October Favourites and abit of a comeback!

I'm really excited about getting back into blogging. I've been really busy recently doing a makeup course and exams for work, but now I'm all done and passed, and fired up to get back into it. I thought I'd start with a little October favorites seen as we are nearing the end of the month. Recently I haven't been buying as many cosmetics as I used to, I'm trying to use makeup products up and I think I've found a really happy balance for my skin. Alot of this post will be products I have been using for a while now, or re discovered.

For the skin its just got to be Emma Hardie cleansing balm and Hydraluron. I knew I loved these products but this month they both started to run out... panic set in... combined they cost £60, eek! I started rationing them and substituting for other cleansers and serums I had waiting to be used up. What a foolish mistake! My fine lines got worst from the dehydration and I got a bloody spot, for the first time in about 4 months. I have now repurchased both products and I am back into my routine.

Lotsa L'occitane hand cream. I seriously love this hand cream and this month it was the free gift with Marie Claire magazine. I bought a few. I'll probably buy a few more! 

L'oreal extraordinary oil. Well can you really blame me, I couldn't resist those models swishing their beautiful shiny hair around on the advert. I cant really give a full blown review because I've only used it 3 times, but I have really noticed a difference in my hair so far. Its softer and shinier, and someone at work even commented on how healthy my hair looked. So far I've only used it as a pre-blow dry treatment but today I'm going to try the pre-shampoo thing because I've never tried anything like that before. Watch this space!

I tried to think of some makeup bits that I have been loving and I came to the conclusion that its really more product combinations I've been loving rather than individual products. These are the two best combos I've been enjoying.

These are my two favorite. YSL faux cils mascara (dried out to high heaven) layered with 17 peep show over the top. The YSL gives a really naturally fluttery look and the peep show pumps up the volume, I've used this every single day pretty much. Benefit you rebel and Sleeks BB cream mixed together before applying. God I hate both of these bases on their own, especially the BB cream (thick, unblendable mess!) but mixed together they are the perfect combination of high coverage and dewy finish, which lasts all day.

If anyone wants to see a more indepth review about any of these products just leave a comment and link me some of your own monthly favorites because they are my favorite posts to read!

Skincare over haul: part 2

As I have mentioned in my previous post I am overhauling my skin care on the search for my holy grail products, and last time I went through the first steps in my routine, cleanse and tone. In this post I will show you my moisturiser and the extras that I use on my skin.

About a month ago a friend of mine off loaded me with a sample of Elemis' pro collagen marine cream that she didn't like and out of curiosity I gave it a try, and it was pretty much love at first application. I know I'm a little young to be using serious anti-ageing products but this cream is equally as amazing on a young 20+ skin. It hydrates my skin so well but with a lovely light texture that makes it so easy to apply make up over. I've also notice a huge difference in my skins tone, its less red around the nose and on the cheeks and looks plumper. Although this was probably the most expensive piece of skin care I have ever bought its was worth every penny and the 50ml pot seems huge, especially because I'm very strictly sticking to the portion of the little scoop provided. Alittle case of practice what I preach to people at work I think!

As soon as I get home from work I will remove my make up with cotton pads and Bioderma crealine H2O solution. Does anyone need to read another rave review about Bioderma? No, its just the shizzle, fact!

To remove my eye make up I use Boots Botanics, soothing eye make up remover, which I have used for years and years. I love this stuff, its a super, SUPER cheap bi-phase remover that I find does the job better than any other. I hate the new packaging and the fact that this product is now NEVER in stock (sort it out Boots!) but beggars cant be choosers eh?

As a contact lens wearer I often suffer from really dry and sore eyes and I have found the Liz Earle's soothing eye lotion amazing for this, its just super refreshing and cooling. It doesn't make any wild claims to fix dark circles etc, it just does exactly what it says on the tin... soothes. I would highly recommend any one who wears contacts or has hay fever checks this product out. The bottle is an absolutely enormousness 150ml, which for an eye product is just insane!

And finally a newbie, I cant really comment much on the Elemis, papaya enzyme peel fully yet because I've only tried it out a couple of times. But I will say so far I love the smell and it makes my skin really soft after I use it. However I was alittle disappointed at the size for a whopping £29!

I am currently on the hunt for my perfect eye cream and mask so please let me know if you have any recommendations, I would really love to hear them.

Its honestly a little embarrassing how obsessed with skincare I have got, I find if I'm having a shit day I just run along to my local Space NK and just start looking at all the potions and lotions, "its just my own personal brand of heroin".

Skincare over haul, part one (cleanse and tone)

Over the past few months I have been working on over hauling my skincare routine, which feels like its abit of a trend with loads of beauty bloggers at the moment. I have been desperately trawling reviews and trying out new products, desperate to find my holy grails and I'm pleased to say I think I'm almost there!

Firstly I have to say that what works for me, might not work for everyone so here is the low down on my skin. Its almost balanced, I don't get oily and I dont get any dry flaky areas (I know, boo hoo me right!). My biggest concern is dehydration. My skin gets crepey and lined, especially round my eyes and on my forehead and I'm only in my early 20's. I also get the occasional break out but nothing major, although at the time I think its possibly the end of the world!!

When I started to change things up, I added new things in one by one, trying not to over load my skin with all new products and this seemed to work quite well. The first thing I lost from my previous routine was my beloved cleanse and polish. After some amazing reviews from one of my favourite bloggers, Caroline at beauty mouth, I started using the Emma Hardie Moringa cleansing balm with a muslin cloth. At first I wasnt sure about this cleanser, in fact it was only the cost that made me keep going with it. I got it in my head that it wasn't cleaning my skin properly, but this balm actually cleans it better than any other, its just the fact that it didn't make my skin fell irritated and tight that I think was a whole new concept to me.

The balm is, obviously, a balm texture that you mix with a drop of water and spread over the face. I personal quite dislike the smell in the pot, but it seems to smell much nicer, like essential oils, once its all over your face. It literally doesn't leave a scrap of make up on your face once you clean it off and your skin feels super soft.

After I've patted my skin dry I tone with one of either two products shown above (I actually prefer the Caudalie beauty elixir but I only bought a tiny 30ml bottle and its almost finished). Both of these toners have a beautiful refreshing feel and smell and I love them. When I use the beauty elixir I either spray it onto a cotton wool pad and wipe over my face (usually in the evening) or I spray it into my hands and pat it over the face. With the elixir I have noticed a reduction in the fine line on my forehead so I will 100% be repurchasing this product once the Liz Earle is finished. I'd love to hear if anyone else uses the Caudalie beauty elixir everyday to tone because it does feel like it might be alittle much for everyday but I don't know if I am imagining that?

Keep your eyes pealed for part two, where I'll show you my new moisturiser addiction and all the extras. I am on the look out for a great mask for my skin so if anyone has any recommendations leave a comment please.

Big welcome back..... to me! plus ELF studio mist and set

If you are reading this then welcome back to my blog! Its been a bloody long time since I've posted, to be perfectly honest I've felt a little uninspired with products and Ive had quite a busy few months! In a nut shell I've moved house and now live with my amazing boyfriend. So after 2 long weeks of packing, 20 cardboard boxes and 5 car trips, my beloved make up collection and me now reside somewhere new :)

I've not really been blown away by much recently until it came to this product! The ELF studio 'make up mist and set' has been sat in my draw for almost a whole year and it was only till recently when I saw a blogger ( really sorry but I have forgotten who) using Mac studio fix with a stippling brush that I thought I'd try it like that.

I do my foundation, concealer and powder then I spritz the 'mist and set' at arms length. I then lightly press the mist into my base with the stippling brush. It makes my base look really natural, stops the powder looking too matt or cakey and keeps my make up on like I've never seen a product do before. Everything not only lasts longer it also stays looking 'fresh' all day, I find myself not topping up anything at work which is amazing, especially for a product that costs a crazy £3.50!

Hopefully this amazing product has broken my writers/cosmetic-aholic block and I'll be back posting more frequently!

The organised make up bag

I have never been one of those girls with a perfectly stocked make up bag in their handbag. One of those girls that with the slightest sound of "does anyone have..." has already pulled out a grub free make up bag and answered everyone's prayers. God, normal I don't even have a bag for my make up let alone a well planned contents!

However, today is the day for change... I will be organised and I wont break my shoulder carrying 50 lipsticks around by the end of the week. So here is what my make up bag looked like pre-organisation:

It basically consists of products that I'm not bothered about using everyday because I often leave it in my locker at work. We have got...L'Occitiane hand cream, free out of a magazine but I love it and will for sure repurchase, tissues, chewing gum, a empty sample of double wear, 3 coral lipsticks and a coral gloss, Sleek suede blusher and a awful brush from a Benefit box'o'powder, Benefit Boiing concealer, 17 metallic eyes in wild nude and of course some HG balm carmex original!

Off to the bin goes the Benefit brush and the empty sample pot...its a start!

The new plan is to have a staple bag containing great multi-use products and then changing colour items. The big rule.... one lipstick in... one lipstick out!

Things that have stayed are the hand cream, tissues, gum, carmex and Boiing. Boiing is a great make-up bag concealer because its light enough to use as a foundation but good coverage for redness and under eyes.

New additions are 17 BB cream because its great for freshening up make up when it starts getting dry and Chanel Limited edition bronzer from last year, because it is a bronzer, blusher and face powder all in one and the brush is far, far better than those awful Benefit ones!

The current colour items in my bag are... a plum L'Occitaine lipgloss I got free with this months glamour, Mac Shygirl, because I'm trying to justify to myself that I wear nudes enough to buy 'a perfect day' from the new collection (don't lie, we all do it!). An awful lip liner from Collection 2000 which is probably on the way to the bin (if anyone can recommend a good nude lip liner let me know) and the Chanel Eclosion palette from the spring collection. This is the only thing I have bought from the spring colours and it honest is the best eye palette I have ever bought, and possibly the best Chanel product I have bought, it hasn't left my eyes since I bought it!

And yes, I have just noticed that I still actually have 3 lip products in this 'steam line' make up bag.... turns out you cant teach an old dog completely new tricks!

YSL volume effect, faux cils mascara

If you follow my blog you will know that I bought this mascara in the January sales. Its been sat in the box ever since because I was worried that it wouldn't live up to all the hype and that it could have already dried up like so many people warned me about.

This week I finally took the plunge and opened it and WOW! I love it, I may possibly have found my HG mascara!

The brush looks like nothing special really, a spiral fibre brush. Honestly if it was a cheaper brand I would have took one look at the brush and thought 'this looks crap'. The product is thick but quite wet and jet black.

One coat and all my lashes are separated, lengthened and lifted. It give such a fanned effect to the lashes. Although it is called 'volume effect' it takes quite alot of coats to get, what I would call, high volume, its more of a day mascara for me than dramatic evening. I found I get a little bit of rub down/'panda eye' in the middle of that day, although I haven't noticed it every single day, but that could knock it off the HG spot if it does that normally.

And now its just a waiting game to see what happens with the 'drying out' problem that everyone complains about with this product and I will keep you updated. I do have a theory though, that it is the metal tube that makes the product inside very cold and I think that's what dries it out. I have been trying to warm the product up before I use it and see if that helps.

I seem to be having abit of a mascara 'moment' so if anyone has any other HG recommendations, let me know!

My current favourite foundations

I am constantly buying new product all the time, but most of the time they don't make the grade and get shooved to the back of my make-up draw. I then go back to my old favourite and fall back in love with it all over again, currently I'm having a long term love affair with these two foundations.

I've had Dior skin nude for over a year now, its the perfect light shade for winter, I wear the 010 shade. Its a water based foundation and needs a good shake up before using. The formula gives almost like a second skin effect, the coverage is medium but it feels so lightweight you would never think it would give so much. I find the finish really similar to the Chanel vitalumiere aqua but possibly a tiny bit more dewy. It lasts really well on the skin too. To be perfectly honest I think this is the best foundation I have ever used!
My second love at the moment is actually the complete opposite in price to the Dior Nude, its the 17 BB cream. I was going to review this when it first came out but I couldn't quite make my mind up about it, some times it looked great sometimes it didn't. Now I have found the perfect way to apply it I love it. This product is best applied with your fingers or a kabuki brush like the Sigma F80, then the finish is really smooth, light to medium coverage with a dewy finish. Like most BB creams, this cream blurs imperfections like blemishes and fine lines without being really heavy.

Its quite thick and you only want a really thin layer of this product, its not that buildable and can cake up a little if you use too much. It stays on really well for this kind of product so its great for the day time.

Unbelievably I have actually almost finished the 17 BB cream and it only came out in November time I think so that really says something about how much I like it!

I do love these two but I am ALWAYS open to trying something new, so let me know what your current favourites are?

17 Peep show mascara

I've always had a soft spot for 17 products, for the price they always perform really well. I completely missed this mascara launching, I guess because I've not been working at Boots but I saw it as I was walking through last week and thought I'd give it a try. I think it was about £5 and at the moment it comes with a cute little eye palette free.

The brush is a standard small spiral bristle brush. It has a slight curve in the middle, but nothing particularly noticeable. The formula is very stringy, which I presume is designed to build length.

Its quite a 'wet' mascara and I do get the feeling that as the mascara dries out it will get better.

'Peep show' really does what it says on the tin, it really does build length amazingly. For the way I like my lashes though I do usually need to apply a thinker mascara over the top because it doesn't give the best volume, however like I said I think it will with time.

It doesn't wear off or flake through out the day at all. For the price it was a really good buy, especially suited for someone who has alot of lashes but wants to build length.

Sigma brush set

On black Friday back in November, Sigma offered free worldwide postage on their website so obviously I took advantage of this and purchased the synthetic kabuki brush kit. I mainly wanted to try the F80 flat kabuki but the kit was just such fantastic value.

With the kit I also got a blending brush free, which was lovely. I do have the Mac 217 but you can never have too many blending brushes.

Here is a close up view of all the brushes:
F84

F80

F86

F82

The brushes are so densely packed I thought that they would absorb all the product, but they spread foundation so smoothly and give an amazing coverage, even with lightweight products like tinted moisturisers. The bristles are super soft and fine. I have found these brushes work really well with liquid foundations and cream brushes, but don't really seem work as well with powders.

So far my favourite brush has been the F80 and the F84, the only one I don't really use at all is the pointed F86 because I don't really get what its for. If anyone's got any tips leave a comment below.

When you wash these brushes you have to be careful not to use too much shampoo as they lather up alot and hold the product in the bristles.

If anyones looking for a great brush to quickly and flawlessly apply foundation I would really recommend the F80 and the F84 its just annoying that sigma is so hard to get hold of in the UK.

2011 and my new years look

I am going to have a little self indulgent moment and have a look back at this year in my life. Where did 2011 go? it seems to have gone so fast but so much happened.

Inevitably in 2011 I turned 23, and for the first time in my life celebrated my birthday away from home and my family, with my amazing boyfriend, in the lake district. This year we also celebrated our 4 year anniversary awwww.

In April I went to New York for the first time with my family and had an absolutely amazing time.

I got a promotion within Benefit and actually became someones manager and then in December I landed my dream job as a makeup specialist for Chanel, and I am absolutely loving it.

In the summer I visited my gorgeous family in hawaii and stood on top of a active volcano!!!!

Beauty wise, 2011 was the year of actually taking proper care of my skin, and I managed to keep last years resolution of taking my makeup off every night (almost every night). I became obsessed with contouring and now probably couldn't live without a matt bronzer. I didn't cut my hair at all this year :S oh dear. 2011 was also the year I got well and truly OBSESSED with twitter and I'm sure 2012 will be no different.

I haven't quite finalised my new years resolutions so I thought I'd just show you my New Years eve look.

Started as this, very simple look...

And ended in this, possibly the best fancy dress costume ever done!
haha!

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!