bottom which you twist in order for the product to actually come out. When it does come out, it seeps up through the middle of the brush (a bit like some lip glosses). You simply brush the oil onto your cuticles/nails/dry skin and rub in. Once the product has been applied you can then go on to use the cuticle pusher if you wish. I'm sure you all know how a cuticle pusher works but if not you simply push down on your cuticles with the cuticle pusher (no way!) and done!

The rubber cuticle pusher at the top of the lid ^

Pros:

- It works, it really works! It left my nails smooth and feeling healthy (although that could just a placebo effect type thing?)

- The added cuticle pusher was a really nice touch. It helped mine out massively! The fact it had a special product to go along side it made it a thousand times better too!

- The dry skin around my nails was vastly improved! The moisturising almond oil really worked a treat!

- It smelt really nice! If you've smelt The Body Shop's Almond Hand & Nail Cream it's exactly the same!

- It was so easy to use and worked practically straight away!

- The Body Shop use natural ingredients which aren't tested on animals/taken from animals (this includes the brush hairs)

The brush which the product come's out of ^

Cons:

- It's pretty pricey considering you only get 1.8ml of product, I feel it'll run out pretty fast!

- Sometimes too much product seeps up through the brush meaning you do waste some product/end up using too much!

Overall Verdict/Rating:

I love it! I would defiantly recommend this product for those who suffer from dry skin or cuticles on their nails! It practically worked straight away which is brilliant and very handy indeed! It also has some great ingredients in which sounds like it could help nails out! As I said the only real downside to this product is the price/how much you get. Personally though I'd re-purchase because it works perfectly for what I want. I rate this treatment:

8/10

If you'd like to find out more about this product/buy it you can do so here!

What are your nails loving right now? Let me know!

Sleek True Colour Lipsticks!

2011-04-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! The other day I purchased two of the new Sleek True Colour lippies! Here's some swatches/my general thoughts on them!

These are currently retailing at £4 each for 3.5g which I feel is very reasonable for a lipstick. However, in Superdrug there's currently a 2 for £6 offer going on these lipsticks, so hurry down and grab a bargain!

O.M.G!

O.M.G! is a true and classic Red colour. It's incredibly pigmented as you can see from the swatch. It has a quite glossy finish to it which reminds me a bit of the MAC Glaze finishes. Unlike other Red lipsticks I've tried in the past this is a lot less drying which I'm so happy about. This is defiantly one of my new favourite lipsticks!

Barley There

True to it's this name this is a quite nude lipstick. However, it's more of a peachy nude which I much prefer. Being as pale as I am I find a lot of nudes wash me out but this is the perfect one for me! I have a feeling I'll be wearing this a lot in the summer! Like O.M.G! it has a slight glossy finish to it, again reminding me of the MAC Glaze finishes. I find this lipstick doesn't last quite as long on my lips but I still love it none the less!

Overall I'm really liking these new lipsticks. I do believe Sleek have changed the formula as I find they're nowhere near as drying (I've also noticed that Vitamin E has been added according to their website). The packaging still remains the same though which I'm pleased about, there's something quite attractive about the unusual shape! If you like bold colours then I'd defiantly say check out the new selection, there's also a few treats for those who like their nudes as well!

If you'd like to check out the new range of colours/buy some you can check out the Sleek website here!

Have any of these lipsticks caught your eye? Let me know!

P.S - I'm still using my phone's camera so please bare with me! x

Lush Reviews: Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask

2011-04-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Sorry I haven't blogged in a few days, 'disaster' has struck and my camera has unfortunately broken :( I've been racking my brain as to what I can blog about in the mean time and came up with this. I've had to use my phone's camera so apologies if the quality isn't the best.. but what can you do?

I've been testing out a face mask from Lush called 'Cosmetic Warrior' and thought I'd share my thoughts on it. Here goes:

£5.25 for 75g

Cosmetic Warrior face mask is probably most recognised by it's unusual ingredients. It contains tea tree and garlic (as well as honey, kaolin and fresh grapes). Now I know you're already probably thinking 'GARLIC?!' but it really isn't as bad as it sounds. I'll admit I had a read up on this and thought it sounded terrible! However, after reading a few of Lisa's tweets about it I was defiantly intrigued. So I popped down to Lush, had a sniff and... was pleasantly surprised!

The scent was nowhere near as bad as I thought it'd be. The tea tree was a much more noticeable smell and although there defiantly was a hint of something other than tea tree, I can honestly say it wasn't garlic. There are times when I think I can smell it but it strangely isn't off putting in any way. If you don't believe me.. pop down and have a sniff yourself ;) You may be surprised!

Onto the actual product, it's of a creamy consistency and has large chunks of garlic in it. Unlike Cupcake face mask (review here!) it was much easier to work with. It spread on my face a whole lot easier and I actually ended up using much less product which was good. Also, the product didn't feel as hard once it had dried on my skin. One of the things I dislike most about most face masks is that tight feeling you get once the product has dried. That gained a thumbs up from me!

Cosmetic Warrior is targeted at those with quite troubled skin. It's supposed to clear up/calm down any break outs and spots you may have (I've been getting a few during my time of the month.. oh the joys of being a women!). It's also supposed to cleanse any dirt from your face. Now although I don't notice an immediate difference to my skin when using this, I do like the way it makes my skin appear. It looks healthy and fresh, not to mention smooth! I haven't noticed my spots disappear as quick as I'd like them to but they defiantly look a lot less.. red.

So although as of yet it hasn't completely got rid of all my spots I still really do like this face mask. I definitely look forward to using it again and hopefully within a few days it will have cleared up my skin completely. It's recommended that you leave this product on for 5-10 mins and use it once a week. Like all of the Lush face masks it's best to keep this in a fridge as it has fresh ingredients in it.

If you're interested on reading more about this product or maybe even buying it you can do so here!

Have you tried any Lush face masks? If so what are your thoughts? Let me know! Speak soon :)

P.S - Happy Easter :D x

Tresemme & VO5 Bloggers Event!

2011-04-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! I've been meaning to do this post for a while now, finally I've got around to doing it. Last Thursday I was invited to my very first blogger event (ooh!), the event was a joint one between the very popular hair brands Tresemme and VO5. Myself and a bunch of other bloggers/Youtubers were invited along to the Soho Hotel in London (proper swanky!) which was amazing!

A few hours before the event I met up with Maria (MissDriftedSnowWhite) which I was quite nervous about at first. However, Maria turned out to be so lovely and we got on straight away. Like Maria said it was quite hard to believe there was 10 years between us! We had a little shop and tried on some of the brightest clothes we could find in H&M. We discussed our fave gurus (Pixiwoo mainly) and how we both dislike spending too much on certain things (not ashamed to admit how stingy I am!). We also had some noodles where we were told by a random man that we looked Irish.. compliment??

We eventually made our way to Soho Hotel (as I said before, amazing!) and up into the actual apartment, not even exaggerating when I say I could live there! We were greeted by the lovely staff and stylists and offered various refreshments. I ended up getting in a bit of a panic and opting for red wine (why Christina, why?!). Eventually more and more famous faces started making their way through the doors. I was most excited to see Sara aka SwalkerMakeup (who was so lovely and genuinely a nice person) as she's my fave guru. Other famous Youtubers who came were Pixi2woo (plus Jim her boyfriend), Gemsmaquillage and FleurDeForce, as well as various famous bloggers. I felt like a little fish in a big pond!

We were first introduced to the new VO5 products, as you can tell the packaging has been redesigned completely (it's no longer in the blue packaging) and is Pink <3 Very nice! We were shown some demonstrations by the celebrity stylist Heath on some of the models. I was defiantly most impressed by the plumping powder which gives instant volume (I made sure to try some, haha!).

(Sorry about the plant covering the models face, haha!)

We then made our way through to the second room which is where all the Tresemme products were kept. We watched various people's hair being done by the very talented and lovely Matt Curtis, myself and Maria even managed to get ours done. Matt gave me some great tips for achieving volume!

After a lot of chatting and trying out new products we were then given two massive bags full of goodies which was very exciting. I chose the colour treatment shampoo and conditioner (having bright red hair). We were also given a cute little cake lollipop which was delish!

VO5 goodies!

Tresemme goodies!

So overall I had a fab time and it was a great first event. Thanks to Laura (SoFarSoChic) for personally inviting me and thanks to the lovely Maria (MsDriftedSW) for making it a lovely day (and for all the amazing advice you gave me) and also to everyone else involved!

I will deffo be telling you my thoughts on some of the new products later on! Speak soon :)

Collective Haul: Primark, Superdrugs, Boots & More!

2011-04-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! I thought I'd show you a few things I've bought recently and where I got them from. It feels like I haven't been shopping for ages (yet not true), so I picked up a few bits and bobs! Here goes:

Primark:

£4 each

I got these two tops just because they caught my eye really. They'll be great to wear with shorts or leggings over the top of a vest. They're quite thin so are ideal for summer (or now even!). I also really like the way they're tied at the bottom.

£5 (top set) & £4 (bottom set)

Bit of a weird thing to show but I got these cute little underwear sets. I think they're a real bargain for under a tenner. I always like Primark's underwear section (trying not to sound like a freak here..).

£1

I got these little travel sets for storing some of my MAC products in. I'm nearing the end of a few products so thought I'd scrape them out and put them in here. Then back to MAC I go ;)

Superdrugs:

Barry M - Peach Melba Nail Paint- £4.99 (for 2)

I was on the hunt for this nail paint having seen it featured in a few blog posts. My friend spotted the last one and very kindly let me have it. There was a deal on where you got two nail paints for £4.99 so I bought her a nail paint to say thanks for letting me have this one.

Mango & Papaya Body Scrub- £2.03

As some of you already know lately I've been lusting over mango scented things. I spotted this little baby and fell in love (so much so that I actually went back for it). I rarely use body scrubs so I thought this would encourage me. It smells divine!!

Simple Toner - £2.91

This is just a re-purchase. I finished the last of my toner yesterday so decided to get the same one (just because it's quite cheap). Using a toner always makes me feel that bit fresher.

Sleek Lipsticks (OMG! & Barley There) - £6 for 2

I spotted this little bargain straight away. These are just two of the new Sleek lipsticks that have recently been released. I had a little look and these two were by far my favourites. Blog post on these coming soon!

Boots:

Oilatum Cream - £2.54

Okay so as you know I'm a big lover of E45 cream (and always will be), however Pixiwoo have been raving about this moisturiser for some time now so I decided to try it out. I'll let you know my thoughts on this soon!

Natural Collection Body Mists (Mango/Papaya & Vanilla) - £1.35 each

After looking on the Boots website for some mango goodies I spotted one of these Natural Collection body mists which were a bargain. I had a sniff of the mango one in store and loved it. I also liked the vanilla one too so I picked that up as well!

(I got all of these with my advantage card points, yay!)

H&M:

£5.99

I picked this up last Thursday when shopping with Maria from MissDriftedSnowWhite (who is lovely btw!). I thought it was a really nice bag and I deffo don't have one similar. I got quite lucky as it was actually the last one in the shop (that I know of anyway).

£3.99

I actually saw this skirt on Emma's blog and liked it so much I went and looked for it for myself. It's a body-con type skirt which would look great on a night out with a loose blouse and some heels. Bargain price too!

TIGER:

£3

I saw this really cute little coat hanger hook and thought it would come in really handy. You hook it over the door and it has three 'pegs' to hold your coats. They had lots of nice colours but I thought this one would suit my room the most. Bargain price!

£1 (for 2)

I also randomly picked up this chocolate candle which smells really nice. You get two for £1 so I got my Mum a rose one (which is pink) too.

Avon:

£3 each

I got these cute little charms to put on my Pandora bracelet (which is nearly full, yay!). My Mum bought me the anchor one as a very early bday pressy and I got the little scotty dog <3

£1.49

I saw this brush was on offer so decided to finally get myself a round brush to blow dry with. I quite like the advance technique brushes.

M Butterfly:

£2

Me and Maria (MsDriftedSW) found this little shop in the west end and fell in love with their earrings. Maria went a bit mad being a self confessed earring addict but I just got these cute little ladybird one's, haha! Cute! I just need to find something to pair them up with now!

So that's all for now. Let me know if you'd like to know a bit more about any of the products etc.. I'll try and get around to doing it! Hope you're all enjoying the lovely weather, speak soon!

Lush Reviews: Blackberry Bath Bomb

2011-04-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! So I haven't done a Lush review in over a month! That's pretty mad seen as though I used to do them like once a week! I guess I just haven't had time to have any relaxing baths lately :'( However, today I tried out the Blackberry Bath Bomb and as always thought I'd tell you my thoughts. Here goes:

The Blackberry Bath Bomb is a bath ballistic (well technically it's a bath 'bomb') from Lush's normal line. This ballistic has a very simple design to it as you can see. A large round ball with the words 'BOMB' on it, it's a mauve/lilac type colour which is very pretty. This product costs £2.75 and weighs 180 grams.

As the name suggests this ballistic is scented like blackberries! Other ingredients include; frankincense, bergamot and mixed berries. I really liked the smell of this product, it was sweet and refreshing and if you like fruity scents like me this one will be a winner!

^ The bath without the Blackberry Bath Bomb

^ The bath when the Blackberry Bath Bomb was added

As you can see it turned the bath water into a beautiful purple colour. It was certainly very jazzy! It reminded me a lot of Ribena.. anyone else agree? As you can see though there isn't actually any froth on top like most ballistics have. Just small bubbles.

When I first popped the product into the bath it straight away began fizzing and changing the colour of the water. The scent wasn't very overpowering and I did have to have a closer sniff to see if it actually was scented (which it was).

Here's a few snaps of the Blackberry Bath Bomb in action:

After a while I noticed something a bit colourful which I wasn't expecting. Having taken a closer look I realised there was another little surprise waiting inside my ballistic for me (much like the Frog Prince). I waited for the product to dissolve fully before taking a closer look.

As you can see there was a little piece of paper inside the bath bomb which read 'Boom Boom!'. I think that was such a cute little touch. It certainly made me smile!

As for the actual product, I don't think it actually did very much for me. Unlike the other ballistics it didn't soften my skin in any way and I couldn't smell the scent very much having gotten out of the bath. It was really just a bath filled with purple water if I'm honest. I don't know if this is because the product isn't as 'new' as it was when I got it a few months ago or if it was just the actual product. I was a tad disappointed though!

Overall, I loved the visual display of the ballistic as well as the cute little surprise. I do wish the scent had been more powerful and that it was more effective on my skin though, but I'm glad I tried it anyway!

Have you used the Blackberry Bath Bomb? If so, how was it for you? Let me know!

TAG: 8 Things!

2011-04-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Hope you're all well? I was desperately trying to find a post I could do which wouldn't involve using my camera in any way (battery has died and is now on charge) so I saw this fun little tag on Jess's blog over at Away With The Fairies and thought I'd do it! Here goes:

8 TV Shows I Watch:

Misfits

Skins

Friends

Eastenders

Pretty Little Liars

American Idol

Waterloo Road

Big Brother (so glad it's coming back!)

8 Favourite Places To Eat:

Pizza Hut

Cosmos

Any Chinese Restaurant/Buffet

McDonalds

Nandos

Greggs

Subway

BHS Restaurant (trust me the macaroni cheese is lush!)

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:

My 18th (1 month and 9 days!)

My hair growing back (I got it cut and it's far too short!)

Getting a tattoo

Summer!

The 'Country Show' at my local park (it's an amazing event!)

Britain's Got Talent (on tonight, yay!)

The Harry Potter Premier (I'm finally going!)

Misfits S3, even if Robert Sheehan (Nathan) isn't returning :'(

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:

I finally finished reading my Cosmopolitan mag

I received my prizes from Syzia's blog giveaway (thank you!)

I watched 'Life As We Know It' for the first time

My 2 best mates came over (I hadn't seen them in over a month!)

We played cards which I won at several times ;)

I finally caught up on Jamie's Dream School

I got a tweet off of Angelique OFF of Jamie's Dream School

I fell asleep with the TV on as well as the lights! I was tired :P

8 Things I Love About Winter:

Dark cold nights (as long as I'm indoors)

That cosy feeling you get when you come IN from the cold

Snow!

The lead up to Christmas (films, music, gifts, decorations etc)

Getting to watch The Muppet's Christmas Carol, Bridget Jones' Diary and Love Actually

Buying gifts for Christmas (yes I actually enjoy Christmas shopping)

Wrapping up warm (scarves, gloves, hats.. the lot!)

Christmas in general!

8 Things On My Wishlist:

Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume <3

A Provisional License

The Harry Potter Ultimate Edition sets 1-7

Mango goodies from The Body Shop (I'm craving them so bad but the site declined my card!)

A fun job!!

MAC's Costa Chic lipstick

Urban Decay Naked Palette (although I've pretty much given up on getting that!)

An SLR Camera

8 Things I'm Passionate About:

The Make-up Industry

Blogging

Misfits (I'm a loser!)

Zodiacs/Horoscopes

Charity's that support Alzheimer's, Cancer and Carers

Animals (I love them!)

Friends/Family

Equal Rights (I cannot stand racism, bullying, homophobia etc..)

8 Words Or Phrases I Use A Lot:

Oh Gosh..

You Sod! (Or 'Such A Sod')

That's So Cute!

In A Minute..

Aww!

You Know... (then I'll continue to say a name or event/occasion etc..)

Lovey (as in 'hello lovey' or 'thanks lovey')

Chillax!

8 Things I've Learnt From The Past:

It's okay to say 'no'

Not everything lasts forever

Cherish what you have, one day it may not be there anymore

Mum's generally ARE always right

Hard work pays off

Confidence really is everything

Don't follow your friends!

8 Places I Would Love To Visit:

The Bahamas

Rome

Greece (especially the bit where Mamma Mia was filmed!)

America

Harry Potter World

Isle Of White (I loved it there!)

Australia

The Caribbean

8 Things I Want Or Need:

Iwan Rheon? ;) haha!

A job

An eye test (my eye sight is literally deteriorating)

More confidence

More money

Driving lessons (and a car?)

A healthier diet!

Motivation

If anyone wants to do this tag feel free! Please let me know if you do! Speak soon :)

Review: Witch Anti Blemish Tinted Moisturiser

2011-04-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! I've been meaning to do a review on this product for a while now and have finally got around to doing it. I won this product on the Witch website which I was very pleased about! I wasn't asked to write this review by Witch, I chose to do so willingly.

Witch have recently released a new anti blemish cosmetics range including various products such as; primers, tinted moisturisers, pressed powders and more! If you haven't heard of Witch products before you can check out their website here! I received one of the new tinted moisturisers which comes in three different shades; light, medium and dark. Of course I have the colour 'light' being the pale girl that I am ;) These are currently £3.99 in Boots for a 30ml tube (normally £5.99).

When I first saw the colour of the moisturiser my initial thoughts were 'too dark'. However, once I applied the product to my face and worked in it I found that it blended in perfectly with my skin tone and wasn't too dark at all! The actual consistency of the product was lovely, it wasn't too watery like some moisturisers I've tried in the past yet it wasn't so thick that it may as well have not been a moisturiser. I think it was incredibly easy to work with and could be used with a brush OR your fingers (which is what I applied it with).

(Blended out ^)

You don't need a massive amount of product either which is good. I just apply little dots to each section of my face (apart from my forehead, I used one dot each side). I was actually pretty shocked that the coverage was so good, it defiantly covered up little blemishes that I had on my cheeks and chin yet the moisturiser looked so natural as though that was just my normal skin! It didn't look cakey at all! That gained a massive thumbs up from me!

As this is a mattifying moisturiser it works brilliantly for those with oily skin. However, those that do prefer a slightly dewier finish can apply a normal moisturiser before hand and then use the tinted moisturiser over the top (which is what I do). If you do choose to do it this way you may need to powder your t-zone.

The only downside to this product is the amount you get. I feel for the normal price of £5.99 it is a bit pricey considering you only get 30ml of product. I'd happily pay around £3.99 for it though! So overall, I really do like this product. It gives a natural medium coverage finish to the skin, it's mattifying yet can also give a dewy finish to the skin AND feels really light on.

Let me know if you've tried out this product. If so, what did you think of it?

TAG: 11 Most Reached For Products!

2011-04-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! So sorry for being a bit absent and not posting for a whole week (it seems so much longer!). I've been doing some temp work and let's just say 5:30am wake-ups are NOT my thing! Finally I have a chance to blog now though so I decided to do one of my many tags I've been tagged in (don't worry I have them all written down and promise to do them as soon as I can!).

The lovely Emma asked me to do this tag and I'd actually been considering it for a while myself so I was glad when someone actually asked :) I'm going to include a mixture of products in this tag; make-up, skincare, nail products, hair products etc.. so hopefully you get a feel for some of my fave things! Here goes (in no order):

1) E45 Cream - £1.93 (50g)

I know, I know! You're sick of hearing about my love for this cream but really it HAD to be included. This is possibly the best 'product' I ever invested in. I've gone through SO many tubes of this and that's honestly something which is very rare with me. I'll admit I often buy things just to add to my collection, it's a rare occasion for me to actually use a product up but not in this case. E45 is amazing if you have dry skin, it clears it right up and keeps you hydrated literally all day. However, I have oily skin and still use this everyday without fail. It's an amazing base for your foundation as well, I couldn't ever imagine applying foundation without using this first. A must have!

2) Ciate Nail Polish (Dangerous Affair) - £9

This is defiantly my most reached for nail product. Last year I got this free with Marie Claire magazine and I'll admit I only bought the magazine (which was terrible, I'm sorry!) for this varnish. I adore the packaging and the applicator but most of all the colour <3 It's a gorgeous mature deep red and looks fab on both long and short nails. I love the consistency of this polish and I certainly wouldn't pay £9 for any other nail varnish except this. Full review and 'swatches' here!

3) Timotei Hair Conditioner - £1

I am so, so glad I discovered this conditioner. I adore it! I honestly get through so many bottles of these and what's even better is they actually sell them in Poundland! I don't tend to opt for a particular scent, I just grab whatever smells nice. However, this one (fresh herbs) along with the avocado one is probably my fave. These conditioners leave my hair shiny, well conditioned and sleek. I can tell the difference when I've used another conditioner.

4) Rimmel's Colour Show Off Lipstick (Kiss Me) - £6.29

This is probably my favourite AND most used lipstick. It's a gorgeous bright orangey red and it's fab if you love bright colours like me. I'm not going to lie it's a very drying lip colour and not moisturising in the slightest BUT it does stay on ALL day and looks brilliant. I'll definitely repurchase when this is finished.

5) L'Oreal SuperLiner Carbon Gloss (Black) - £6.19

No matter how many times I try to use different eyeliners I always somehow go back to this one. It's probably my favourite eyeliner ever. It's easy to use, not TOO pricey and I just love it really! This is again one of the rare products that I've gone through many of!

6) L'Oreal GlamShine Lipgloss (Oriental Fuchsia) - £8,69

This is defiantly my fave lipgloss, ever! I've gone through different stages of loving lipgloss, hating lipgloss, loving lipsticks and now I'm back to loving both lipsticks AND this lipgloss. I actually got mine free in a L'Oreal pack (post here) around Christmas when I spent a certain amount on L'Oreal products. However, I've literally used this up SO much! I've just ordered a new one from Cherry's blog sale for just £3.50 which I'm so happy about!

7) Rimmel Stay Matte Powder (Silky Beige) - £3.99

So you can probably see how much I've reached for this product. This is my first ever product that I've actually hit pan on (how shameful is that?). It's a brilliant and affordable powder and does wonders for oily skin! I often apply this in my t-zone area over the top of a tinted moisturizer or foundation and it takes away any oily shine as soon as applied!

8) No7 Blush (Soft Damson) - £9

Officially my 2nd 'hit pan' product, woop! This was actually my great grandma's but when she sadly passed away last year she left a load of unopened make-up for me, this was included. It's honestly become my all time favourite blush. I love the colour, the pigmentation, how long it lasts! I hate wearing any other blushers and have used this everyday since receiving it, so it's lasting me ages!

9) Face Wipes - £1 (various deals are normally on with these one's)

It'd be wrong not to include face wipes in this tag. I get through so many of them (my Mum actually tells me off for how quick I use them up). I use them to take off any eye make-up/face make-up (don't worry I wash my face after with a cleanser too), for clearing up mistakes or just when I feel the need to 'freshen up'. I don't use any in particular but these one's are my fave. They're very 'wet' if that's the right word and also very affordable!

10) Collection 2000 Concealer £4.19

This is probably my favourite concealer ever. I know you've probably all heard about it so I won't bore you all too much. The other day I used up the very last of my one so I had to repurchase asap! I think it has really good coverage and is also brilliant if you don't want to wear any foundation. I normally just apply this under my eyes, around my nose and on any blemishes I may have. It works a treat!

11) Victoria Beckham 'Signiture' Perfume - £23 (30ml)

Last but not least! My all time favourite perfume! I think you can see just how much this has been 'reached for', I literally have about 1 more spray left out of it this and I'm saving it for a special day. I got this for my birthday one time and it was probably my first ever perfume that was actually 'mine'. My aunt and uncle bought me the set and I remember using it everyday! I later asked for it again one Christmas and I've again used up another bottle. It's a great everyday perfume which is supposed to smell of candy apples, anise flower, vanilla and orchid flowers. A repurchase is soon needed me thinks!

So there, that's my most used products. I couldn't be without any of these! Sorry if they were quite boring but they honestly are my most reached for things! I tag anyone who wants to do this tag, if you do plan on doing one/have already done one please let me know as I love reading them!

Speak soon!

P.S - If anyone is going to the Tresemme event this Thursday please let me know :) x

Clothing Haul: Matalan, H&M, Primark & More!

2011-04-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! I've been on the hunt for some new clothes lately having given a load of mine to charity. A new spring/summer wardrobe was defiantly needed! I thought I'd do a separate haul post showing you the clothes I got instead of mixing them up with the other collective haul post coming up soon.

Matalan:

£15

I got this gorgeous dress at a bargain price! It was supposed to be £25 but there was a deal on where you could get £10 off! It's a lovely light blue colour and of course has a lovely floral design (I do love my florals!). It's a halter neck dress which nips you in at the waist. As you can see underneath the dress there's netting which makes the bottom all girly and cute. I love it!

£8

I loved these shoes as soon as I saw them, again they have a floral design on them. There's also some cute little sequins on too. I think these would look great with just a casual outfit!

£12

Lately I've been seeing butterfly designs everywhere! My Mum loved this top and 'forced' me to get it, haha! I'm really glad I did as it looks lovely on. It's really fitting but obviously covers up any lumps and bumps due to the frilly layers. It's a very summery top!

£15

Another item I loved as soon as I saw it! AGAIN it has a floral design on, this time against the black background. It looks great with black leggings/jeans too! Deffo a fave!

£16

This is actually my first ever jumpsuit and I love it! It has small little flowers on against a navy background. It also has little beads at the top of it. This looks really nice as a casual summer outfit.

I also got some underwear but I won't show you those ;)

H&M:

£29.50

I don't normally shop in H&M but I was after a denim jacket as I really didn't want to be wearing a leather jacket in the summer. I saw this one and fell in love yet again! It's actually a size 16 but it comes up a lot smaller when you try it on. I love it and have been wearing it ever since I got it! It's brilliant quality too.

99p

Although this isn't actually 'clothes' I thought I'd show you anyway. I always use H&M's lint rollers. When you live in a house full of pets.. they're essential!

Primark:

£9

I was on my way to the till when I spotted this baby! I've been loving all these sheer blouses which have come in fashion lately so of course I liked this a lot. It's a gorgeous bright hot pink colour with a 'pussy bow' at the top (don't worry I'd wear a blouse underneath!). I love how it's shorter at the front and longer at the back.

£2.50

These were defiantly my bargains of the week. Can you believe they were only £2.50?! They're multi wear sandals (meaning they can be worn differently depending on how you like them) and are actually really comfy. They'd look fab in the summer! I wish I'd of got the silver pair now too!

£5

I've been after some more black leggings as I've been wearing them a lot lately. Primark always sell them pretty cheap so I picked up a pair from there. I'm not sure if I like the zip detailing but I can get past that! My cat has also decided that she likes these, she used them as a bed last night, hence all the hairs :(

£5

It occured to me that I didn't have many 'smart' or 'work' clothes (only a few) so when I saw this pencil skirt for only £5 I thought I'd get it.

£2.50

I just got some tights as most of mine seem to have gone missing/have holes in :( You get 3 in a pack for just £2.50, I think that's pretty reasonable!

£4.90
I really wanted just a simple black cardie to wear with tops etc. I just got hold of this one which is really nice. Sorry about the dodgy photo (my battery was running out!).

Outlet:

£12.99

If you're a little shortie like me (well I'm 5'5 but still!) then you'll know how hard it is to find a maxi dress that ACTUALLY fits. They're always far too long for me. It was understandable that I got a tad excited when I came across this one which actually looked like it could fit. Hoorah! I think for £12.99 this was an absolute steal! I wore it the next day having bought it and it felt like summer had begun already! It has a really nice design on it too! I'm deffo going to go back and get some more in different patterns!

Blog Sale:

£5

I got this top from the lovely Charlotte who was selling a bunch of them on Twitter/her blog. I think this is such a cool top, I love it! I wore it the same day I received it :D

So that's all for this haul, bare in mind this is actually a collective haul which has gradually built up. Let me know if you're planning to get some new things in time for summer. Speak soon!

Blog Award: Kreativ Blogger Award

2011-04-03T00:36:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! First up, sorry for not posting in what seems like ages! I've been so busy at work this week, I've been getting up at 5:30am every morning and starting work at 7:45am!! I don't get home until about 7pm so as you can imagine I've not had much free time! However, I have a few posts planned which I shall write up today then post them throughout the week!

The other day when I actually did manage to get some time on my hands I saw that the lovely Stephanie over at Beauty Rambles had given me the 'Kreativ Blogger' award. Thanks so much Steph!!

Rules:

You must link 10 blogs

Tell them about the award

Write 10 facts about yourself

10 Facts About Me:

1) I'm really into horoscopes and zodiacs, I deffo think there are parts of them which ARE true.

2) I'm going to see Micheal McIntire in 2012!

3) My biggest celeb crushes are Tom Felton (Draco in Harry Potter) and Iwan Rheon (Simon in Misfits)

4) I'm 18 next month and I'm SO excited!

5) I've become VERY indecisive, I constantly change my mind!

6) The best holiday I ever went on was to the Isle Of White

7) My favourite coffee shop is Cafe Nero <3

8) I love Staff's

9) I really want to work at Harry Potter world in England when it opens

10) This morning I had an ice lolly for my breakfast :P

10 Blogs I Would Pass This Onto Are:

Kenzie - http://bumblebeeetuna.blogspot.com/

Nicole - http://toptotoe28.blogspot.com/

Annie - http://anniehpilon.blogspot.com/

Katie - http://babblingkatie.blogspot.com/

Leanne - http://stundon.blogspot.com/

Lisa - http://itisallaboutcreativity.blogspot.com/

Emma - http://emma0m.blogspot.com/

Laura - http://xxpinkswoonxx.blogspot.com/

Sharmin - http://pinksweetsz.blogspot.com/

Louise - http://affordabletreats.blogspot.com/

Thanks again to Steph for the award and hope to speak to you all very soon ;)

TAG: 5 Beauty Items You Regret Buying!

2011-03-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Hope you're all well? I was tagged by the lovely Vintage Makeup to do this tag, thank you :D There are quite a few products I regret buying. Some products I haven't liked in the past I've sold though so I'm going to short list the actual items I still have in my make-up collection and show you. Here goes!

1) Collection 2000's Big Fake False Lash Effect Mascara (Brown Black)

Unlike a lot of people, I really dislike this mascara. It did absolutely nothing for my lashes! It made them look limp, lifeless and boring. It added no volume or length for me at all. I truly believe unless you have extremely long lashes, this mascara doesn't work. It also dries up extremely fast!

2) L'Oreal True Match Foundation

I cannot express my dislike for this product enough! At first it looked amazing and I loved it! However, after a few days the damage started to show. It picked up on my dry patches and made them look 10x worse than what they were. It made me face completely break out and my skin was the worst it had been in my whole 17 years of life (and this is coming from someone who gets about one spot every two months!). Also, it left my skin very oily and has done ever since using it. I actually did a full review ages ago here Check it out!

3) Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Eyeliner (Black)

I promise you I'm not a Collection 2000 snob (I actually love most of their products) but unfortunately I have another product I dislike by them. I hate the consistency/pigmentation of this eyeliner! I find it far too thin meaning I can never do a proper line with it and I also find that when it dries it goes horrible and flaky! Not a good look whatsoever! I purchased this product twice in the hope that I'd just got a dodgy one but both were the exact same. I've also had several mates agree that they too, dislike this eyeliner.

4) ELF Eyebrow Treat & Tame

I'm never normally disappointed much by ELF's products but I hated this one! As I've said in the past.. my eyebrows are a state! They've been through so much what with me shaving half of them off then having barley any eyebrows at all at one point. I needed a product to help out/darken them and I hoped this was it. It wasn't! I found this product useless. Unless you have really thick/full eyebrows I doubt this is going to be a product for you. It made me eyebrows look messy and out of place. As for the 'treat' bit. I don't know why they bothered. It did nothing whatsoever for me!

5) Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil (Zero)

Yep that's right.. I regret buying this! I know a load of people love this eyeliner so much but it wasn't for me. I have what I call a 'dodgey waterline' meaning I find it hard to find pencil liners that actually work on me. I'd heard such great things about this and I actually think it was my first 'high end' product. I spent £11 on this (which at the time was really a load of money for me.. still is actually). I found that this too didn't work for me. When I think of all the things I could of spent with that money.. a whole heap of regret sinks in!

So that's the five products I regret buying! I do have more but I figured these where the most disappointing one's of the lot. I tag anyone who wants to have a good rant to do this tag (it's strangely therapeutic, lmao!).

Let me know if you've had any experiences with these same products? Do you disagree with me? Let me know, I won't mind :P Speak soon!