Sale purchases

I really do love a good bargain, but I absolutely despise shopping in the sales! I cant stand the messy rails, the horrible people and the stressed out staff, so I normally just by pass the January madness completely. I work to the rule if I didn't want it full price then I don't need it when its reduced! Preaching all that though, I did buy a little flutter of things, which I saw grabbed, and ran to the check out with out any interaction with the vile pushers and shovers, and here they are...Stocked up on some snow fairy at half price because I love it. I adore the smell and I love the fact that the smells stays even after you dry your skin.

I got the YSL volume effect faux cils mascara for £14, which I thought was a pretty good find. I used this mascara years ago and thought it was great but I have heard nothing but bad reviews about how quickly it dries out. I decided to try it out at a cheaper price to see what happens, if it dries out before the recommended 3 months though I will be taking it back, as should everyone else!

I saw on twitter that Clintons cards were selling Yankee Candles at half price so I went to check it out. I like very sweet smells and this flavour, 'mango salsa' was the only sweet smelling one on sale. If you like fresh fragrance then go check them out because there was loads! I'm getting alittle obsessed with scented candles recently so I only picked up a small sized one for £4.

Finally my only piece of clothing was a top from Zara, which I went to buy full priced and realised I had forgot my purse, so it going in the sale was a sign from above I think! Nice lacey number, in pretty much the only colour I wear, Perfect!

What other bargains did anyone pick up? Everyone else seems to find amazing deals in the sales, so let me know...

The lion sleeps tonight...

I recently asked a blogger friend who is also conveniently a hairdresser about what hair brushes are good for long hair. She gave me some advice and I went away and looked at the brushes I was using, after abit of investigation I realised that the brushes I was using were EIGHT years old, and even when I bought them they were crap and I think possibly from Primark! For someone that loves their hair as much as me this was pretty awful, so off I went to Boots to invest in some better brushes, and here are the results.
I got three, the Denman extra large head hugger for styling, the Denman natural bristle brush for 'grooming' and the tangle teezer for general brushing.
I have never really got all the fuss about the tangle teezer, I just thought it looked like a dolls hair brush. However friend of mine recently said that it worked wonders on her horses mane, and if its good enough for a horse its good enough for my mane. It really is amazing, it makes my hair really smooth, and I also love it for pulling my hair up into a pony tail (excuse the pun) really neatly.
I use the natural hair brush for smoothing my hair once its dry and it really has made a differene, I've noticed using the two denman brushes has meant Ive been using my GHD's less, which is always good.
The extra large head hugger is the brush that I use the most for styling. Its super big and has a hollow inside to let air circulate. It really grips hair when blow drying and I've actually been able to blow dry waves into my hair myself nicely for the first time ever, usually I just get in a tangle. If I take my time with this brush when I'm blow drying there really isn't any need for any more styling, which has been a mission for me all my life, to try and save my dying locks from any more heat!

What brushes do you recommend for great looking hair?

Look what I got for Christmas...

November empties

Now, you would be forgiven thinking that I made a mistake when writing the name of this post, especially after seeing the above photo, but no this isn't actually all the things I brought in November, this really is all the products that I FINISHED! Albeit, the Nails Inc top coat did just die and wasn't finished, but its still heading for the bin, so I thought it counted.

So here they are,

Soap and Glory, clean on me body wash... I love all the soap and glory products really because of the smell, I love anything sweet like that. Other than the smell, its really just a creamy body wash nothing spesh!

Dove, nourishing oil care conditioner, I've already written a post about how much I love this conditioner, its really intensive but doesn't leave the hair feeling heavy, it works wonders on my long dead hair. I thought it was the best, until I used the nourishing oil care intensive conditioner which is even more amazing!!!

The remains of my Clinique 3 step, clarifying lotion and dramatically different moisturiser... I decided to buy the 3 step last xmas because it did wonders for my skin in my teens, but I think its too harsh for my skin now. I don't think I'll ever use a product on my face again that can remove hair die/fake tan stains off my skin (clarifying lotion)! The dramatically different lotion however was a lovely moisturiser for the summer, because it was light weight but really nourishing, and I may buy this again next year.

Boots, Botanics soothing eye make up remover... best eye make up remover for the price... FACT! Every time its on 3 for 2 I stock up on three, I can never run out!

Liz Earle, Instant boost skin tonic... I really fell in love with this 'toner' actually. So comforting on the skin, especially after a slightly striping cleanser. It makes the skin really soft and I love the smell. Its basically a matter of time until I find a Liz Earle counter and re-buy this.

Olay, 3 point super serum... I am obsessed with anti-aging serums, even though I'm still in my early 20's, I firmly believe prevention is the best cure. I do however think this serum was designed for a quite mature skin, so I didn't really feel much benefit from it. It was a gorgeous texture and if your concerned about firmness of the skin I would give this serum a try. I'm currently using L'oreal youth code serum which I think is a much better fit for what I want, and I will be writing a post about this soon.

Benefit, You Rebel lite... the only make up product in the bucket, this has taken me an age to finish, and I have instantly opened my back up. Its a really great tinted moisturiser, mainly for dry skin though, I would say its abit shiny for an oily skin. Also always ask for a sample if you are sensitive because the SPF can some times cause irritation.

and finally the Benefit foamingly clean face wash sample... really great cleanser for a dry skin, but does it beat cleanse and polish? no sorry Benefit, back to my old faithful I go :)

I'm sorry I've been MIA recently, life has just got super hectic. But I'm pleased to tell you that I start a brand new job on Monday which I'm super excited about :) yey and hopefully I'll have more time for blogging!

Mac Studio Finish vs Vivo Concealer kit

Covering dark circle has been a mission for me ever since I started wearing make up. I have never found a concealer with high enough coverage that doesn't look dry on my crêpey eyes.

Mac studio finish and the Vivo concealer kit has been my two most recent attempts at covering the darkness.

I got the Mac studio finish concealer in NW20, which I think is alittle bit too light but the NW25 was way too dark. I find this formula really nice, the coverage is really high but it stays slightly dewy so doesnt look too dry under the eye. Its stays on really well but because of how creamy it is it does crease up on my eyes.

The photo below shows Mac studio finish on the right side and nothing on the left.

I also bought the Vivo concealer kit after hearing loads of rave reviews about the brand. I went over the the stand and was instantly drawn to all the baked blushers but for god sake I just couldn't buy another blusher so I picked something a little bit more practical! For an amazing £5 I cant really grumble. In the kit you get a yellow based and a pink based concealer cream, a setting powder and then a liquid highlighter. The set only comes in one colour which is abit of a shame, it could do with having a lighter and a darker version too.

The creams are similar to the mac one, thick, creamy with high coverage. They are more drying on my eyes and leave the under eye looking crepey, which to can see in the photo below.

I absolutely love the highlighter in the tube, its very similar to Benefit high beam but not so silver. Great little handbag size too.

I do prefer the Mac concealer by far but it is £8 more expensive than the Vivo one. If you don't have eyes a wrinkly as mine I bet you would love the Vivo set. I think its a great idea to have the option to mix your own colours for different areas of your face.

For now though.... high end wins the race for me!

Wana see something funny?

You know your obsessed with make up when this is how many nail varnishes you buy in 7 days?

14 nail varnishes haha.... me, have a shopping addiction? you dont know what your talking about!

October (and a bit) empties

I get a real sense of achievement writing these posts....the empties, the products I have conquered, and here they are in all their glory. As normal its mainly skin care, and rather weighted towards Clarins opps.

So clockwise from right.

Clarins toning lotion for normal to dry skin, lovely alcohol free toner with a really refreshing smell. I really liked this at the time but to be honest Liz Earl skin tonic has taken over as my favourite so I probably won't re-buy.

Benefit Powderazzi... WOW I only got this TWO YEARS AGO! Its lasted me a lifetime but has finally come to an end. This limited edition Christmas set contained Hoola, Dallas and Coralista. I'd really recommend these sets for anyone wanting to try some new colours, the 2011 set contains Hoola, coralista and bella bamba and is way cheaper than full sized at £19.50

Benefit Speed brow, setting gel for eyebrows. OK product that did what it said but I thought it was rather small for £12 and cheaper brands do a similar thing. I do like however that it was slightly coloured as the clear gels get really scabby looking when they get brow colour mixed in.

Clarins Gentle foaming cleanser, really good cleanser for getting all my makeup off with only one wash. I used mine with a muslin cloth and water. I did find this a little striping on my dry skin and would be better for a combination skin. I also would have preferred to be able to use it on my eyes. Nothing will compare to cleanse and polish, I don't know why I even bother!

and finally Clarins Multi-active day cream. I always use anti ageing even though I'm only in my early 20's and I actually didn't find this cream was 'enough'. Come early afternoon my skin needed some extra moisture and looked dehydrated especially on drier areas, like my forehead. Would suit someone my age but with a slightly more oily skin, or no dehydration lines.

Thats all I managed this month folks but I'm currently trying a 'project 10 pan' style challenge with some makeup products so hopefully November will bring a truck full of empties.

Any good recommendations of great products you've finished this month?

Everything he touches turns to pearl....

Wow, how much do I wish these stick on pearls from Chanel s/s 2012 were coming out next year?! They are just beautiful.



all images from style.com

17 Shine on lipstick

I picked this lipstick up because I had a voucher for a free lipstick when I bought something else, the something else which happened to be the magnetised nail varnish. What an amazing freebie, its actually ended up being one of my favourite lipsticks at the moment.

The formula is quite thick so the colour is opaque but with a lovely moisturising feeling. Its glossy but not at all sticky too which is a great! The formula lasts for about 3 hours, although doesn't hold through drinking or eating, or my ultimate lipstick test, cleaning my teeth. The colour is a great light pink/nude, see below.

Well I've just tried to find out the price and it turns out its been discontinued haha! Story of my life... so I'm going to pop to Boots now and see if they still have them, to pick up some backups. I'd really recommend them for a great cheap lipstick.

Nars blushers, Deep throat and Sin

I've always really wanted to try the Nar's blushers, actually Nar's products in general. But because they are harder to get hold of where I live, I've always picked other brands, boo me! It wasn't until I spotted 'Deep throat' in a blog sale that I finally popped my Nar's cherry.

Then within a week I had another one added to my collection! I love the formula, absolutely LOVE it. They are super soft, highly pigmented, soft shimmer but no glitter, the shimmer is also so fine that it doesn't stick to your open pores like some can. These blushers have really got the hold factor too, go the whole way through the day and keep their pigment.

So now I have Deep throat, a coral pink, which is quite similar to Benefit Coralista, and Sin a deep purple/plum with a gold shimmer running through it. Sin is like no colour I have ever worn, or ever owned, which for me is pretty amazing because I own a hell of a lot of blushers.

Here are the swatches Deep throat on top, sin below.

Here is what they look like on, Deep throat on left cheek, Sin on right. After taking this picture I accidentally went out shopping with the different blushers on each cheek because I completely forgot, oops!

I would really recommend the Nar's blushers to anyway umming and arring about them. I will 100% be buying some more, anyone got and colours they recommend?

Revlon Colour Stay Foundation

Ever since I finished my last drop of Estee Lauder's double wear at the beginning of the year I haven't been able to find a foundation that even compares. I don't mean that double wear was my HG foundation, its just ever since I've finished it I compare how all other foundations last against it, and they never even come close.

Some of the time, especially for work I really want a foundation I don't even have to think about through the day. As double wear has a pretty heft price tag, I decided to try another long wear foundation I have heard great reviews about... Introducing Revlon, Colour Stay £12.99.

I picked the colour 220 Natural Beige, which is actually slightly/really dark for me, but I picked it so I could wear it on nights out.

The texture of the product is thick and doesn't spread aswell as other foundations. To apply it I use my Sephora airbrush foundation brush but leave it a little streaky then buff it in with my stippling brush. Unlike double wear this foundation doesn't dry matte, it has a satin finish and a rather 'sticky' feeling to it so it does need powder to set it.

Obviously the hold of this foundation is amazing, although I don't think it is as good as double wear. It wears off in certain areas and creases around the laughter lines. Similar to double wear though, it does stick to drier areas of skin, it would suit a oily combination skin better than my dry skin.

The coverage of Colour Stay is medium to high and its very buildable. You can see the coverage and the colour in the photo below.

NOTD Revlon Smoky Canvas

Firstly I have to start by saying sorry that I have been MIA lately. Its not that I haven't wanted to blog and its definitely not that I haven't got anything to blog about because the spending has not stopped. Its just with working full time and commuting to work, its so dark when I get up and dark when I come home, and my camera isn't fantastic so I'm not really getting any time to take any photos :(. So I apologise if some of photos in the up coming posts are super rubbish, I've just had to settle with un-natural light and the flash to get what I want. Anyway.... moving on...

Smoky Canvas is the quieter sister in the new fall colour collection from Revlon. Its has been rather over shadowed by the Oh so beautiful 'Facets of Fushia'. Its a subtle, lilac/grey. To be honest it looked far more lilac under the Boots lighting so I was a little disappointed with the colour when I got home. However it is a great neutral and as always with the Revlon varnishes the formula is fantastic.

Dove, Nourishing Oil Care

I like to think of myself as a lover of all things high end, but for some reason I can never bring myself to pay alot of money for hair products. Stupid really because it something I use all the time and to be honest my locks are in serious need of a pamper. This means that I love finding a great value product that is amazing....introducing Dove Nourishing oil care conditioner. I used Dove hair care when it first came out and absolutely hated it, so when Vivianna from Vivvianna does makeup recommended this I was a little sceptical but her reccomendations have never let me down in the past so I went for it.

Holy Moly..... this conditioner is amazing! When I find a good conditioner normal, it makes my hair really soft, but also really 'fluffy'. The Dove oil care does soft, shiny, glossy and smooth all in one! It has a lovely, slightly coconutty smell, which I love, anything that reminds me of holidays and I'm all over it.

On my long hair this product really nourishes the very dry ends and I've been finding my split ends more smooth. Dont get me wrong they are still there, just smoother!

The one things I will say though is that I think it might slightly weight down a finer hair, my hair is super thick and theres alot of it, so any weight is actually quite a good thing. The formula is pretty thick and I think a finer hair would feel a little 'over product-y'. However, I don't have fine hair so I don't know this for sure.

I honestly cant rave about this enough for anyone that has, fluffy, long or damaged hair.

I also bought the intense conditioner treatment too so watch this space....

My new love... Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet

So girls, I have to admit it... I'm in love! In love with my new lipstick! I got the new Rouge Allure Velvet in '33 La Distinguee'

I literally cant tell you how luxurious this lipstick feels. They aren't super matte just shine free, and not drying in the slightest, if anything they hydrate alittle. I picked a neutral colour so I would wear it loads. 'La Distinguee' is a slightly coral natural red, similar to the famous 'mademoiselle' colour from the original Rouge Coco range. The colour lasts much longer than the shiny lipsticks I'm used to, roughly about 4/5 hours.

If your feeling like a bit of luxury check this range out, atleast go try them at the counter, they really are beautiful.

EOTD, which I will never wear

While bored on a Sunday afternoon I decided to recreate an eye look I saw on pixiwoo for the 'Drag' look, seriously check out that tutorial its amazing, I'm sure I was a drag queen in a past life I'm obbsessed with all things drag!

I used the Sleek Curacao palette which in my house rarely sees the light of day. Heres the finished look...



I used screwdriver as a base, purple haze and singapore sling in the crease and espresso martini to darken the shading. Martini was the highlighter under the brow.

Pretty sure I'd never wear this look out side of my bedroom, but I might try a similar style thing with neutral colours for a night out soon.

Freebie alert!!!

Just thought I'd tell you guys that from 5th October, next Wednesday Boots are launching their "premium skin care swap".

Bring in any empty or unwanted skincare products to the premium beauty counters in Boots and receive a free skincare consultation and deluxe samples! I think you can only get a maximum of 3 samples but if the Benefit ones are anything to go by the sizes are HUGE! I think almost every brand is participating so its a great way to try out something new.

I already have my empties at the ready :-)

Benefit: Watts Up Highlighter

Couple of things I want to say before I get started on this post, excuse my awful rate of posting at the moment, I feel like I'm so busy recently, although I'm not really doing anything out of the ordinary haha. Then secondly pleeeeeeease excuse my awful, untamed eyebrows in the next few posts, I'm going back for my next HD brow appointment this week and I let them grow loads so hopefully they can look super groomed! Right on to the product...

I thought I'd share with you a review on Benefit's new highlighter, Watts Up.

I've had mine about a month because of staff preview and it just been launched exclusively at Boots (I think it comes out everywhere else on 8th Oct) so I've been having a good play on myself as well as on customers.

Benefit say this is a "Soft focus highlighter for the face". The colour is like a bronzey/champagne, its in a stick form, and the texture is a cream to powder when blended.

Here you can see the colour, on the top its unblended and below I bended it with my finger.
So what have I found from using it...

Ive found it goes over the top of make up much better than the liquid highlighters such as 'Highbeam', you don't have to be careful in the way you blend, just draw it over foundation and blend with your fingers. The colour is also really flattering, especially with a darker/olive skin tone. It gives a really glowy finish as you can see below, which I do find might suit a drier skin best, on a oily it can look a little "sweaty". It also shimmer not glitter... hallelujah!!! I hate highlighters that are full of glitter! Like most highlighters, I would avoid putting it in the centre of the face where the pores are bigger.
The only thing I found kind of disappointing about the product is the lack of smell, I really like Benefit's product scents, they are usually fruity and fresh, but this one just smells like its ingredient Shea Butter, which I always find smells abit "fatty"

Overall I really like the easiness of this product, that its no fuss to apply and portable, the colour is also gorgeous, and just what the brand needed.

17 magnetized

On Friday I picked up the new 17 magnetized nail varnish in 'Green'. To be honest I was just so fascinated in how it worked I couldn't leave Boots without it.

So you paint the varnish on as normal (I left one coat un-magnetised then applied another), then straight away while its wet hold the magnet (in the lid) over the nail... and this is the finished result...
Pretty cool, I really love it and at £5.99 what a bargain! Only thing I would say is caution if your like me and your varnish normally chips before you open the front door in the morning, because of the art effect, every time it chips you have to completely remove the polish and start again. It does dry super fast which doesn't make it such a pain in the arse.

All of the colours in the range were beautiful jewel colours, perfect for autumn.