MakeupLoveer

Save The Nail & Seche Vite

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:22:42 PST

This week I had to get my acrylics off they were causing my doctor endless frustration when trying to get me hooked up to the little machine things (good description I know). I have been known to bite my nails, hence when I rely on false/acrylic nails however this time I am on a missing to keep my nails long and healthy. So today I bought two shiny new nail products to help with that, Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment (a nails inc brand) and Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. My hope is that with both of the Save The Nail treatment will keep my nails strong and healthy - they are pretty weak right now - and the Seche Vite will protect the treatment and my nail colour so it doesn't just chip off. I will update you in a couple weeks with my nail progress.

Save The Nail Repair & Rescue Treatment £7.50

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top coat £8.50

Both from Boots

Clarins HydraQuench Cream and Mask

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:25:02 PST

I've spoken about these products before in my Carmine column, the range is fabulous when your skin is suffering from the elements hence why I want to mention them as the UK is freezing right now. The HydraQuench range is suited for dehydrated skin that needs a nourishing moisture boost, these two products in particular really help transform your skin and fast. I've been using the range for a while now when my skin starts to get dry and irritated, it is perfect for soothing irritated skin too as the products all have a lovely cooling effect.

HydraQuench Cream Mask

Clarins describe this as 'An oasis of comfort for dehydrated skin' and I totally agree, the soothing and moisture rich formulation helps to restore your skins moisture barrier and bring your skin back into it's natural balance. Like I said above it is also a great treat if your skin is irritated or inflamed, right now I'm suffering from breakouts again so I've been using this to help sooth and cool my skin. If you suffer from lack of radiance you might find that all your missing is a healthy moisture levels, so introducing a mask like this a couple of times a week will really help to improve skins texture and appearance.

Retails for £31.00 from Clarins counters or on-line

Left to right

Creame Mask; Cream Moisturiser

HydraQuench Cream

This is such a treat to apply and my skin is soaking it up right now, the freezing weather we are experiencing in the UK right now is playing havoc with my skin. It's a cream gel texture that feels really light on the skin and is quickly absorbed, with no residue left afterwards. My skin feels hydrated and refreshed after using this, again it feelings cooling on my skin leaving it smoother and plump.

Retails for £33.00 from Clarins counters or on-line

Diego dalla palma nail colour

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:12:31 PST

Excuse the ruddy state of my nails, I was off to get them filled in later that day hence why I haven't actually got the colours on. Never-the-less I am loving diego dala palma's latest nail colour offerings for spring, the two that really jumped out at me was these two gorgeous pink shades. On the left is shade 71 (don't think they have names!) which is a red pink shades and on the right is shade shade 73, which is the perfect pink for a pop of colour despite the grey weather we are having right now! The formulation is really good two, one/two coats for a creamy opaque coverage and I managed to get 6 days wear before I saw any chips - not bad.

They retail for £10.00 from Tesco Stores, @DDPBeauty

Neom Restore Candle

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:13:26 PST

Having had a very stressful month I've been on a search for products that aim to aid relaxation, anything from oils to lotions to candles. Neom Restore Home Candle is a relaxing mix of Jasmine, Ginger and Sandalwood coming together to restore that peace of mind and bring your inner self more 'together'. Neom suggest this candle for anyone who feels a little frazzled or stressed, and they also suggest it is good for people suffering from nausea - I presume this will be down to the relaxing and restoring aroma the candle creates. I have to say this is one of the nicest candles I've experienced, the 3 wicks are clean burning and will last up to 55 hours. With sleeking packaging, it will fit in your house anywhere, I really love that despite all the different scents Neom offer their wax is a pure ivory shade - I cannot stand when brands put colour into the wax.

For £37.50 I think this is great for balancing your mind and helping your mental and physical recuperation.

Get it on-line at Neom Organics

Good Things Deep Pore Cleanser

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:13:11 PST

When I heard Good Things were introducing their Deep Pore Cleanser I was excited, I had hoped they would bring one out. 'Superfruits for super skin' I am in love with this deep pore despite the fact I have only been using it for a couple of weeks, the thin formula is like water and really does take all my makeup off, leaving my face feeling clean. It's aimed for breakout and oily prone skin types, which is me all over right not, lots of medications and illness has caused my skin to freak out again - not a pretty sight. So this came at the right time, the two-in-one cleanser/toner formula digs deep to clear pores and reduce sebum without being too harsh on skin. One of the things I love about Good Things is how hard the products work without stripping your skin and being too harsh for it. The strawberry extract helps to create a radiant complexion, while willow bark and licorice extract will help get rid of any nasty spot causing bacteria.

Overall I've been impressed, this certainly helped clear my skin up and help me on my way to getting my skin back to normal. I have a soft spot for Good Things, and recommend the brand highly.

Missing..

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:20:19 PST

Hi guys, sorry for the lack of posts/tweets over the last week and bit I've landed back in hospital with a very nasty kidney infection that seems to want to cause a ton of more problems for me. I'm writing another blog post atm, thank goodness I have my playbook, so hopefully get that up tomorrow. Thank you for all the messages/tweets I'm still here, just taking a little break to get over this infection. See you soon..

Give me some Instant Light!

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:00:06 PST

Recently I seem to have been going against myself and reaching for lip gloss, this is something I wouldn't have done 6 months ago. My new lip gloss obsession has been the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors, this is a much loved product among beauty bloggers and it's easy to see why.

They are really moisturising on the lips, not sticky which I love as I cannot stand a sticky lip gloss and they give a lovely milky colours to your lips. Not too strong in pigmentation but enough so you look like you have something on, very glossy too. The two shades I have are 02 - which is a lovely pale pink and 03 - a milky nude, I do love a good nude shade so these are perfect, a lovely combo with MAC Myth or Hue. If you want to see me wearing these then let me know, I'll make sure to take some FOTD's wearing them..

Swatches:

Top 03 - Bottom 02

£15.00 from any Clarins counters or on-line HERE

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:45:54 PST

Happy New Year!! I hope you all have a great 2012 and wish you all the best, I hope this year brings you everything you want from it. I'm hopeful this year my health problems will finally be fixed and I can get my life back, it's been a hard 2 years health wise for me but thankfully it seems to be coming to a close in the foreseeable couple of months. This year has some really fabulous things coming up, on the 7th January Andrew and I celebrate 5 years together, we both (and his twin) turn 21, plus lots of of other lovely things - you will all see these as they happen.

I know I haven't blogged or done any youtube videos much over the last few weeks, thank you for all your tweets/messages, I am still here and I'm hoping to get back to everything now. I'm feeling much better, plus now that the stress of Christmas is over things will slow down. It was a wonderful Christmas this year, spending it with my family, Andrew and his family - I love Christmas it brings all your loved ones together. Santa was very good to me this year, I felt truly spoiled by all the wonderful and thoughtful gifts. I doubt I will show you everything that I got as I don't generally like those types of posts but I'm sure things will crop in blog posts/videos. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas too!

There will be a lot more daily vlogs from me, I got a Balckberry Playbook for Christmas (have wanted one for ages!) so I'm going to edit them from over the last week and hopefully get that up tomorrow(ish). It's one thing that I want to do more this year is vlog, I love watching other peoples so I'm going to try my best to record some of my own. Not that my life is exciting haha.

Anyway enough rambles from me, have a good night and a great start to 2012. Feel free to share your New Year resolutions in the comments, I need some inspiration for mine!

Wine for two with Stowells Light Wine

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:20:35 PST

Yes I am on morphine but for a special occasion, or a nice glass of wine I don't mind skipping a couple doses but let's not tell my doctor this - our little secret! I'm not the most knowledgeable with wine I stick to what I like and rarely venture to new bottle but I was intrigued by Stowells Light Rosé wine. A low calorie and low alcohol wine, at 5.5 per cent and 56 calories per a 125ml glass. Plus I do love a good glass of rosé and a girly night.

I got the best friend round for a nice dinner, we went for garlic and peppercorn chicken with roast potatoes and veg (her favourite dish of mine) . However after snapping the pictures of the wine, my camera decided it hated me and refused to play ball so we used the bestie's camera. Being me of course I forgot to copy the yummy food and tipsy face pictures before she left, so I will be updating you with the scrummy dinner I cooked as well as my wine face tomorrow!!

Stowells describes the light rose as:

"Stowells Light stands up to taste tests. Bursting with fruity aromas and a touch of sweetness, it’s a

fresh choice which can be enjoyed at every occasion, plus it has the added benefit of containing less calories and alcohol than your usual glass of wine."

This is the first wine I have come across that is 30% lighter in calories per 125ml glass than the other wines on the shelves, so instead of one glass I can have two right? The description certainly sounded nice, fruit and sweet is the type of wine that I would pick, I'm not a dry wine fan. We poured a glass toasted to 'healthier' wine, I love this shiraz rosé it's a full fruity (strawberry, raspberry and cherry, my favourite fruits) that has the right balance of sweetness and zest.

Stowells suggested that is the perfect wine to go with salads so we took note and whipped up a little lettuce leaf salad with beans as a starter to go along with our chicken. I have to say this was a wonderful accompaniment for chicken with peppercorn sauce, the sweetness of the wine balanced the taste out.

I think from now on I will be buying Stowells Lighter wine, especially this one but I may try the white out of curiosity, I might like it. It also is a great time to discover a lighter wine since it is festive season, so there will be more glasses of wine consumed than the rest of the year. This rosé has already been added onto the shopping list for Christmas day, I think my mum will like this too.

You can find out more about Stowells Light wines at, www.stowellslight.com

Stowells Light Rosé is available from Asda nationwide for £5.49

This is a sponsored post by Handpicked Media

Under my tree..

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:02:04 PST

I'd like to see..

Ok, so I do already own these items but if I were writing a Christmas wish list then these would certainly be on there. This year my family and friends had a tough job, according to them it has been a case of 'what do you buy someone who has everything?!' and I kinda agree I have been stuck trying to think of suggesting for them. I thought this would be a nice post to do, sharing with you things I think would be nice to unwrap on Christmas morning.. if I didn't already own them.. does that make sense? Lol.

Elemis - The Jewels of Elemis

At Christmas it's always nice to be treated to some skincare/body care, I think this set by Elemis is perfect to treat someone special. It has everything you need for a great skincare routine, packaged really nicely and is certainly luxurious, if this was under my tree I would certainly feel like a very lucky girl. Elemis is a fabulous brand I adore their moisturisers, this is their pro-collagen range which is perhaps not the perfect fit for my skin (and age) but my skin definitely feels fabulous right now.

RRP £193.00 Buy it on-line at Time to Spa

Fluffy Jumpers - From a boutique where I live

You can buy knitwear like this everywhere right now, I am living in these jumpers I have a few in different colours. They are soft, snugly and look very chic, I have been pairing it with leggings/jeans and my uggs since the weather has gotten a lot colder. I think most people get some sort of 'Christmas Jumper', this is my version - no giant snowmen here.

RRP £39.50 from Dynamite in Marlow

Juicy Couture Travel Perfume

Most people I think get a lovely perfume for Christmas, I think the Juicy Couture Travel perfumes are the perfect extra little treat for anyone. Viva La Juicy and Juicy Couture are two of my most worn scents but the bottle are rather heavy so these are perfect and handbag friendly, so I can smell sweet on the go. A fun treat for an Juicy fan!

RRP £36 - Couldn't find an on-line stockist

Boots Smooth Skin Plus

This is the most expensive gift suggestion I will be making this year for you guys but I couldn't not mention the Boots Smooth Skin as I am a huge fan of this gadget. I have been using Smooth Skin since it first launched and I have been using the newer machine for about 3 weeks now (video review coming soon!). We all know how annoying shaving is, how painful waxing can be and of course the long term cost of both can be quite a lot. Since using the Smooth Skin the time in between my hair removal is amazing, going from having to shave every few days to now having weeks gap. If you REALLY want to spoil someone you love then I think this makes a special treat for any woman (or guy!), just make sure they don't think you are saying they really hairy!

RRP £399.99 You can buy it on-line at Boots

Bobbi Brown Palettes

Bobbi Brown have some gorgeous palettes this winter, this is the Anniversary Lip Palette (I think this is sold out on-line?) and the Classic To Go palette, both are just stunning. I think as girls we all get some form of cosmetics for Christmas, I certainly pointed people to the Bobbi Brown site and suggest the same if you are looking for a last minute treat. I recently showed you the party eye shadow palettes which are also really pretty but honestly I think we would all smile if we unwrapped any of them this Christmas.

You can purchase both on-line or at any Bobbi Brown counter

Tiffany

This is easy, what girl wouldn't love to see a little blue box on Christmas morning?! I have been quite lucky and have received little blue boxes at Christmas, always with beautiful pieces of jewelry inside. My parents got me this key 2 years ago and it still remains a firm favourite of mine, I think a lot of Tiffany jewelry can be timeless if picked correctly.

Jonathan Ward Kartushya Candle

A good winter candle is always welcome at Christmas, I think the Jonathan Ward Russia candle collection is perfect for a winter scent - in fact this is burning away as I type. Being a big candle lover I always receive candles at Christmas, especially with all the lovely special edition scents brands release at Christmas.

RRP £25-35 you can buy it on-line at Jonathan Ward

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Hopefully you enjoyed this post I thought it would be a little different to just showing you Christmas gift sets, I wanted to make it a little more personal and show you the sorts of things I receive at Christmas. I hope Santa brings you all the things you love on Christmas morning.

Bobbi Brown Party Eye Shadow Palettes

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:48:16 PST

Bobbi Brown is a brand I can see everyone finding a colour, formulation or finish that is perfect for them. I love the Bobbi Brown blushers, concealer and lip sticks, for Christmas this year they launched some fabulous new products and two that caught my eye immediately were the Cool Party and Party Eye Palettes. Two palettes filled with gorgeous colours, I love every shade in them and look even better on my eyes. Let's have a look..

Cool Party Eye Palette £39.00

I really like this palette, you can choose a soft light and icy look, or you can vamp it up with a dark smoldering smoky eye. All the shades are 'cool' toned hence the name, they really make my eyes pop and make the whites of my eyes look brighter. There is a nice mix of eye shadow formulations in the palette (starting from the top, from left to right) White is a matte, Iced Blue is a Metallic, Rockstar is a Metallic, Sterling is a Shimmer Wash, Gunmetal is a Shimmer Wash and Onyx is a (gorgeous) Sparkle shadow. Onyx and Rockstar are the two I have been using for a dark smoky eye, and during the day I have been using Iced Blue and Sterling for a more day time friendly look.

Swatches:

Top row; Bottom row

Party Eye Palette £39.00

As much as I like the 'Cool' palette this one is definitely my favourite, I like cooler shades for night time but for everyday looks in general I tend to go for warmer shades. Again there is a lovely mix of shades from pale cream working the way up to black, so you can create different looks, both of these palettes are great for taking your makeup from day to night is just a few brush strokes. (Starting from top, left to right) Bone is a shimmer wash, Champagne Quartz is a Metallic, Pebble is a Metallic, Pink Blaze is a Sparkle, Copper Sand is a Shimmer Wash and Black Chocolate is a Matte. Like I said I have been reaching more for this palette, Bone, Champagne Quarts and Copper Sand are my go to shades for a light smoky eye, and to take it into night time I just smoke it out with Black Chocolate. Simple.

Swatches

Top row; Bottom row

I adore both palettes, the eye shadows are really pigmented and very creamy to touch making them easy to blend. Although I would advise using a primer underneath so that you really do get the full colour, if you apply directly onto your skin I found they can look a little washed out. With a little bit of mixing lotion you can also turn them into gorgeous eye liners too and you won't ruin the eye shadow if you do. The packaging is very sleek and thin, you could easily slot them into your pocket which is nice, I don't like palettes to be big I like them to be compact.

I think the palettes are well worth the £39.00 they cost each, I also thing either one of these palettes would make a perfect little present for someones Christmas or as a lovely stocking filler.

You can buy them online HERE or at any Bobbi Brown counter

Christmas Gift Ideas Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:40:13 PST

So sadly because I have been so ill I haven't been able to do the full dazzle of Christmas gift ideas that I had wanted to, however today I want to share with you my favourite gifts this year. Christmas shopping is always a stress for me, too many people and too much choice so hopefully this will show you some things you haven't seen. All the sets here are things I will be wrapping up for my loved ones this year, although part of me wants to keep them all for me..

L'Occitane Irresistible-Fleur-Chérie-Collection £63.40

This is a lovely gift set, with the orange blossom, blackcurrant and precious woods create a warm but refreshing sent. It has everything a girl could need to feel pampered, the set includes 250ml Fleur Cheris Shower Gel, 75g Fleur Cheris Flowers Soap, 75ml Fleur Cherie Body Lotion, 30ml Fleur Cheris Hand Cream and 75ml Fleur Cheris Eau De Toilette. The Fleur Cherie is one of my favourite ranges from L'Occitane, if you are looking for a gift for your friend or mum then pop over to L'Occitane for a lovely range of gifts.

Buy it here on-line

Nude The Balancing Collection £44.00

Nude was a skincare range that I was introduced to this year and love, the set includes my favourite product from Nude their Cleansing Facial Wash. The set has everything anyone would need for a great skincare routine to create bright and clear complexion, with 100ml Cleansing Facial Wash, 100ml Hydrating Water and a limited edition size 15ml Moisture Balance.

Buy it here on-line

Liz Earle Beauty Editors Favourites £76.50

There was no way I could do a gift idea series and not include Liz Earle, a staple brand for me, there is nothing I do not love from the brand. The Beauty Editors Favourites set has the best of Liz Earle, Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 100ml, Instant Boost Skin Tonic 200ml, Skin Repair Moisturiser 50ml, Superskin Concentrate 2ml, Gentle Face Exfoliator 70ml, Daily Eye Repair 10ml, Eye Bright Soothing Eye Lotion 150ml, a lovely Liz Earle Head band and you also get 2 muslin cloths. How fabulous? If you are looking to really treat a loved one this Christmas then this would be perfect.

Buy it on-line here

St Tropez Deep Bronze Set £25.00

If you have read my blog for a while you will know that I am a big fake tan lover, St Tropez is a cult tanning brand and if you have a friend or family that is a tan lover too then I'm sure they would love this set. The set includes Bronzing Lotion (which gives you a gorgeous deep bronzed colour) 120ml, Dark Instant Glow Spray and their gorgeous Shimmer Brick. Whoever receives this will certainly have a gorgeous tan through the cold weather.

Buy it on-line here

Eve Lom Travel Essentials £75.00

Eve Lom is another new brand I came across this year, their Original Cleanser and Morning Time Cleanser are two cult products that everyone seems to love - I can certainly see why too. This would be perfect for anyone who really takes pride in their skin and likes the more luxury items in life. The set includes 50ml Morning Time Cleanser, 30ml Original Cleanser with Muslin Cloth, 15ml Rescue Mask and 25ml TLC Radiance Cream. I am loving using this atm, perfect for nights away and the beauty bag is lovely and perfect for the handbag.

Buy it on-line here

Sienna X Tan & Glam Dark £23.95

Another fake tan set from Sienna X, the gift set comes in two shades light and dark so you can pick the right colour depth. Sienna X has become a staple tanning brand for me, especially the Extremely Natural Self Tan (Dark) 200ml as it creates a gorgeous deep bronze, you also get the Extra Sparkle Shimmer Spray 75ml which is perfect for the festive parties and nights out, they will certainly sparkle under the lights with this, finally you also get a sachet of the exquisitely soft body polish sachet 15ml. The perfect set to make anyone look glam and gorgeous for the Christmas party.

Buy it on-line here

Fresh Brown Sugar Affair £32.00

Fresh is a great brand, especially their body care products, the Brown Sugar Body Polish is always in my shower. The set has the Brown Sugar Body Cream 100ml, Brown Sugar Body Polish and their cult Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment, this has everything you need to keep your body in top shape during the frost winter months. The sugar scrub leaves your skin feeling clean and hydrated, then lock in more moisture with the body cream, then not forgetting to keep your lips kissable and rosy with the lip treatment (I don't leave the house without the lip treatment now).

That's all for part 1, hopefully you have a couple more ideas for Christmas present ideas or maybe you have seen something you want santa to leave for you under the tree. The next part in my gift ideas will be smaller sets, and then I will be doing a video on little Christmas treats for friends and stockings.

There also will be a festive giveaway this week so stay tuned...

Styling with Babyliss PRO 230 Elegance

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:20:35 PST

Hope you enjoyed my video guys, the straightener really is great and such good value too. You can see how easy and quick it was to straighten my hair, from wavy to straight in just a few minutes, with added shine. So to win one for yourself all you need to do is leave a comment below telling me your name, email address and why you deserve to win one. If you are under 16 please get your parents permission, and this is open to everyone.

Happy styling guys!

This was a sponsored giveaway from Handpicked Media on behalf of Babyliss

I miss the blonde and pink!

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:17:00 PST

Looking at these two pictures has me reaching for the peroxide to go blonde again, with some pink thrown in for good measure! Should I go back ??

PLUS I also really want my lip done again!!

Cupcakes and marshmallows

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:10:56 PST

It was one of my best friends birthdays this week, I cooked her a lovely romantic meal (I was cooking for 4 hours!!!) and then for an extra treat I tried my hand at baking to whip up some red velvet cupcakes. They turned out very, very yummy. Although a couple were used in a mini food fight haha. Normally I don't bake but I really enjoyed making these, I'm gonna try my hand at baking some more.

Please excuse all the dishes and pots in the background of this picture, but like I said I cooked a meal for 4 and that meant the kitchen was like a bomb had hit by the time I had finished. It was worth it.

Ickle Haul - NARS & By Terry

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:31:45 PST

Sorry about the rubbish pictures, it was rather dark when I tried to take these. I'm not sure about anyone else but SpaceNK is a dangerous place for me I would walk out with the whole shop if I could. After getting some bad health news a week ago I decided to indulge myself. I forgot to take close up pictures of the By Terry Baume De Rose lip gloss but if you have the balm it is pretty much the same thing but in a gloss formula - to die for!

NARS do great lipstick pencils, this is one of their matte ones in Bolero, a gorgeous crisp peach. I have a couple of these already as they are so easy and creamy to apply, you do go through them quite quickly though. I fancied a new peachy shade but one that was brighter so this was just perfect.

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil £17.50

I was browsing the eye shadows as I wanted some new shades, I had heard a lot about these two duos from other bloggers and after swatching them on my hand I new they would be leaving with me. NARS eye shadows are so lovely, creamy and with fabulous pigmentation, they almost match my NARS blushers in my collection. Tzarine and Kalahari are two happy additions to my makeup stash.

Eye Shadow Duo £23.50

You can buy NARS on-line or at your nearest NARS counter, you can check on their website.

YSL Look Noel Duo

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:17:09 PST

Quick review: It was love the minute I saw this, I used it in a recent video as it creates the perfect sparkly festive smokey eye. The quality of the shadows is fantastic, very creamy so easily to blend and lasts well on the eye (with or without a primer). Perfect colour combo for the Christmas parties.

This is part of their Look Noel collection, £28.00 from any YSL counter or you can buy it on-line here

Let's Hustle with River Island

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:06:45 PST

I had to get this up despite being really poorly, as there is only a couple of days left to enter the River Island Postcard From The Past competition on facebook. All you need to do if find the items/images they used for inspiration to create the pieces the designed in the Hustle collection.

These competitions are great and I hope you have been following them and entering, I certainly have. All you need to do is go to the River Island facebook page here and follow the instruction.

There is a gorgeous pair of gold wedges that I have my eye on and hopefully will have soon, as well as a silky looking kimono jacket. The inspiration is very 70's, glamour, bright colours and patterns, I love the 70's so this whole collection is right up my street there are so many items I'm in love with.

Getting Festive

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:43:06 PST

This year has gone by so quickly, it seems like just yesterday I was having fun in summer with the boyfriend and besties and all of a sudden I'm Christmas shopping ahh!! Whilst on the way back from the pharmacy and doctors I popped into my favorite boutique in Marlow, Huttons, they always have the cutest clothes, accessories, homeware and gifts. I picked up a couple little xmas presents and some home pieces but also a few other bits I want to share with you. All of course in the festive spirit.

These Hello Kitty Christmas cards were just too cute not to buy, different from my normal style of xmas cards but I'm sure my friend will love them! They had loads of different designs to choose from, I settled on these two sweet ones.

Getting in the festive mood again with this candle, I am a huge candle lover with about 4 different winter festive ones on the go already however this one was different to the others. This is a lot lighter and sweeter, not as spicy and deep so I thought it would be a nice change.

You may have seen my other post last week about the circle necklace (pictured above) that I love, it is so delicate and small - perfect for my taste! So when I saw this teeny snowflake one I knew it would be the perfect necklace for winter. Normally I'm not a big necklace lover, I prefer bracelets but when I do buy a necklace I like them to be small and simple like these. Aren't they pretty together? I can hear the heart one calling my name...

I could get a good shot of this headband on it's own, as it is so dark and the light outside was going too but I think this picture does it justice nicely! Headbands are a favorite of mine during the colder months, who am I kidding I where them whenever I can all year round. This one is different to others I own, it is a lovely thick knit that is braided. I think it looks rather nice on me, they had it in grey and tan too so you may see this in another colour on my blog soon too ;).

On the first day of Christmas..

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:42:34 PST

Today I have a lovely LUSH giveaway for you guys, I will be giving away 2 Secret Santa Gift Set this is the first in a line up of lovely giveaways I will be doing in the run up to Christmas. I am so happy to be teaming up with LUSH to kick things off, they are one of my favorites brands for all things bath and shower yummy. Every year for the last gosh about 7 years I've had LUSH in my stocking and under the tree, snow fairy has to be one of my favorite festive treats. I have already bought 2 of the big bottles, but my family know me well and I will no doubt have more come Christmas morning.

The Secret Santa gift set is a lovely little festive treat, containing a snowcake soap and Lil lush pud bath ballistic. Sounds like a good way to get festive!

To enter I want you to tell me what LUSH products you will be hoping for this Christmas day? Or are you buying some bits for someone else's Christmas - I know I will be! Leave your answer in the comment section.

Rules to remember:

- Answer the question above

- You must be a follower on GFC

- Leave your email in the comment so we can contact you

- You must be over 18, or have your parents permission to enter.

- This giveaway ends on the 26th November at 5pm

Review/Demo of Instyler

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:01:34 PST

The InStyler is the new hair tool that is everyone is talking about, a hair tool that can straighten, curl and add volume - I'm sold! IT comes complete with a instructional DVD [Ok Ok no I haven't watched it but I was too excited] so you can learn how to create all the different looks, a small comb and a sturdy protective pouch to keep the iron in or to use as a heat mat so you don't set your room on fire!

I like the fact it has three heat settings (low, medium and high) so you can tailor it to your hair, I have long but fine hair so I use medium usually. The Instyler heats up very quickly and the barrel rotates when you place the hair inside, however I am not a fan of the noise this makes. I like the added bonus of the brush bristles on either side of the iron, they brush nicely through the hair keeping your hair looking sleek and shiny. It literally only took a few minutes to straighten all my hair with this, the Instyler has been the tool I have been reaching for recently it's quick and easy with fabulous results every time.

The automatic shut off has also come in a handy a couple of times! It will power off after 45 minutes of no use.

You can see in my video how I use the product, exactly what I do and how quick it really is to use. I am so happy to have been introduced to this product, the Instlyer is knocking the socks of my other tools atm.

The InStyler is priced at £99.99, roughly what you would pay for one pair of GHDs but with the Instyler you are getting a product that will curl and add volume too - it seems silly not to buy this. I can't stop feeling my hair it's so soft and shiny, I love it.

You can also find the InStyler on:

Twitter

Facebook

Youtube

Website

I am really loving my Instyler!

This was a sponsored post by Handpicked Media for Instyler

Benefits Bella Bamba Has Me In Love

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:32:21 PST

What Benefit says about this little box:

Amplify cheekbones and create the illusion of sculpted features with this 3D watermelon blush. Laced with shimmering gold undertones, bella bamba is taking eye popping pretty to the third dimension...you'll never use traditional blush again!

Belle Bamba is one of my favorite cheeks right now, the gorgeous pink peach brightens my cheeks up and certainly gives you the WOW factor Benefit say. It isn't for everyone I've got a hit and miss relationship their boxed powders but this one and I get on beautifully. I really could gush about how pretty this is. It feels creamier than some of the others I have, so it left me wondering if Benefit have changed anything or whether that's just how this powder is. The pigmentation is better too, so you don't need to do a lot of work to get lovely flushed cheeks.

The new packaging is great too, no more worry over if the lid will wiggle off and the new mirror is a happy addition. It makes sense as you have the brush with it, but before you would need another compact mirror to apply it. Problem solved finally.

Swatches top to bottom;

Swatched from pan; Blended out

This has got to be one of the prettiest blushes that has come along in a while, the lovely fresh bright with a subtle shimmer is simply perfect in my opinion. With a little buffing I have glowing cheeks, I haven't reached for anything else since this popped through my door. Belle Bamba will be appearing in a FOTD soon.

What are you favorite Benefit products? I'm rekindling my love with the brand right now!

RRP £23.50 from all Benefit counters or on-line HERE

Ill FOTD + attractive plaster

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:10:45 PST

Ok so lets ignore the massive dressing on my forehead, I actually liked my makeup a couple of days ago just didn't get around to popping the photos up. Where did I go with the face full of slap you ask? My bed and the pharmacy, oh the glamour of my life, being ill means I'm either in my house or with a doctor. The dressing is now happily off but I have a lovely red scar in its place, nice.

Face:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

Clinique Loose Powder

Illamasqua Lies Blush

Eyes:

Sleek Nude Palette

YSL Shocking Mascara

New CID i-groom brow pencil

Lips:

By Terry Rose de baume

Kisses for you all!

Cha Cha this way with Benefit!

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:35:00 PST

Benefit is really impressing me at the moment, I have noticed the brand creeping more into my make up bag recently. The latest product that is quickly becoming a favorite of mine is their Cha Cha tint, one that is also becoming one of the brands cult products and it is easy to see why.

Cha Cha tint is a juicy orange mango shade, that blends out to a warm peach on the cheeks. I am already a fan of their lip & cheek stains, but I prefer the consistency of this as it is slightly thicker, more of a runny gel.

You only need the teeniest dot on each cheek, otherwise you may end up with very bright orange cheeks which did happen to me the first time I used it. Less is more with this. Be careful when you apply this too if you choose to use your fingers as you can stain them too, so wash your hands after. I have been using my Eco Tools blusher brush to buff this in beautifully.

The packaging is lovely too, the bright metallic orange calls out when I open my make up drawer and makes me want to use it immediately. However I'm not the biggest fan of the nail polish style brush, but I just dab the product onto my brush so no big loss their.

Swatches:

Top then bottom; Applied straight from bottle; blended out.

I used quite a lot in the swatches as I wanted to show you how vibrant the Cha Cha tint is, it doesn't come across this strongly on your cheeks. Let me know if you want me to do a FOTD using this so you can see how I wear it.

Benefit Cha Cha tint is £24.50 from any Benefit counter or on-line at

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Timothy Han Christmas Candle

noreply@blogger.com (MakeupLoveer) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:47:15 PST

Candles are one of my must haves, I always have 2 or 3 on the go at any time, right now I am really loving getting into festive candles. One of the perks of winter is the rich musky candles that start popping up in shops, Timothy Han will be launching his Christmas candle online this week (18th November). It sounds absolutely delicious and I can't wait to get my hands on one, Orange, Grapefruit and Clove sounds like a gorgeous Christmas candle. Anything with clove suddenly becomes very festive, being paired with grapefruit really speaks to me as right now I adore all things grapefruit. With 50 hours of burn time this will last you through the festive period. Will you be picking one up?

£38 from www.TimothyHan.com