Almost Delightful

My mini guide to advertising your blog

2013-03-05T18:42:00.000Z

Have you ever thought about sponsoring another blog? A lot of well established blogs now offer advertising (for newer bloggers who are unaware of the term, you pay the blogger to place an image that links to your blog, on their blog) and it's becoming commonplace to see a host of buttons filling up the sidebars of your favourite blogs.

I've advertised on a number of different blogs. I'm not currently sponsoring any blog, but that's mainly because I'm not updating frequently enough to make it seem worthwhile, rather than because I think it's a pointless endeavour.

1. If you're willing to spend a little money on your blog it can absolutely be beneficial. But it's going to be more beneficial to stick to blogs within your niche. Sure, you can sponsor a cooking blog when you like to blog about your daily outfits, but who's to say the people who are reading the cooking blog are going to be interested in fashion? If you sponsor a fashion blog, and you are a fashion blogger, it's more likely that the people who click on your button will enjoy your content.

2. Do your homework. Compare prices of advertising spots with bloggers of similar sizes. Compare the benefits you get - a shout out on twitter, a dedicated post about you and your blog, ability to contribute to a giveaway etc. You're parting with your pennies so you want to be getting the most you can with the money that you're spending.

3. Like the blog and the blogger. Of course you want to be getting a good deal, but I think it's also important to enjoy the content of the blog you're sponsoring and to have a good rapport with the advertiser.

4. Create an eye catching button. Ok, so now that you've paid for the spot, you want people to click your blog button. It's pretty difficult to create an eye catching button, as you want to get across the feel of your blog in a few pixels! Maybe you could incorporate the colour scheme of your blog into a button, or include one of your best pictures that you've published on your blog.

5. Make your blog the best it can be. You've paid for an advertising space, you've created an eye catching button that people are clicking on, so you want people to stick around. Put your best blogging foot forward and show your blog in the best light possible. Publish some great posts and make sure everything on your blog is linking to where it needs to link to, so that people can follow you and find out more about you.

6. If a blog doesn't have their stats on their 'sponsor' page, e-mail them. You're paying for a button, so you have every right to be told the blog's statistics.

Finally, my advice (which I know some disagree with) is to purchase a few smaller spots on a couple of blogs of a similar size and see which ones works best, before buying a bigger spot. The main reason for this is because if you find it doesn't work out for you, you've not spent too much money, and also you can compare which blogs worked out better for you at the end of the month.

What do you think of my tips? I'm by no means an expert and I'm not one to tell other people what to do on their blogs, I just wanted to share what I've learned from my experience of advertising so far.

Spitalfields Market

2013-03-03T19:31:00.000Z

Can you believe I've never visited Spitalfields Market before? Usually my Sunday mornings are a lazy affair. Sleeping in until ten, a coffee whilst catching up on some blogs and maybe a spot of light baking and kindle reading are my favourite past times. I'm never usually one to make lots of plans but when Liverpool Street is a mere ten minute bus journey away, there really is no excuse to visit Spitalfields Market.

I'm sorry that there are only a few photos to show you. I didn't realise that Spitalfields have a rather strict 'no photography' policy and I was even made to delete some of the photos I had taken. It's a great shame really because I think it's helpful to share the photos with others who might have been considering going, and the way they went about making me delete the photos put a downer on the whole experience.

The market is a few minutes walk from Liverpool Street station, and there's a stark contrast between the suited and booted businessmen rushing to work and the patchwork coat clad hipsters weaving in and out of market stalls a few minutes down the road. Equally as contrasting are the chain restaurants and high end cosmetic shops that line the market. The market itself sells an eclectic mix of jewellery, scarves, printed t-shirts, incense sticks and burners, artwork, cakes and other various bits and pieces. Despite being busy it seems to have a fairly laid back atmosphere, but if like me you're put off from browsing because of the massive crowds I'd suggest arriving early. I know that the market is open for the majority of the week, but Sunday is supposed to be the day to go.

Have you ever been to Spitalfields Market before? What did you think?

Illamasqua Test lipstick review

2013-02-24T20:40:00.001Z

Illamasqua Test Lipstick - £16

Illamasqua Test has to be my most reached for lipstick in my make up collection ever. It's a pretty neutral rosy pink-brown, it's very pigmented, it's matte but not too drying and it's a long lasting lipstick. It's pretty much perfect! I can see it suiting a variety of skin tones but on fairer ones I can see it being the ideal nude lipstick.

The one thing I'm not totally loving about this product - apart from the price, because if it was cheaper I would be snapping up hundreds of these, is the packaging. It feels clunky and the plastic is quite thin which makes me worry it'll crack in my bag. It's typical Illamasqua packaging though, I feel the same about the blushers! It's also a rather hard consistency in the bullet and can tug at the lips slightly on application, nothing a slick of a good lip balm won't sort out but when I first bought it I did find it difficult to apply for that reason.

At £16 this product isn't the cheapest, but I get so much use out of it and the colour is so perfect I won't hesitate in buying this again when it runs out. Have you ever tried any Illamasqua lipsticks? I've tried a few and I'm really impressed with the formula!

Giveaway winner

2013-02-22T20:16:00.000Z

Sorry that it has taken so long to post the winner to my giveaway! I moved rather last minute last week (just down the road, really) but it means I've been without internet until late last night and I've not really got the hang of blogging/responding to e-mails from an iPhone just yet.

Anyway, I added everyone who entered my giveaway onto a huge spreadsheet and then used random.org to pick a random number, and then checked who it corresponded with on my spreadsheet, and I'm pleased to announce that the winner of my giveaway is Jess from Just Jesss. Congratulations, I'll get your prize mailed to you asap!

Thank you to everyone who entered! I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Instagram updates

2013-02-09T23:25:00.001Z

A snowy sunday//sunday roast//Oxford Street on a saturday//the sweetest dress from River Island//deciding what nail polish to wear for the next week of work//going out face//light up boats on the docks near Canary Wharf//oops...this happened//a gloomy day on the Isle of Dogs.

I finally have instagram! I really like it but I usually forget to use it during the week when I'm working. Most of my pictures are taken during the weekend when I'm out and about and on social media sites a bit more. I just wanted to share with you the little snaps I've taken so far, you can find me here. I'd love to find more instagram users to follow too as at the moment I've not been able to find many people!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend so far!

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm review

2013-02-03T23:58:00.001Z

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural lift and Sculpt Moringa cleansing balm 100ml £27.20 here.

Wow what a mouthful of a name! I usually just refer to it as the Emma Hardie cleansing balm, or with it being winter - my daily cleanser. This product has certainly been doing the rounds in the blogging community and I think just about every blogger owns this or at least wants to try it.

Let me clarify one thing first. My tub obviously doesn't look like the pristine ones you have probably seen in other blog posts. Honestly, I've travelled with this around four times now and as you can probably tell from the picture, it doesn't hold up the best. The oil from the balm leaks out of the lid and in between the layer of reinforced plastic. For the price I would expect better, but that can be overlooked if I really like the product housed inside.

I usually just scoop a bit of the balm out, mix it with water and then use it on my face. It smells a bit like slightly fruity posh soap - the kind you'd want to steal from a hotel bathroom. It has a nice consistency and although it's oily whilst it's on your face, it's not sticky and once you wash it off it leaves no oily residue, just plump soft skin. I've noticed since using this that the tone of my skin is a lot more even and my skin is more balanced overall. However, on days where my skin is looking a little more congested than usual I double cleanse with something else more potent as I find this doesn't really deep cleanse.

All in all, I do really rate this product. It has no nasty ingredients and I'd especially recommend it if your skin really suffers the cold winter weather and you often get dry patches, as this is so hydrating. However, once the warmer months come I'll be swapping it out with something that's going to really deep cleanse.

What do you think of the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm?

My MAC Eye Shadow Quad

2013-01-27T11:17:00.002Z

top: left - right Espresso, Retrospeck
Bottom: left - right: Copperplate, Quarry

Left - Right: Espresso, Retrospeck, Copperplate, Quarry.

Whenever I'm on Youtube watching beauty related videos, the 'what's in my MAC Eyeshadow Quad/Palette' tag was one that I always enjoyed, partly because my positive relationship with eye shadows is only a recent affair and partly because MAC have such a huge colour selection that when I finally selected one of my own I wanted it to be perfect. I liked knowing people's personal preferences, what they thought suited their skintone and their thoughts on the different finishes MAC offer. It has inspired me with some of the choices I made because going into a MAC store and having to choose from hundreds of colours and finishes whilst being constantly observed by the workers is very overwhelming and/or stressful! And let's face it, whilst being far from the most expensive, MAC eye shadows aren't the cheapest thing to buy on a whim and then find out that the colour or texture is completely off.

Unfortunately I don't own a plethora of colours and finishes. I own five MAC eye shadows in total (I also own Satin Taupe in single form), which I think is a fairly modest collection - especially considering how much I post about beauty products on this blog! Three of them are matte, mainly because I find matte shadows the most versatile and easy to wear during the daytime; even if they're not the most inspiring. Satin Taupe is a frost (and although it's not in my quad and I've not featured it, I highly recommend swatching it when you're next near a MAC counter). The other is a Lustre, but I'll get onto that later...

Espresso: This is the colour I mainly use for my eyebrows, but it can also be worn on the lid. I think a medium - dark brown is a staple most people have in their collection as it's useful for pretty much any look. The texture and pigmentation is good, and it's a matte finish. 'Nuff said.

Retrospeck: I might not use all the colours in the quad equally, but this is the one I use and like the least. I was after a yellowy champagne colour and this came up trumps, it was absolutely the colour I was looking for... Shame that didn't translate onto my eyelids. The pigmentation of this one is awful and the texture is even worse. It's a lustre finish and it's shimmery but it feels gritty and it has lots of fallout. I'd not recommend this shade or other lustre finishes and as soon as I buy another MAC eyeshadow I'll be swapping this one out.

Copperplate: This shade is definitely a dark horse! In the pan it looks like a plain, one dimensional grey but actually when swatched or applied it's more of a greyish taupe with brown and purplish undertones. It looks absolutely smokin' if you have either blue or grey eyes! Another matte, but of course.

Quarry: A brownish mauve which I admit, I don't get enough use out of. In the pan it doesn't like the kind of colour I'd gravitate to for a normal day at the office but when it's actually worn it's a nice daytime colour that's a little bit different from your regular brown. And no, I don't look like I've been punched in the eye when I wear this! Another matte...

Do you own any MAC eyeshadows? What are your favourite colours and finishes?

Giveaway: NARS Douceur Blush

2013-01-19T20:33:00.000Z

I received this blusher ages ago for my birthday. I had it on my birthday list but two people saw the list and bought it for me - so I ended up with two of them! Considering my sizable blusher collection it's unlikely that I will get through my current Nars Douceur and start this one anytime soon so I thought I'd host a little giveaway, especially seeing as people seemed to comment on the colour in my Top Winter Blushers post!

Running Time: This giveaway is open from 19/01/2013 - 23.59 on the 15/02/2013. Winner will be announced on the 16/02/2013.

To Enter: The requirements are really easy. You just need to be a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect. Please leave a comment expressing your interest in being entered in the competition, the name you are following my blog under and leave a way I can contact you if you're the winner.

You can also earn yourself another entry by tweeting '@almostdelight is holding a giveaway. Win a NARS blusher http://www.almostdelightful.com/2013/01/giveaway-nars-douceur-blush.html #bbloggers #competition' This entry is entirely optional. Please include the link to your tweet in your comment if you do decide to tweet for an extra entry. You can get the link by clicking the time stamp of the tweet and copying the url of the pop up that the tweet comes up in.

This giveaway is open to all readers, including international readers. If you're under 16 please get permission from a parent or guardian before entering. A winner will be chosen using random.org and if the winner does not respond within a week of being contacted I reserve the right to choose another winner.

Good luck everyone!

Favourite Winter Lip Products

2013-01-15T19:37:00.002Z

Top: L-R Korres Lip Balm in Wild Rose, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, Rimmel Matte lipstick in shade 107, Topshop Lip Crayon in Royal, Nars Velvet Matte lip pencil in Cruella

bottom: L-R Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, Topshop Lip Crayon in Royal, Korres Lip Balm in Wild Rose, Rimmel Matte Lipstick 107. Nars Velvet Matte lip pencil in Cruella

Eek sorry for the bottom picture being out of focus, it was the best one of the bunch though. It seems as though as soon as January swings by the berry and red lipsticks are put away for another year in favour of some lighter colours in anticipation for spring. This year however, I am still rocking the dark lip, even if the festive season is over for another year! These are just a few I've been wearing.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush: This has to be my most worn lip product over the winter season so far. It's a very wearable berry shade that's moisturising and easy to wear. It's also quite sheer when first applied so it's easy to wear during the day or for work.

Topshop Lip Crayon in Royal: This is a nice bright neutral red. It's not necessarily a typical winter colour but I always find myself gravitating towards reds in the winter. The formula is also much nicer than many of the other Topshop lipsticks in pencil form which I've tried as it's creamier and not as drying.

Korres Lip Balm in Wild Rose: This is another berry that's so pigmented for a lip balm. I don't find the formula overly moisturising but it sits nicely on the lips and the colour is gorgeous and on the lips is much like Revlon's Crush.

Rimmel Matte Lipstick in 107: This is the lipstick that everyone has been talking about and after seeing several swatches of it online I knew it had to be mine. It's a wonderful deep wine colour that I truly think will suit a multitude of skin tones. It was the colour I was rocking throughout the Christmas period and one I still wear now on nights out.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella: This is a deep scarlet red that's ever so slightly blue and berry toned which means it's really flattering and a perfect winter shade. If I had to pick a perfect winter red it would be this. At £17.50 it's not the cheapest option but I've been getting so much wear out of it, it has been worth the money.

What are your favourite winter lipsticks?

NARS Lhasa review

2013-01-01T15:53:00.000Z

The first I heard of this shade was from reading Meg's blog, Lips So Facto. I absolutely fell in love with the colour and I had to have it, but for some reason whenever I was around a NARS counter it always slipped my mind to look at it in person (although my bank balance was grateful for this memory lapse). I've never really been a big eyeshadow wearer, but when I do decide to wear it I always pick taupes, browns or champagnes. That's what drew me in with this colour; it's fairly understated but the lavender hues made it different enough from anything in my make-up collection to justify purchasing it.

NARS have described this colour as a lavender grey, and I would say that's an accurate description. There is also some shimmer present, but it is rather subtle so you can easily wear this during the daytime. It's an easy eyeshadow to work with, as the colour goes on a lot sheerer than the other NARS eyeshadows I own. It's also easy to build up, there is very little fall out and it lasts well on the lids with a primer.

At £17 this isn't the cheapest, but if you're like me and prefer to invest in a few eyeshadows that can be worn during the daytime as well as for evenings out, then I'd definitely recommend taking a look at this when you're near a NARS counter.

P.S. Happy New Year everyone! I hope your 2013 got off to a lovely start. xx

Skincare Diaries #2

2012-12-30T21:36:00.002Z

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask, Boots Botanics Super Balm. Origins A Perfect World Moisturiser

You may have remembered from this post I said that I was going to keep a diary of all the skincare products I have been using and my skincare routine. Basically I've been trying to get into a skincare routine for ages now and I usually start well but within a couple of days I am demotivated and can usually find hundreds of things I should be doing rather than washing my face and applying various lotions and potions.

Previously I was using Olay's Beauty Fluid for my daily moisturiser, but unfortunately it had to retire to my skincare basket as it wasn't providing my skin with the moisture it needed. I decided to bring in the moisturiser heavy weights. These three work in perfect harmony, leaving my skin plump and soft, even if we are facing a bitterly cold winter.

001: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask. I'm not overly fussy about most face masks, especially those that claim to remove impurities from the skin, brighten it or unclog pores. I never really feel as though they actually do anything and my skin looked much the same after using them. However I feel this one actually does something to my skin. It's really rich and although I wouldn't say it takes all night to be absorbed, it definitely takes a good few hours! In the morning my skin feels nourished and soft without a dry patch in sight.

002: Boots Botanics Super Balm: This is a thick balm that kind of reminds me of a cross between Vaseline and Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm. If you can get over the texture and how it makes your face feel for a few seconds once applied (a little oily), this is such a nourishing product. I apply it to the dry areas of my face, leave for a few minutes and then remove it with a muslin cloth. You can find the product here. At first I found it difficult to find any information about it online. The linked article displays some incorrect information about it which even contradicts the picture they have displayed next to it. I can confirm that my pot shows the same information as the pot that is pictured next to the article.

003: Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer: I bought this in the summer and at the time I didn't like it at all. My skin was a little oilier in the summer and this moisturiser made it feel greasy. A few months later, my skin is drier and this is the moisturiser I reach for most. I also really like the scent, it smells like tea and a little fruity!

Are you stepping up your winter skincare?

Hair Saviours

2012-12-10T18:31:00.000Z

Tresemme Split Remedy Masque, Bumble and Bumble Leave In (Rinse Out) Conditioner

I'll admit it, I'm not very good when it comes to haircare. For years and years all I did with my hair was shampoo it every other day and use conditioner afterwards — no masks, no hair oils, no treatments, nothing. I didn't even pay any attention to what hair type I had and it was an effort to go to the hairdressers (cue mother finally forcing me to go when my fringe had grown so long it rendered me visually impaired). However over the past year the condition of my hair has suddenly taken a turn for the worse with one of the main problems being tangles.

Honestly, I thought tangles were a thing of the past. I look back on my childhood and am haunted by recollections of my mum attacking my hair with a hairbrush and me feeling as though my scalp was going to be ripped off. By my teenage years my hair was relatively easy to manage and tidy looking (aside from waking up with parts of my fringe sticking upright and that time I chopped off a hair braid). But at the tender age of twenty two, tangles decided to make a come back and now I can easily spend 30+ minutes combing my hair to get rid of the tangles and by the end of the day my hair is like a massive bird's nest again, even if I've recently had my hair cut.

I have thick strands of hair and a lot of it. The ends are dry and I find the hair near the nape of my neck to be quite coarse. I find a lot of conditioners don't really nourish my hair or make it any easier to brush. So recently I researched some Bumble and Bumble products and settled on the Leave In (Rinse Out) Conditioner. I apply this straight after I've had a shower and I leave it in. I find it doesn't weigh my hair down, the ends of my hair are softer and it's easier to comb. To repair the damage to the ends of my hair, in between hairdresser visits I use the Tresemme Split Remedy Masque once a week. Since using this I've noticed a decrease in the amount of split ends I have, my hair feels nourished after use and brushing my hair after I've used it is a dream. For £5.69 you can't really go wrong. From using these two products I've seen a dramatic change in my hair's appearance. It's softer, more nourished and easier to manage. My hair still gets a little tangled but nothing like before and I'm convinced with further use tangles won't be an issue.

Do you have any hair products you swear by?

My top winter blushers

2012-12-06T16:39:00.000Z

Top picture: Top L-R Stila Convertible Colour in Peony, Nars Sin.

Bottom L-R Illamasqua Seduce, Nars Douceur.

Bottom right picture: L-R Illamasqua Seduce, Stila Peony, Nars Douceur, Nars Sin.

I'll admit it, I am a complete blush fiend. I like lipstick too but I could happily forgo the pleasure of wearing lipstick, and as long as I leave the house with a swipe of blusher on my cheeks I am a happy bunny. This time last year I didn't quite have the enthusiasm for blusher that I possess now and I only owned a few various shades of pink so choosing the perfect winter colour was not so much of an issue. However over the past year my blusher collection has grown in size and I find myself dithering over so many different shades. So here I've whittled it down to four blushers I most enjoy wearing in the winter time.

Illamasqua Seduce: This one is a raspberry/berry/rose shade with a slight red tone that looks completely scary in the pan but when applied to the cheeks gives them what I like to call 'The Snow White Effect'. The cream formula is also perfect to wear in the winter when skin is a little drier.

Stila Convertible Colour in Peony: I saw the newest addition to my blusher collection advertised on eBay. The colour was described as "terracotta rose", which I completely agree with when it is in the pan, but when applied to the cheeks it mostly loses the orange tone and transforms into a peachy pink with a hint of brown. It's very understated and perfect for when I want to play up a bold lip (which in the winter I often do).

Nars Douceur: This is probably one of my most loved blushers and it is one I wear all year round, but I most enjoy wearing it in winter. In the pan you could easily be mistaken into thinking that Douceur and Peony are the same colour (and indeed, I didn't realise how similar they were until photographing them next to each other), but when swatched Peony leans slightly pinker and more peachy whereas Douceur has no peach tones and is more of a rosy brown. However the difference, when applied to the cheeks, is minimal. In my opinion, the real difference between them is the formulation - Peony is a cream blush and Douceur is a powder.

Nars Sin: This looks painfully unwearable in the swatch and in the pan; in fact when I bought it my friend looked at me as if I were crazy and whispered, "Isn't that a little too dark for your skin tone?" Nars Sin is a berry tone with gold shimmer, and fortunately when applied is not as intimidating as it looks in the pan. With a light hand this transforms into the most wonderful winter-time blush and becomes more of a pink-berry than a bruise-berry. Beware of applying this with a heavy hand though, or you will look like you've had a couple of rounds in the boxing ring...

Do you have any blushes you enjoy wearing in the winter?

Caudalie Beauty Elixir Review

2012-12-04T17:32:00.000Z

Caudalie Beauty Elixir 30ml £9.90

I've had this in my handbag for some time now so I thought it was due a review, not least because it was pictured in my first Skincare Diaries post. I own the 100ml bottle too but I paid over £30 for it so it rarely ventures out of my bedroom.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir is basically a beauty water, toner and make up refresher all rolled into one. It claims to tighten pores and revitalize the skin, making it appear brighter and more awake. I usually spritz it after cleansing, and throughout the day if I'm feeling a bit tired or run down and sometimes I just use it simply because it's sitting next to me! Caudalie Beauty Elixir smells very minty and although the smell is refreshing I find it to be very pungent. It also lingers for a while so if you're sensitive to smells that might be worth bearing in mind. Admittedly at first the scent bothered me to the point that it sat at the back of my skincare drawer, but slowly I've started to get used to it although I still don't particularly like it.

I don't really feel as though this product has made much of a difference to my pores, but when I use it my face feels much fresher and I think it's improved the overall tone of my skin. It also diffuses nicely, unlike some sprays (Avene Thermal Spring Water - I'm looking at you) which disperse a large amount water in one concentrated area, causing shock and possibly smudged eye make up. Having said that, it is very expensive for what it actually does. It is also really easy to use up a 30ml bottle in a few weeks with regular use, and in my opinion there are toners out there that do the same job for a fraction of the price. For example, I much prefer L'Occitane Angelica Face Toner (and it smells much better too). I also think it's important to note that one of the main ingredients in this product is alcohol, so anyone with dry skin (me in winter) will probably want to use this with caution, or give it a miss.

In conclusion, I do like this product, and I have seen some benefits from using it, but I think the main factor which stops me from repurchasing is the price. For what I paid I expected the bottle to have lasted longer or to have seen more skincare benefits.

Have you tried the Caudalie Beauty Elixir? What do you think?

Skincare Diaries Week 1

2012-12-03T20:37:00.001Z

Clockwise from top-left, they are: Olay Beauty Fluid, Hydraluron, Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm, Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Caudalie Divine Oil, and Clarisonic Mia.

Welcome to my new feature! I've been thinking of doing this for a good while, but with my hiatus I never got round to it. I've started investing more time, effort and money into my skincare regime since the summer, mostly because I wanted to start feeling more confident about my skin, but also because I figured that it's all well and good to cover every imperfection with concealer and foundation, but wouldn't it be nice if my skin was ok to begin with?

Not only do I hope that this series will be helpful with reviews and updates, but I also have to admit that there is a self-interest element to it! I've never been properly motivated into keeping up with a regular skincare routine and as a result my skin sometimes suffers. I tend to look after it really well when it's going through a rough patch but when it's ok again I almost forget about it and find it a complete chore to even take my make up off, let alone tone, add serum, exfoliate, apply masks, facial oils and day fluids.

Anyway, the whole aim of this series is to regularly update with how my skin is doing, the products I'm using, and I might throw in a couple of reviews here and there, too. For reference, my skin type is Combination, which in my opinion translates as the worst of both worlds as my skin gets quite dry in the winter yet in the summer my skin gets all kinds of oily to the extent that even Estee Lauder's Double Wear can't keep it at bay. On the plus side it's not particularly sensitive; except I have a feeling there is one thing in my newly acquired skincare stash which is irritating my skin something chronic.

Do you have a regular skincare routine?

The difference between Revlon Lip Butters and L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks

2012-11-28T17:08:00.002Z

Pictured. Top (L-R): Revlon Lip Butters in Macaroon and Berry Smoothie. L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks in Lovely Rose and Dating Coral.

Bottom (L-R): Revlon Lip Butter in Macaroon and L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipstick in Dating Coral.

Probably the longest title for a post ever! Sorry about that. If you've been a reader of my blog for a while now you may have realised that I was an avid collector of the Revlon Lip Butters (I reviewed the shade Sweet Tart here). I think I may have had ten in my collection at one point, but since then some have been given to friends and relatives. A short while after the Lip Butters were released, L'Oreal launched the Rouge Caresse lipsticks, and I got myself down to Boots and purchased a couple — for research purposes of course.

The Boots website currently offers thirteen Rouge Caresse shades and fourteen Lip Butter shades to choose from. However, while the difference in colour selection is minimal online, I often find a wider selection of Lip Butter shades in store, including my local Boots. Additionally, I prefer the shade range for the Lip Butters and they are slightly cheaper at £7.99 compared to £8.19 for the Rouge Caresse lipsticks.

Having said that, the Rouge Caresse lipsticks definitely feel better on the lips. They are glossier and feel more moisturising and lightweight compared to the Lip Butters, which feel thicker and heavier. Unfortunately, the disadvantage of being lightweight and glossy is that the Rouge Caresse lipsticks suffer slightly when it comes to longevity: overall, the pigmentation and length of wear of the Lip Butters are superior.

To sum up, both are good products and they have different strengths and weaknesses, so it depends on what you're after on the day. If you want something longer-wearing with high pigmentation, I'd recommend the Revlon Lip Butters. However if you're after a sheer wash of colour and a glossy finish, pick up a L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipstick.

Have you tried both? Which do you prefer?

Remember me?

2012-11-26T14:50:00.003Z

So, I'm back! I thought I'd explain where I had gone to, because although sometimes I take short breaks from blogging here and there, I've not properly been myself with blogging since June time. I never meant for the break to be so long, but some pretty big things have happened in my life over the summer and autumn which led me to take a longer break from blogging.

I'm not usually one to share too much of my life on my blog. I mean, I freely share my stories but when they concern loved ones I am usually more careful about what I put online, but my boyfriend said he was ok with me mentioning it on my blog. I can't remember if I ever mentioned, but my boyfriend's mum suffered from cancer. It was terminal but she responded well to treatment so my boyfriend and I were under the impression that as long as she kept having treatment, she would live. However, over the summer her health declined and she spent most of her days in hospital. She decided in August not to continue with treatment and in the September she sadly passed away at the age of 52. She was courageous throughout her entire fight with the disease. It was the most difficult thing to see someone's health decline so rapidly, and even though it was hard and I miss her, it comforts me to know that she spent her final days with her loved ones and that she was as comfortable as possible.

About a month later, my boyfriend's grandma passed away. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must have been for him to lose two people in such a short space of time. So, that's why recently blogging hasn't been at the forefront of my mind, as I felt like my boyfriend needed my support. Things have slowly been getting better, and for a few weeks now I've been wanting to blog. It was just about finding the right moment and words to explain why I had taken such a long hiatus, why e-mails and comments have gone unanswered and why I've been absent from the blogging world for longer than I intended.

Sorry for such a long post and I'll try to get back to comments as soon as possible.

Review: MAC Plink lipstick

2012-08-05T18:14:00.007+01:00

MAC Lustre lipstick in Plink £14

Sorry again for not posting for a while. This time it was due to some family stuff that's been going on. It's mostly to do with my boyfriend's family so I don't really want to publish what's happened on my blog. However because I see them often and I get on with them well it has had an effect on me as well and the last thing I wanted to do was post, I hope that makes sense. I've been pretty absent from the blogging world in general, I have like 700+ posts to read on bloglovin' and all your lovely comments to respond to.

Anyway,sorry for the abundance of reviews on my blog. I have a ton of lifestyle photos to share but I am still thinking of an interesting way to present them, so instead I am searching through my make up bag for things to review! I bought this lipstick from a MAC stall at an airport about a month ago. I had already read a few reviews of this lipstick and a few people had recommended it so I thought I'd pick it up. I do think that £14 is expensive for a lipstick but I do my research before investing in beauty products so I know I'm likely to be happy with it.

This lipstick is a Lustre finish. I find that Lustre's apply well, however they are not particularly long lasting, with a wear time of approximately two hours. Some people find the formula drying but I don't find this. The Lustre formula has a glossy finish and the coverage is usually sheer. Plink is described on the MAC website as a 'warm seashell pink' and I'd generally agree. I prefer these warmer toned pinks to blue toned pinks as I find them more wearable, but of course that's just personal preference! As with all MAC lipsticks, it has a lovely vanilla scent which I find detectable for a short while on the lips. On my lips, Plink is extremely sheer. I hate just taking photos of my lips (I had a spot so I cropped the photo of my face so it's just showing my lips, haha), but as you can see, it just leaves them looking glossier with a slight shimmer too. I find with most Lustre's the colour can be built up but with Plink the colour never became more apparent regardless of how many layers I applied. The sheerness of the lipstick was my biggest disappointment, because in the bullet it's an absolutely lovely colour. Perhaps those with less pigmented lips would have better luck, but I've only reached for this lipstick a handful of times and apart from taking it out to photograph it today it remains at the back of my lipstick drawer. However I hate wasting make up products, especially when they were expensive, so I may get some use out of it by layering it over other lipsticks.

Have you tried Plink?

My review on the different MAC lipstick finishes

2012-07-14T13:01:00.004+01:00

Firstly I have to admit, I love MAC lipsticks. I love the colour range and the light vanilla scent. I like the packaging and I know which formulas work for me and which don't. I own quite a range of different MAC lipsticks, and whenever I go in to pick up a new one I make it my mission to try a new finish. Unfortunately it means that I've bought some I didn't like, but I'd rather say I tried it than to buy a finish I know I like and continue wondering how other finishes would work on me. From the picture you may have noticed I don't own a glaze. I'm not a personal fan of sheer glossy lip colour, but I have researched the formula online and have owned one before, so I will share my opinions on it too.

Frost: These are often very shimmery and iridescent. I often find this finish unwearable because I don't want such shimmery lips. I have a Frost lipstick in Angel, which I don't find so shimmery and it's a lovely colour. I find the finish on these to be slightly glossy, but not overly so like a lipgloss.

Glaze: These lipsticks act exactly as the name suggest. They are very sheer, probably the most sheer coverage lipstick finish that MAC offer. They leave the lips looking glossy and last for a few hours (at a push) on the lips. I didn't find the Glaze lipstick I owned at all drying.

Lustre: I find the finish of these to be very much like a Frost when lightly applied, a slightly glossier version of a cremesheen. The coverage this finish tends to give is sheer, but you can build it up to a medium coverage if desired, especially with brighter colours. These last a few hours on the lips and although I don't personally find them drying, some people do. However I noticed whilst I was researching that Lustres are quite popular with a lot of people because they apply evenly and are easy to wear because of the subtle hint of colour they give. Personally this finish isn't my favourite because it doesn't last a long time on my lips and I prefer lipsticks that give a fuller coverage.

Cremesheen: I believe that this is MAC's most popular finish and I am not surprised as to why! MAC offer a wide variety of colours in the Cremesheen formula, so you're likely to find something you like. I find these lipsticks give a medium coverage that can be built up to full coverage. These are creamy and I don't find them to dry out my lips. These last 2-3 hours on my lips. All in all I find the cremesheen formula very easy to wear.

Matte: As suggested by the name, these lipsticks are matte. They are not shimmery or glossy. Typically this is one of MAC's longest wearing lipstick finishes, and I tend to get about 5-6 hours wear before I need to reapply. These lipsticks do last a long time on the lips, however because they are long wearing they tend to dry out the lips. Some shades are more drying than others and for a more easy to wear matte MAC lipstick, try Please me.

Amplified Creme: These are basically a fuller coverage, slightly longer lasting version of the cremesheen formula. Most of the colours that are Amplified Creme are very bright. I typically get about 4 hours wear before I need to reapply, and I don't find these drying. Amplified Creme and Cremesheen are my favourite MAC lipstick finishes.

Satin: This is another one of MAC's long wearing lipstick formulas. I find I get roughly 4-5 hours wear before I need to reapply. These are full coverage and slightly creamier than the Matte lipsticks but not as creamy as the Cremesheens. I feel as though my lips have to be in really good condition before I wear these, as they do tend to dry out the lips.

Anyway, I hope this helps all of those who are considering buying MAC lipsticks, or those who are considering buying a MAC lipstick in an unfamilar finish. This was only my opinion, I'm not an expert on them but I own quite a few MAC lipsticks and I thought this would be helpful. I was going to include swatches but the ones I took didn't accurately depict the differences so I will just publish some MAC lipstick reviews in the future and reference them here!

What MAC lipstick finishes do you like? xo

NARS Illuminator in Copacabana review

2012-07-12T20:04:00.003+01:00

NARS Illuminator in Copacabana £22 30ml. (I swatched on my wrist but you can also see a little on the palm of my hand).

Firstly I'd like to apologise for my general absence in the blogging world for so long. I've really missed it and I always feel guilty when I am away for a while and come back with just a 'sorry, I was busy' excuse, but I really was busy! In the past month I've spent some time with my boyfriend's parents, gone on short breaks away (twice!), handed in two Open University assignments and moved house (down the road). This weekend I will be seeing my family and friends in Cambridge and I hope to get some blog posts written because for the next two weeks I will be commuting a total of four hours every day to work and back. I will try to get back to everyone who has commented, but if I miss some people then I do apologise.

Anyway, this post seems completely innappropriate now given that recently the weather in the UK has comprised of rain, rain and more rain. However I bought this just over a month ago and I wanted to give it a good try out before reviewing it. This is the first Illuminator I have bought from NARS, on the website they sell four but I thought Orgasm and Super Orgasm would be too peachy and unnatural on my skin and Laguna would be too dark. Copacabana is a very light silvery cool toned pink with silver shimmer and I think it complements my cool toned fair skin perfectly. I can understand how this could appear very frosty and unnatural on someone with darker and warmer skin, especially if used with a heavy hand. However lightly applied to my skin I think highlights my cheeks perfectly and gives a dewy glow. The liquid is quite runny, yet it is easy to blend. Having said that I find myself working quickly with this product because it dries fast and to get it looking really natural I find I have to really buff it in.

I really like the packaging. It comes in a squeezy tube and it is clear so you can easily see how much product you have left. I also think you get a good amount for how much you pay, especially compared to what other high end brands charge for similar products. I know it is expensive at £22 but you get 30ml, whereas something like MAC's Lustre Drops are £17.50 for 18ml.

Overall I really like this product. Buffed in it gives a really pretty glow and I think the liquid is really well pigmented. I have tried a lot of other liquid illuminators that do not show up properly on my face, but this one definitely does! On the other hand, I can understand why someone would not like this product. It is quite shimmery and I think that those with warmer skintones may find it more difficult to work with because it is such a cool toned product.

Have you tried any NARS products, is NARS a brand you want to try?

30 before 30

2012-06-14T12:53:00.003+01:00

It's my birthday today and I'm now 23 years old. People aren't lying when they say the older you get the faster time seems to go! Last night I was thinking about things I would like to achieve in my life and I thought that it would be fun to make a list here. Maybe in a few years time I will look back and cross some things off and set some new goals for myself.

I won't list all 30 goals in this post because otherwise it would be a huge post and I don't know if I even have 30 goals at the moment! It will probably be more like a mini series where I will post more goals over the coming years. I'm excited to see how many I will achieve!

♥ Donate blood five times and get my Blue Donor Card. I already give blood but as I'm not a fan of needles it has to be a spontaneous decision otherwise I'm worrying about it for days beforehand. The time when the nurse put the needle straight through my vein didn't do much to help my fear, but to me, giving blood is an important thing to do so I try to put my fears to the back of my mind.

♥ Buy a house. Most of the places I have rented have been pre-furnished and decorated and I just want to have my own home which I can decorate to my own tastes. I also want to put my money towards something which will eventually be mine, rather than paying for something that will never be my own.

♥ Adopt an animal from a rescue shelter. I've wanted a pet since I was small but my parents wouldn't allow it and it isn't really possible to have one now whilst living in rented accommodation. I want to have my own place and have enough time for an animal before owning one.

♥ Go travelling. I want to go on the type of trip where you just drop off the radar for a while and then come back with lots of interesting stories about hiking in Nepal, or bathing in hot springs in Iceland.

♥ Finish my degree in Design and Innovation. When I was 18 and sorting out what to study at university, I chose a subject (Politics) which I hadn't researched simply because I thought it would be interesting. Whilst it was ok, it wasn't something I was majorly passionate about and I could never envisage myself in a career where the degree would be useful. However now I'm doing something I am passionate about and I really want to carry on with it.

More to come soon! Have you set yourself any goals that you would like to achieve in the coming years?

A huge happy birthday to Maiken who also celebrates her birthday today!

Monthly favourites

2012-06-12T22:47:00.003+01:00

NARS Illuminator in Copacabana, Ciate paint pot in Bon Bon, MAC lipstick in Angel, Sanctuary moisture lotion.

Sorry for the rather sporadic posts recently, I've had a few tests for University so I've been concentrating on those. Unfortunately because of this I've not really been doing anything interesting or making any yummy food so you'll have to excuse the lack of lifestyle posts. I'm thinking of posting a few DIY's and recipes in the future which will be interesting as I am the least crafty person ever. However I bought a book about a year ago on all things crafty and to be honest I've only mustered the motivation to give it a try recently.

These are just a few products I've been liking. I'm lying in the post title when I mention these are my monthly favourites, the Ciate nail polish is a recent acquisition because as you may (probably) or may not be aware, Marie Claire are giving them away free with purchase of their magazine. The other products I am really liking this month are more summer products I think, especially the illuminator and the moisture lotion with SPF. Unfortunately summer has only made a fleeting appearance this year so whenever I wear them now I'll just have to pretend it's sunny and warm out.

What are your favourite products of the month?

17 Instant Glow Shimmer Brick Review

2012-06-08T19:24:00.003+01:00

17 Instant Glow Shimmer Brick in Pink Bronze - £4.99

Excuse the overly pouty expression on my face! I always feel incredibly awkward having to pose for photos and I always wonder what facial expression I should pull! Also I usually use the auto settings for self portraits and the flash always blinds me when it goes.

Anyway, I bought this 17 Instant Glow Shimmer Brick in Pink Bronze a few weeks ago when we were having glorious sunshine. I actually wasn't looking to buy any make up (?!) but I swatched this in Boots and I had to get it! It's a gorgeous bronzed pink with silvery shimmer. My first thought was that this particular shade is very comparable to Bobbi Brown's Pink Quartz, but without the hefty price tag. I was under the impression that this product was marketed as a bronzer due to the short blurb on the Boots website where keywords such as 'Sunkissed' and 'Multi Shade Bronzing' were used. However I think this product definitely acts better as a highlighter because the silver shimmer definitely overpowers any bronze.

The pigmentation is great. I've recently purchased some highlighters which barely show up on the skin, but this one does. It gives a nice dewy glow to the cheeks without being overpowering, and whilst this product does contain shimmer it's not overly obvious once applied to the cheeks. The texture of the powder is smooth and non chalky and they last well on the cheeks too. I have to admit, I've been reaching for it almost everyday since I bought it and for £4.99 it's an absolute bargain!

Do you own any highlighters?

MUA Pearl Eyeshadow Shade 30 Review

2012-06-03T19:38:00.003+01:00

Top picture L-R: MUA Pearl Eyeshadow is shade 11, 30 and 1. £1 each. 2g.

Bottom picture MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 30.

I must be so late to the party on these. These are my first ever MUA products I've bought. I knew that their eye products were popular, but I couldn't find the MUA palettes in my local Superdrug so I just settled for a few single eyeshadows. I actually thought the shade was called 'Pearl' at first; which may be fitting for the lighter colour but I got really confused when I picked up another and it also said pearl on it. After the confusion I bought them and I have to admit, for £1 I am really impressed with the quality.

Shade 30 is a bronze gold colour with shimmer. The casing is plastic with a simple design. It is sturdy enough but I think if you dropped it onto concrete it would probably shatter. The pigmentation is great and there is little fall out. The powder is maybe not as finely milled as some of the more high end eyeshadows I have tried, but that's such a small problem and to be honest for £1 I can't really complain. This shade lasts well on the eyelids but I find after about 6 hours some of the shimmer has transferred to my cheeks.

Overall, I am really impressed with these eyeshadows. I may not purchase any more simply because the other colours do not appeal to me very much, but I can see myself getting lots of use out of the ones I own.

Do you own any MUA Pearl Eyeshadows?

On a warm summer's evening

2012-05-30T20:06:00.004+01:00

It has been so warm here recently that I've not wanted to cook up anything particularly stodgy. On Monday I decided to have more of a finger food dinner, with cucumber, carrots, dips and bread. I made my own version of bruschetta which I got from here, although I left off the tomatoes and instead added some mozzarella cheese and parma ham. I used lots of garlic so needless to say the next day people were deliberately keeping their distance!

What do you enjoy eating on a warm evening?