Diamonds and Raindrops

I've Moved...

2014-01-21T21:03:00.000+00:00

After spending over a year travelling the world, I am back and blogging! You can find me here:

madeupbysj.blogspot.co.uk

Come take a look :)

SJ xxx

Real Techniques Core Collection

2014-01-04T16:07:00.001+00:00

After hearing so many good things about these brushes in the blogging universe I caved and had to purchase in Boots the other day. I bought the core collection (mainly after hearing such good things about the Buffing brush) and I absolutely love all of them.

As I'm sure you'll all know, they're the creation of Samantha Chapman (one half of Pixiwoo) so they were always going to be very good quality.

First up, the buffing brush:

This is amazingly soft and dense enough to use when applying liquid foundation. I'm using it to apply my Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Make Up (which I'm currently testing) and it blends it into the skin so so well. This is the standout brush in the collection for me and, like most other reviewers, I think it's worth buying the collection for this alone.

My second favourite is the contour brush:

This is only small but I've really been enjoying using this for blusher. Again, super soft and really easy for blending.

The pointed foundation brush:

To be honest this is FAR too small for use as a foundation brush. I would either need a teeny tiny face or about 3 spare hours! Luckily this does a pretty good job of blending concealer so still gets used daily.

The detailer brush:

Now this really is tiny. I wasn't sure what to use it for initially but it works well for blending underneath the eyes and for inner corner highlight.

They also come with a carry case that can also be used as a stand which is pretty handy for me as I spend so much time travelling between Uni and The Parents'. I think these brushes are a great investment and at £21.99, they're excellent value for money. They can be found in Boots, both online and in bigger stores.

I'm already eyeing up my next Real Techniques purchase...

:-) xxx

April Glossybox

2012-05-13T17:20:00.001+01:00

I'm sure by now everyone has seen what came in the April box but here we go...

This month's theme was 'natural beauty box.' The box itself was 100% biodegradable and all the products were organic/ethical.

Here's a rundown of what I got this month:

Burt's Bees Milk and Honey Body Lotion

I think this was my favourite product from the box. It smells lovely, came in a good size and, you know does the job. I'd seriously think about getting this in full size.

Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum

The blogging world seems to have gone crazy for the Caudalie Beauty Elixir so I was excited to get a product from them this month. On a little side note, I had a smell of the Beauty Elixir in Boots the other day and JEEZ that stuff is strong! It's a bit too strong smelling for me I think. Anyways, I do quite like this serum. It smells lovely, a bit like roses and gives my skin a boost without making it oily.

Figs and Rouge Balm in Cherry & Vanilla

Not too much to say about this really. The packaging is cute and it's pretty good as a lip balm and for cuticles when I'm on the go. It smells quite nice too.

Monu Collagen Cream

This was a 50ml tube so another good sized product. I really like Monu skincare and If I had dry skin I'd be really happy to get this. Since I don't I think I'm going to find a friend/family member to pass this on to.

Inika Certified Organic Eyeliner in 12 Purple Minx

Another full size which is lovely. I've been on the lookout for a purple-plum coloured kohl liner for a while so was happy to receive this. My only problem is that whilst the colour looks lovely, it actually has very little payoff or staying power. The product is just a bit 'blah' really.

I think the word 'blah' pretty much summarises the whole box for me. Usually there's at least one standout product to rave about but that didn't really happen this month for me. This is by no means a negative review as all the products were good. The box as a whole just lacked a bit of...pizazz (yes that's right, I just used the word 'pizazz') as none of the products were particularly exciting.

This month Glossybox celebrate their 1st birthday so I'm expecting an abundance of pizazz(!) from the May box and am really looking forward to receiving it.

Hope everyone's having a lovely Sunday.

:-) xxx

p.s. Pizazz, pizazz, pizazz...that's such a good word!

A Little Topshop Make Up Haul

2012-05-12T18:59:00.001+01:00

I've heard so many good things about Topshop make up but unfortunately, since I live in the middle of nowhere my Topshop is too small to stock it (I feel like I say something along those lines rather often...maybe it's time to move...).

Anyway on a recent visit back to civilisation I picked up these lovelies! I think for me, the standout products were the lipsticks.

I'm loving both of these right now but my favourite is definitely 'Whimsical'. It's kind of a nude, pastel, coral shade that looks really pretty on the lips. I don't know of a colour that's even similar to this and they're both comparable in quality to the MAC lipsticks. Add to this the fact that the packaging is beautiful and I now want them all!

Next I bought the cream blush in 'Head over Heels'

Now the colour I love. It's very similar to the lipstick in Whimsical and is a beautiful corally peach.

The formula on the other hand is just not for me. I've resigned myself to needing a powder blush as cream has no staying power on my skin. It does look beautiful and I'll be wearing it on days when I'm not going to be out for long. I've heard these can be used on the lips too so this may be my solution.

Some swatches:

Top: Blush in Head Over Heels, Middle: Lips in Whimsical, Bottom: Lips in Brighton Rock

My final purchase was a nail polish in Eclipse:

This is a gorgeous combination of gold, blue and green and looks different in every light. I literally cannot stop looking at my nails when I wear this (to the point where it's a bit distracting!) This is definitely one of my favourite things to wear on my nails right now.

Topshop make up gets a big thumbs up from me and now I want more of it! On second thoughts it's probably good that I live so far away from anywhere I can get hold of this stuff! Unfortunately for my bank balance, they stock it online here

I think I'll be getting some more...

:-) xxx

The Ramblings of a Stressed Out Student...

2012-05-09T18:55:00.002+01:00

Well hello there!

OK so I've been M.I.A over the last week or so. This is mainly due to having written my dissertation, sitting lots of exams, and STILL having no internet connection. Add to all this the fact that I at some point need to re-enter the 'real world' and get a job and a place to live and a Volvo (only serious people own Volvos) and I've been pretty much rocking in a corner for the last week.

From weheartit.com

At some point during this final year meltdown I did manage to both shop for make-up and photograph it too so once I manage to regain some sort of sanity, normal service will resume...

In other news I have an Instagram account: diamondsandraindrops (funnily enough) and have become a bit addicted to it. If you look to the left and maybe scroll down a bit you'll see my Instagram and Twitter feeds. If you want to help a poor third year student procrastinate, follow me!

Anyway, now all that is off my chest I'd better get some work done. Look out for posts on the April Glossybox and a little Topshop make up haul later this week...

Much love

:-) xxx

The Primark Eyelash Curler

2012-04-27T10:14:00.000+01:00

Let's face it, there's not much I can say about an eyelash curler as it only has one purpose (well hopefully, otherwise you're doing something wrong!). For the £1 it cost, this is surprisingly good quality. The handle is spring loaded and nice and sturdy and it curls my eyelashes really well.

I have stubbornly un-curlable lashes. This does the trick. It's only £1. Give it a try...

:-) xxx

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow

2012-04-25T11:22:00.000+01:00

So I picked these up in the Boots 3 for 2 offer the other day...

I got the shades Permanent Taupe (Left) and And on Bronze (right).

This is Permanent Taupe. It's a matte shade and I use this either as a primer for a smokey eye or I just use it for a wash of colour for those 'no make up' make up days. This works brilliantly as a primer and doesn't crease at all.

The next shade is And on Bronze. It is super shimmery and would look so pretty with a tan. The shimmers glide on much more smoothly than the matte shades and tend to be much more blendable.

Top: Permanent Taupe. Bottom: And on Bronze

These are both really buildable so can look as dramatic as you want them to. The best part is that they really don't budge. At all. I literally had to scrub my hand to get these swatches off!

I'm really loving these. The packaging is glass and nice and sturdy, much like the MAC paintpots, and the quality of the product inside is excellent.

I just wish the shade range was better. As of yet Boots in the UK only stock 7 shades and some of those are kind of strange choices. A true nude would have been a really great addition to the collection for use as a base. But I'm not moaning, I'm really enjoying the two I have for now.

:-) xxx

Review: Biore Make Up Removing Wipes and Pore Strips

2012-04-22T19:28:00.001+01:00

Ok so picture the scene: You've rolled into the house late after a night out, you're so tired (or in my case have had one too many G&Ts) that you just fall into bed, make up and all. You wake up the next morning feeling none too pretty. Thanks to having slept in your make up, you don't look too pretty either (maybe that's just me!)

Most of the time I remain faithful to my Clinique 3 Step, but for these occasions, or even before cleansing it is so handy to have some make up removing wipes by the bed.

My favourite right now are the Biore ones. They're brilliant at getting even the most stubborn of mascara off and they don't leave that funny residue on the skin that other wipes tend to. Most importantly, they don't irritate my skin or break me out.

Sorry about the stock photo. Biore is going through a bit of a re-brand at the moment and I can't seem to find these anywhere! I'm making do with Primark wipes at the moment (they're ok but not as good as these).

Another product I'm loving from this brand are the pore strips. They're brilliant for dealing with stubborn, clogged pores that my normal cleanser can't shift. I would definitely recommend these if, like me, you suffer with blackheads as they do leave my pores much clearer after use. Biore have released a short YouTube video on how the strips work and I thought I'd share.

You can find the make up removing wipes (£3.99) and the pore strips (£7.99) in Boots and Superdrug. Hopefully they should have stocked up by now!

Happy Sunday everyone!

:-) xxx

Sudocrem: A Mini Skincare Miracle

2012-04-18T08:41:00.000+01:00

No, I'm actually not joking. That's right, the stuff you use on babies when they get nappy rash. No, I haven't gone mad...actually...that's debatable.

I can genuinely say I don't know what possessed me to slap this on my face before bed the other night but I'm certainly glad I did. My skin had been a bit spotty (combination of stress and flying long haul I think) but also really dry in some places so I wanted something that would treat the dryness without making the spots any worse. This happened to be in the bathroom cupboard so I dived in.

A word of warning, this stuff is really thick and REALLY white. It is not a day cream. It is not even something I'd use if there was the slightest chance that anyone would see me. I looked like I was channeling Edward Cullen, and not in a good way.

Anyway, the next morning I woke up to find my dry skin was much, much better. As an added bonus this seemed to somehow take the redness out of any breakouts. It is antiseptic, promotes healing, suitable for sensitive skin, and gives the skin moisture without that greasy feeling many intensive moisturisers have. Well that's not entirely true, your skin will feel very greasy when you apply it but this settles overnight and my skin was quite matte the next day.

The best part? It's really cheap!

I wouldn't call this my 'go to' night cream exactly(!) but it works wonders when my confused face doesn't know what skin type it wants to have.

:-) xxx

Review: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

2012-04-17T00:41:00.001+01:00

I know, we've all read so many raves about this product but I haven't read many reviews about how this works for oilier skin types so I thought I'd wade in with my two cents worth!

Now Rimmel obviously knew they were on to a good thing as there was a sample of this glued inside every magazine you picked up for a good few months. Usually anything that claims to give me a 'Radiant Glow' I generally wouldn't get near with a barge pole. I'm a heavy duty, apply with a trowel, mattifying foundation kind of girl really. What attracted me to this however was the 'anti-fatigue effect'. If there is one thing I have in abundance, it's fatigue.

This really does what it says on the tin in that it perks my skin up a bit and makes me look like I've had a lot more sleep. I really like using it. The coverage I'd say is medium but it can be built up. I apply it with my fingers and that seems to be the best way I've found so far. Considering it's not really meant for my skin type it lasts pretty well I think. It does need to be powdered on my skin and I feel like I need to re-powder a bit more than usual throughout the day but I'll put up with that for the lovely awake, radiant look it gives the skin. There's one drawback and that's the 'sparkle issue'. Daytime you really don't notice it but under artificial light...

This photo was taken by literally putting the flash straight against the bottle. I tried a swatch on my hand to see how 'glitterball' it actually goes when using the flash.

All in all it's really not that bad. You can make out a bit of shimmer but I think it appears much scarier in the bottle to how it looks on the skin. For night time I like to mix this with a bit of Revlon Colourstay to dilute the glitter a bit and give it more staying power.

On another note, I am aware that this foundation is not a colour match for my hand. One day in the sun attempting to ski has left my face a very different shade to the rest of me. Fake tan is being deployed...

:-) xxx

New MAC Lipstick Favourites

2012-04-14T22:42:00.002+01:00

Creme Cup Please Me

I purchased these around 3 weeks ago but what with going on holiday and spending the rest of my time propped up in front of my laptop trying to get this bloody Uni work finished, I haven't really switched up my make up to try them. In a moment of extreme procrastination the other day I decided to give them both a try. Well now I'm in love: they've definitely been my most reached for lipsticks over the past week.

Starting with Creme Cup

I really wish I could pull off a true nude lip, unfortunately I either end up looking like a walking, talking corpse, or a reject from TOWIE. This is about as nude as it gets for me. It's a very light pretty nude pink which looks lovely on the lips. Even better than that, I actually look like a living, breathing being when I wear it. I find that always helps. The formula, being a cremesheen, is sheer but build-able and not drying on the lip at all. The only problem is that I've heard this formula tends to melt in the heat. I MUST remember to keep this out of my handbag when the sun (eventually) comes out.

Please Me

I think this is going to be a firm summer favourite. This applies as a lovely rosy, almost peachy toned pink. It is much brighter than creme cup and looks really good on sunny days. I think this would make a really good shade if you're a bit scared of the bright lip but are getting a bit bored with the light pink/nude colours. It is quite drying on the lips being a Matte formula. I tend to use a balm before I apply this.

Swatches?

Top: Please Me, Bottom: Creme Cup

Well I now feel pretty glad that I abandoned any type of productive essay writing/revision in the pursuit of the perfect lip.

Anyway, better get back to it...

:-) xxx

Lush Think Pink Bath Bomb

2012-04-09T17:17:00.001+01:00

I (like pretty much everybody else) am a massive fan of Lush products. I tend to go for their super sweet, sugary scents (think Snow Fairy shower gel). This does have quite a sweet scent but with a kick of citrus. The fragrance itself, according to Lush is a combination of Tonka and Vanilla but with a hit of Neroli. I've been putting off using this one purely because the scent is a mixture of comforting and uplifting and had been making my room smell lovely! Since Lush products do have a shelf life it did need using.

It fizzes away in the bath and turns the water a pretty pink. What I was not expecting was the tiny pink and lavender love heart shaped confetti that fizzes out and fills the bath. I tend to only take baths in times of dire distress and upon finding myself in a pink bath surrounded by little love hearts, I decided that life was pretty damn good after all! Another little surprise with this product was the moisture it gives the skin. Normally if my skin is a bit dry I tend to go for a Lush bath melt but this really did the trick on the more dry areas such as my elbows.

The only downside I found was the tragic loss of one of the flowers on the top (there's supposed to be three). Lush products are all handmade though so occasionally you will find little 'flaws' such as this and really it's no biggie.

I'd definitely repurchase this product, it makes for the perfect Spring bath.

:-) xxx

Review: Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation

2012-04-06T21:26:00.000+01:00

OK so I wrote this post a few weeks ago and have been stalling to put it up as it isn't exactly a rave review...actually, it's quite the opposite. Can I just say that normally I'm a big fan of Maybelline cosmetics, this just really didn't float my boat I'm afraid. Anyway, on with the post.

Now I’m usually a fan of a fuller coverage when it comes to foundation so you can imagine my surprise when I found this in my Boots carrier bag. I’m at a bit of a loss to explain how it came to be there. Having spent quite some time thinking about this, I’ve come to the following conclusions:

My skin had been better than usual and I maybe thought that light coverage would now work for me.
Summer is on the way, and who needs heavy foundation in summer right?
It was a mousse. I fell for the gimmick.
I walked into Boots and blacked out.

Now lets face it, as a lover of Revlon Colourstay, I was never going to like this product. The thing is, even if I was more of a ‘barely there’ kind of girl, I’d still not be loving this. I wouldn’t call this light coverage; I’d call it zero coverage. The other problem with this is the amount of product it dispenses, because it’s a mousse (think what you put on your hair) it’s not very easy to control the amount that comes out with each pump. This means that half of what does come out ends up wasted. Not economical at all. If your skin is so good that you can get away with this kind of foundation then here’s my advice: spend the extra 2 minutes in bed in the morning and skip foundation altogether. Also, I’m jealous of you. There are so many amazing lighter coverage foundations/ tinted moisturisers/ BB creams on the market for the same money. I just think that this product is all gimmick and does absolutely nothing for the skin.

Sorry for the kind of negative review, as always with foundation I’m sure this works wonders for some (maybe), but just not for me.

:-) xxx

I Heart MUA

2012-04-05T21:04:00.001+01:00

For those of you that haven't heard of MUA, it's Superdrug's £1 make up brand. I've bought a few goodies from them before and have been amazed at the quality of the products for such a low price.

On a recent trip back to see The Parents (my local Superdrug doesn't stock it. Boo.) I picked up these little lovelies

There's been a lot of hype surrounding the MUA Love Hearts collection and unfortunately I think I picked up the few remaining products and as far as I know the collection is no longer available.

I got 2 nail polishes in the shades 'Love U 24/7' and 'U R Fab'. Let's face it, any product that tells me I'm 'Fab' is going to get purchased!

I have to admit that I didn't really have high hopes for the formulation of these but I was prepared to cope with the chipping/peeling/general 'naff' feeling of them on account of the colours being so pretty. On application I was pleasantly surprised. They were both opaque after 2 coats and they seriously LAST.

Wearing 'Love U 24/7' with a coat of Miss Sporty Sparkle Touch over the top.

These polishes were a little more expensive (I think they were £2.50 each) but for the money I was very very impressed.

My final MUA purchase is one I just can't stop looking at...

Ooooooh.....

This is the MUA Professional Mosaic Blusher In English Rose. MUA Professional are slightly more expensive and this was £2.50, yeah I know, the word 'expensive' is applied loosely here. This is such a beautiful product consisting of a mosaic print of lighter peaches, pinks, pure shimmer, lilac, and rose coloured powders. The pan is big enough to get a good 'swirl' going on with your brush and it looks a pretty, shimmery light rosy pink on the cheeks. OK so obviously the colour payoff is not going to be amazing but it's buildable and not chalky at all. Because of this it's really quite foolproof and great for anyone just starting out with make up or those that aren't too confident applying blusher. This gets at least a weekly use from me and although not my go-to blush (as I have quite a few) I do open it just to stare at it on a daily basis...simple pleasures and all.

You can find MUA products at Superdrug and if you haven't already I really recommend checking them out.

:-) xxx

Review: Clinique High Lengths Mascara

2012-03-16T19:27:00.000+00:00

Be warned. I’m about to rave. I’ve been using this for a good month now and think it may be my new make up love.

I first received the product in sample size as a free gift with another purchase and put off using it for a little while due to the…well…weirdness of the brush.

Usually I tend to go for the fuller natural bristle mascara wands so I really didn’t think this would be for me. The brush is entirely plastic, curved, for some reason lime green and the bristles are tiny. To be honest I just thought this was one of those odd shaped gimmicky mascara wands that come out from time to time but don’t really do anything for the lashes. Well this was all until I went to see my parents for the weekend, forgot my usual mascara, and was forced to use this. I honestly can’t rave about this enough. Not only does it do exactly what it says on the tin/tube and give my lashes amazing length but it also gives lots and lots of volume. Now for some reason, most mascaras seem to do either one or the other. I don’t know why but many cosmetics companies have not yet cottoned on to the fact that we girls want both. This doesn’t claim to give volume but trust me, it does. I will warn you however, I’m not the kind of girl that wants her lashes to look in any way natural. Unlike many, this doesn’t clump and does a pretty good job of separating the lashes but it doesn’t exactly look ‘barely there’. This is why I love it. Anyway I’ve spent some time freaking myself out looking at photos of my own eye so I can show you what it does for my lashes:

I have a feeling this will be repurchased…a lot.

Happy Friday everyone!

:-) xxx

March Glossybox: The Harrods Edition

2012-03-12T19:50:00.000+00:00

After the last 2 months’ Glossyboxes not having been much to write home about, this little gem landed on my doormat on Saturday

For anyone that is already subscribed to this you will have seen the hype begin in last month’s box and continue throughout the month on Facebook and Twitter. I have to say that this was a brilliant bit of marketing and when all was revealed I could totally understand all the fuss. All the products included in the box can be found in the Harrods beauty hall. This means all the products are super high end and really quite ‘faancy’. Well for me anyway!

Wanna see what I got?

Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlilly Moisture Bath and Shower

This. Smells. Amazing. I’m saving it for an impending trip to Canada to see the boyf in a week so the travel size will come in rather handy.

YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum

Ok I’m not getting any younger so this can only do good things. I’ve wanted to try a serum for a while so I’ll keep you posted.

Clarins Extra Firming Body Cream

I’ve already tried this and I have to say that I’m a little bit in love. It makes my skin feel so soft and smells of cucumbers. A definite win.

Burberry Beauty Lip Mist in Copper No 202

This is just so cute! The formula is more like a balm than a lipstick which makes it ultra wearable. The colour is not really all that ‘me’ but I may keep it just to look at the pretty packaging now and again.

Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau De Parfum

The standard perfume sample. I hate to be controversial but I quite like getting a perfume in my Glossybox. Firstly it’s always good to try a new scent and they're also handy for taking out and about.

I do love a special edition Glossybox and this is right up there with the December box. Whilst there were no full sized products, everything I received was high end and to me, this is what Glossybox is all about. It’s a great chance to try some things I wouldn’t normally fork out full price for. Having said that, I’d definitely look into the Clarins Extra Firming Body Cream, and may be putting the Molton Brown bath and shower gel on my birthday list.

All in all this little lovely brightened up what happened to be a very dull and dreary Saturday morning.

It's always nice to get things in the post :-) xxx

Where Have I Been?! A Little Update

2012-03-12T18:50:00.000+00:00

From weheartit.com

So I get home to my Uni house after to Christmas only to find…WE HAVE NO INTERNET!!! This makes blogging more than a little difficult. Actually it makes everything more than a little difficult! Couple this with the fact that I have a dissertation due in a matter of weeks and yes, I’ve been MIA for the last few months. Right now I’m in the library using University facilities to write this post (I feel like a naughty child especially since I should be working on said dissertation).

In other news, I have a box full of products to review, coupled with a recent Glossybox and a fair few trips to Primark so expect plenty of posts to follow…

After all, what else is a third year student supposed to be doing…? Wait…

J xxx

A Mini Lip Haul: Sleek and MUA

2012-01-03T21:08:00.000+00:00

Hello me dears!

Hope you all had a lovely NYE and 2012 is going well so far. I thought I'd start the new year with a trip to Superdrug. The only problem was that I had no more than just over £10 with which to ease my post-Christmas blues. Luckily there is some amazing budget make up out there!

The first thing I got was the Sleek Pout Polish in 'Frosting'

This is essentially a tinted lip balm. It contains jojoba, avocado, and sweet almond oil and is surprisingly moisturising. The colour is very sheer and very pretty:

I'm planning on getting this in the colour 'Scandal' which is a bright red. I think this would be a good way to experiment with brighter colours.

The next thing I stumbled across was the MUA stand. I honestly think I have a new make up love! Pretty much everything is £1 apart from the eyeshadow palettes which are £4 and the eyeshadow trios at £2.50. Four lipsticks for £4? Yes please!

From left to right: Shades 12, 11, 2, 5

Both the formula and the colour payoff of these lipsticks is surprisingly good:

Shade 12

Shade 5

Shade 11

Shade 2

Again, the perfect way to experiment with colour without paying a fortune. My favourite shade is number 12. I think this will be perfect for summer (or if I need cheering up on a rainy day!)

All in all I am very happy with my little purchases and would strongly advise anyone with a spare tenner and a need for lipstick to head down to Superdrug!

Tag? My 6 Most Repurchased Products

2011-12-28T20:30:00.000+00:00

I vaguely remember this being a tag a few years ago but I'm not absolutely sure where I saw it. The idea is to list the 6 products you would/have repurchased as soon as they run out. For me this was surprisingly difficult! I don't really like to stick to the same thing and I'm always on the lookout for something that works better. These are literally the only beauty products/cosmetics I own that I would always go back to...I'm getting all sentimental now...on with the post!

1. OPI Nail Envy

I have dry, flaky, very thin nails. It's not pretty. This literally works wonders on them. I put 2 coats on as a base under polish and one as a top coat. After that I apply a thin coat every day for a week (unless I change my nail polish, in which case I repeat the process). The effects really are amazing, my nails are so much stronger and don't chip or flake at all. At £18 this stuff is a bit pricey but I wouldn't be without it as it has massively improved the condition of my nails.

2. Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions 3 Step

I have a whole separate post on this so I'm not going to go on!

3. Revlon Colorstay Foundation

This is so perfect for my skin type. This is a full coverage foundation but compared to other long wearing drugstore foundations it doesn't look anywhere near as 'caked on'. I love the fact that it is designed for oily skin (they make a normal to dry one too) and it really does do what it says on the tin: it stays put! I really would recommend this to anyone with oily, spot prone skin. I'm planning a bit of a foray into Chanel foundations this year but there will always be a bottle of this in my make up bag (I'm already on my 5th!)

4. L'oreal Sublime Bronze Tanning Mist

I've used them all: St Tropez, St Moriz, Fake Bake, Xen Tan etc. etc. etc. This is the most foolproof tan I have ever used. There's no rubbing it in, no trying to blend around the wrists, elbows etc. Just spray it on, let it dry and you will have a natural, totally un-orange, tan. I must say a can doesn't last very long so it does require a fair few repurchases. Also be a bit careful with your carpets! Best to cover the floor with an old towel before use!

5. Too Faced lipstick in Free Love

I love the formulation of this as it's really moisturising. I also love the colour, a beautiful light dusky pink. And lastly I love the packaging. Full marks then!

6. Chanel Chance EDP

Apologies for the stock photo, I left mine at my uni house by mistake :-(

I'm rubbish at describing scents. The best I can tell you is that it smells 'really nice'. I found this description on the Boots website:

'An unpredictable balance that continually surprises. A constellation of scents, warmed up by Absolute of Vanilla, where Absolute of Exotic Jasmine and Iris are more pronounced. A mysterious alchemy accentuated by the intensity of the White Musk note.'

Hopefully this makes sense to someone! I just think it's 'really nice'! If it's a night out or a special occasion this is what I will be wearing without fail.

Well that's it. My 6 most repurchased and most loved products.

What are yours?

:-) xx

Santa was Kind

2011-12-27T19:47:00.002+00:00

Well Hello There!

Santa was lovely to me this year so I wanted to show a few pressies!

Lush 'Lovely Day' Gift Box...That's my evening sorted

Just want to say a massive thank you to 'Santa' for the lovely gifts and I will be having lots of fun playing with them.

:-) xx

FOTD: Christmas Eve

2011-12-27T19:30:00.000+00:00

Hello All!

Hope you all had a lovely, lovely Christmas (or whichever holiday you celebrate). I thought I'd show you the make up I wore on Christmas Eve. I usually go for the bog standard variation on browns for lids but you know..since it's Christmas and all..I thought I'd go for...drumroll....pinky brown! That's right peeps. I'm just CRAZY like that! Please note the sarcasm here! Anyway, now for an awkwardly posed photo...

And a close up of the eyes...

Okay okay so not the most original look in the world but I really enjoyed wearing it and felt all girly and 'less is more'

Products used:

FACE

Revlon Colourstay foundation in Sand Beige for oily skin
Benefit Erase Paste in 02
Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in 003 Peach Glow
Bourjois Delice de Soleil bronzing powder for olive/tanned skin
Bourjois blush in Lilas D'or

EYES

MAC shadows in Shhh Don't Tell, Rose Potion, Violet Vow (from the mystic cool eye shadow palette about 2 years ago!)
Sleek The Original palette (bottom row, third from the left-they don't name them!) in inner corner
Maybelline Lasting Drama gel liner in black
Clinique High Lengths mascara in 01 Black

LIPS

Too Faced lipstick in Free Love

:-) xx

Ins and Outs: December

2011-12-21T19:49:00.003+00:00

After rambling about all things Cosmetic this month I thought I'd share what else has been on my mind for the month of December, so here are my 'ins' and 'outs' for the month:

1. My new niece

Cue cute baby photos...

Isabelle Eve was born on the 1st December, 2 weeks early and she may possibly be the cutest little thing I've ever seen! I love, love, LOVE her! I plan to spend my entire Christmas just staring at her. Expect the occasional pretty baby dress haul...

2. Baking.

No joke. The plan was to bake my Christmas presents this year. Me and the housemate headed down to Tesco for a bumper shop of ingredients. Mayhem then ensued...

Ten hours later(!) as if by magic...

3. Tinsel, fairy lights, baubles etc.

Why can't the house look like this all year?!

I will be taking some fairy lights back to uni with me. Everyone needs fairy lights right?

Well done Mum!

4. My Blog

From weheartit.com

I've only been blogging for a month but already I'm addicted. My blog has given me a bit of light relief from all the rubbish Uni work I've been doing...or not doing (see 'outs'). I loves it!! :-)

OUT

1. Uni Work

I'm in my third year. I should be revising. I'm not, I'm blogging. That's all I have to say about that.

2. Missing housemates

From weheartit.com

Coming home for Christmas means I'm not going to see the housemate till January. It's well sad. It's like Ant without Dec, Bert without Ernie, Jelly without Ice Cream. Sob. (Also I really want my hair to look like this).

Anyways, that's what I've been up to this month.

Thanks for reading!

xxx

Latest In Beauty: The £1 Beauty Box

2011-12-21T14:24:00.000+00:00

The box didn't arrive ripped: I had to take off my address and then got a bit over excited trying to get into it!

Before the likes of Glossybox, Boudoir Prive etc there was the little box by Latest in Beauty. The whole thing works a lot differently to the aforementioned boxes. For a start, the samples are much, much smaller (think of the free stuff you'd get in a magazine). Secondly, the box only costs £1! What you do is log in and choose 3 products from the lists you're given. You then send a text to the company (this is how you pay the pound, it will be added to your phone bill at the end of the month), enter the code they give you and Bob's your uncle! The box is shipped in a few days (it's usually pretty fast).

I've been receiving these for a couple of years now. There's no monthly subscription and you can order your box as and when you want it, providing you only order one a month. Sometimes I'll go on the website and not find anything I fancy so won't bother that month. Also, anything you can get free at the department store counter is not really worth paying to try.

Anyway, this month I found 3 products I fancied trying, so here they are...

I've heard some good things about the Moa 'Green Balm' and really wanted to give it a try. It came in a teeny tiny little pot but a little goes a long way so it'll last a while. I have to say this is my favorite product from the box and will definitely be looking into getting the full size.

The only problem I have is that the site isn't the easiest to navigate and some of the products seem a bit old fashioned. Also, it's not all that easy to find out the prices of the full size products which is blimmin annoying to be honest.

Despite all that, it's definitely a company to try if you're into the whole beauty box idea but don't want to be to spending £12.95 a month. If you want to have a look, click here

xxx

p.s. Once again, I haven't been sponsored for this post and I paid the whole £1 for the box myself :-)

December Glossybox Goodies: A Couple of Reviews

2011-12-18T18:10:00.000+00:00

Since my Glossybox arrived a few days ago, I've had a bit of a chance to play with the products. So here are my thoughts...

The first thing I did on receiving my box was to slap on (I literally mean 'slap on' as you will see) the Deborah Lippmann 'Razzle Dazzle' nail varnish...

Please excuse the extreme lack of skill exhibited here!

First let me say that the colour of this is absolutely beautiful. It's perfect for Christmas as it is just festive enough but still sophisticated (not that I'm adverse to pillar box sparkly red at this time of year). In some lights it looks red, red and in others (like above) it is a beautiful plummy colour.

All great so far right? My problem? This stuff retails at £16....SIXTEEN WHOLE POUNDS! For that i would have expected the formula to be top notch: quick drying, easy to apply, no chips etc...sod it, for that price, I'd expect the brush to literally jump out of the pot and apply itself to my nails whilst I sleep. Alas, no. I found that it took ages to dry and after an hour it was still a bit tacky. If this was say a Barry M product it would be fine but from such a high end brand I would expect so much more.

All in all I do like the product and will enjoy wearing it over Christmas although if I had spent my own money on a full size, I'd have been a bit disappointed.

Anyhoo, on to a product I honestly only have good things to say about...

I was lucky enough to get the Blink + Go eyeshadow and blush palette in 02. Sorry it looks a bit dusty, I have been playing with it a lot since I got it. This really is such good quality and the colours are all very wearable.

Also, I managed to get my camera to photograph swatches semi-decently:

Without flash

With flash

As you can see these are all shimmery and super pigmented. My faves are the first four and I've worn them on my eyes every day since getting them.

And the blushes?

Without flash

With flash

These are bright, bright, bright! The best advice is to use sparingly and apply lightly with a fluffy brush to avoid looking a bit 'aunt sally' (if you weren't born in the UK before the 90s you may not get the reference).

In summary, I love the Blink + Go palette and am a bit meh about the Deborah Lippmann polish. That's why I love Glossybox, I now know what I would and (would not) buy if I had a spare £16 knocking about :-)

xxx

December Glossybox

2011-12-18T13:46:00.001+00:00

Finally it has arrived!!

I've been subscribed to Glossybox since November so this is my second box. For those of you that don't know how Glossybox works you basically pay £10 per month (plus £2.95 p&p) and you get a lovely box of beauty samples delivered to your door every month. Sometimes the samples are on the small side, sometimes they are actually full sizes. They are also mostly high end products. It's a bit hit and miss (more often 'hit' I must say) but that's all part of the fun! The best part is that you get to try out brands either you haven't heard of or that are not readily accessible on the High Street.

This month's box was a special Christmas edition (hence the red box) and contained some lovely, lovely things.

From left to right: Deborah Lippman 'Razzle Dazzle' nail varnish with 'Stripped to Go' sachet, Cargo Cosmetics Classic lip gloss in 'Paris', Blink + Go eyeshadow & blush palette in 02(?), Bionova eye Wrinkle Treatment, and Rituals foaming shower gel in 'Yogi Flow'.

All in all, for £12.95, this is nothing short of amazing. All of these products are things I would use (and have been for the past 2 days). Obviously it is going to be difficult for Glossybox to maintain this kind of standard all year and I think this is probably a bit of a one-off treat for Christmas but even so, I am very, very impressed.

If you subscribe to Glossybox before 19th December (tomorrow!!) you can still receive this box. For more info click here

Since I've already tried the palette and nail polish there will be reviews, swatches etc. to follow.

Also, I thought I should mention that I am a paying subscriber, my Glossyboxes are not sent to me for free, nor was I in any way sponsored.

xxx