Loving Lately #

1. Avon Colour & Contour Powder in Rose Glow
The colour and contour powder is a lovely duo it has a bronzer and a highlighter that looks wonderful on its own or swirled tighter for a radiant glow. The duo is easy to use and works well with my skin tone. Sturdy and practical compact that is perfect for on the go.

2. Rimmel Union Jack Eye Palette Heart of Gold

My friend gave me this palette and I’ve been using it ever since. I swirl all the shades together to make a lovely shimmery brown shade. The powder is soft and packed with pigment which I wasn’t expecting for a drugstore eye shadow. It lasts all day and I can see myself wearing these eye shadows all through autumn. 

3. Rituals Volume Mascara

This mascara was a sample that came in last month’s edition of InStyle Magazine. I was really excited to try it out because I’m a huge fan of Rituals bath and body products and never tried their make-up products before. The brush is traditionally shaped and has long soft bristles that collect a good amount of product from the tube. I find the mascara nice to apply but that maybe because the wand is smaller as it’s a sample version. I get amazing results every time I use this mascara, which is why I keep going back to it. It gives me long thick lashes that stay looking good all day, and I will be investing in the full size tube once I run low. 

4. Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Nude

I absolutely love this eyeliner because it very pigmented, waterproof and lasts all day long. This nude shade is perfect for everyday because it’s not as bold as white eyeliner but none the less beautiful. There are many other shades available which I’m dying to get my hands on.

5. MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation NC15

This is my go to foundation when I’m having my morning rush to get ready because it’s so quick and easy to apply. It’s a shade darker than my Studio Fix Fluid Foundation but it’s not massively noticeable. It has a decent medium to full coverage, long lasting, breathable and looks flawless. 

6. Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner Flash

Flash is a lovely pearly pink that looks flawless on the waterline. It has a soft creamy gel formula that glides on with ease and is packed with pigment. Once set it lasts all day. Unfortunately these eyeliner are now discontinued but the original black and silver eyeliners are still available.   

7. La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo 

I purchased this because my skin was breaking out really badly and I heard really good things about it. The serum has a very mild fragrance, it sinks into the skin quickly and it makes a nice base for make-up. I honestly don't think it’s all it's made out to be because I still have pretty bad blemishes, but it does calm my spots and they look less angry and red, It also calms the redness on my skin and that's why I've been liking this product. Works well for my skin but not so much for my blemishes.  

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Glossy Box August 2013 - High Flyers

Emite Make-up Eyelash Curler from Sweden (Full size £19.83) - Developed with professional make-up artists these eyelash curlers certainly look the part and they come with three additional refill pads. My overall favourite item in this month’s box because I’ve been meaning to purchase a new eyelash curler and this one looks pretty decent.  

Tresemme Platinum Strength Concentrated Treatment Shot from USA (Shot size 15ml £1.49) I haven’t used Tresemme hair care products for a long time because they didn’t do anything for my hair. However this is a keratin treatment and I’ve been using keratin a lot lately because it leaves my hair soft and smelling gorgeous.

Oceane Makeup Remover Pen from Brazil (Not yet available in the UK)– I’m always creating new make-up looks so mistakes are forever taking place and this is where this tool comes in handy. Sadly if I do end up liking this tool I won’t be able to re-purchase as it’s not yet available in the UK. But in all honestly I have no problem using cotton buds and make-up remover to tackle any mistakes.

UrbanVeda Daily Radiance Face Wash from India (Sample size 20ml Full Size £7.99) - The UrbanVeda range has been formulated to naturally combat pollution, leaving skin less vulnerable to the environment. This daily radiance face wash contains turmeric, papaya and coriander. I enjoy trying new skincare products and this product  seems promising.

Jelly pong pong 2-in-1 eyeliner and shadow from UK (Full size £10.50) - I’ve had a few products from this brand in my Glossybox and found myself loving them. This is a multi-tasking product that can be used as eyeliner and shadow, so I’m looking forward to trying it out. One thing I've noticed is the shades are never stated on the products which I find to be annoying.

Again I have enjoyed this month’s Glossy box even though there were a few things I wasn’t jumping for joy about but it’s the surprise I look forward to most. As usual I’m looking forward to next month’s Glossy box (September my birthday month)!

What do you think of this month's Glossy Box?

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Yes Nurse Hand Cream Review*

This lovely hand cream is from a brand called ‘Yes Nurse’ and it’s packed full of active Maniuka Honey and Omega 3, 6 and 9. The packaging is fresh and simple and perfect to keep in your hand bag or make up bag. The hand cream has a very fresh and natural kind of scent to it. I like this hand cream above all my others because it’s none-greasy. Only a little needs to be used at one time to give your hands a hydrating treat. Once applied I can see and feel the effects, my hands instantly feel moisturised and they look a lot smoother. Even after washing my hands or washing dishes my hands still feel all lovely. So this hand cream is great for people who are always washing up or having their hands in water a lot (my mam).  It’s a great quality hand cream for the price of £4.95.

You can buy this here:

Have you used this hand cream before?

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July All Used Up

Hello everybody! It’s that time again to finally give the bin man my used up junk, well actually I’m a little early but I can’t stand having junk laid around so I thought I would get it posted and out of the way. Once again it seems I have gone through a fair amount of stuff, it’s actually quite surprising. So here goes.

♥

Elemis Freshskin Skin Clear Mattifying: Moisturiser I have been rationing this moisturiser like crazy because I absolutely love it; it has to be one of my favourite moisturisers ever! It’s a mattifying moisturiser and is specially formulated for oily and blemish prone skin. It changed the look, feel and behaviour of my skin for the better, really helped with spots and kept my oily combination skin at bay. You can read my full review about this product and some others from the Freshskin range from Elemis HERE. I will be buying this in the future without a doubt. Simple Kind to Skin Eye Make-up Remover: Sometimes when I run out of things, I have a change and buy the product I need from a difference brand, and boy did I make a bad decision with this product. I picked this product out from a choice of others because I’ve heard amazing things about Simple, and Simple claim that their products are kind to the skin and this product would be kind to the eyes. I will give them 10 out of 10 for this product being kind to the eyes, it didn’t irritate or sting my eyes but by the time I managed to remove half of my eye make-up my eyes were red and sore. This eye make-up remover seriously fails for me, it is gentle on the eyes at first but it’s incredibly bad at removing anything, and I made my eyes red and sore just trying. I will not ever by this product again, it’s not for me. Avon Anew Skin Transforming Primer: Is a white cream with a soft light texture that applies to skin very easily leaving a transparent finish. This primer contains light reflecting particles and ingredients that are beneficial for the skin as it is an anti-ageing serum. My make-up stayed on day and helped to control my skin form becoming as shiny. It’s a good primer but I wouldn’t buy this particular one again because it’s aimed for mature skin and doesn’t benefit me all that much. Collin Resultime Anti-Age Signnes Visibles Eye Contour Cream: This eye cream uses specific active ingredients to fight the five signs of ageing the eye contour area: dark circles, puffiness, fat pockets, wrinkles and sagging. This light cream has a soft texture and is easily applied to the eye area and instantly making the area feel softer and cared for. I have to somewhat agree with the companies claim because I saw a difference in the first couple of uses. My eyes looked less tired and dark, and it generally made me feel good about myself. I can’t say too much about this product because I only had the sample size but I had no problems using it and I was a little sad to run out. Unfortunately I won’t be buying this product any time soon because I find it be quite expensive. However It is an amazing eye cream. 

 Avon’sBlackberry and Vanilla Bubble Bath: I love Avon bubble bath to start with because you get a lot of product for the money and the bubble bath is very bubbly and they all smell divine. I like how the bottle is ribbed if that’s the correct way of putting it because it’s easy to measure how much product you’re putting in the bath, and seeing how much is left.  I love Avon Bubble Baths and I will continue to purchase them.

  

AvonMoroccan Argan Oil:  Comes in glass bottle with a pump dispenser and holds 30 ml of product. It’s thick golden oil which can be applied to dry or damp hair and is not sticky at all nor does it make my hair greasy. It leaves my hair looking sleeker, shiny, and soft and keeps my hair from becoming dry. I’ve also noticed it helps with drying time which is a bonus because I have super thick hair. I have already repurchased this about seven times and I will continue to do so. All in all I love this product just wish it was available in a bigger amount, as 30 ml doesn’t last me very long. Avon Dry Ends Serum: Again this comes in a glass bottle with a pump dispenser holding 30ml of product, and again I do wish it was available in a bigger amount.  The product is a clear serum and isn’t sticky nor makes my hair greasy. Since using it my hair feels softer, sleeker and my dry spit ends for bleaching have drastically improved. To me this product is my little life saver and I simply love It and I will continue to repurchase this over and over. Avon Naturals Shea andApricot Detangling Spray: Oh my god this smells gorgeous and I knew I would like it before I even bought it as I’m addicted to Shea Butter. It detangles any knots or tangles in the hair while leaving the hair smelling amazing. However I do prefer Avon Naturals Kids Crazy Hair Tamer because I find it to tackle my knots better, so for that reason I won’t buy this product again, I will stick to my favourite one. But It does smell amazing!!

So there you have it, all the products I have used up this month. 

What have you been using up lately?

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Drugstore Haul

Hello lovelies, I hope you’re all having a lovely evening. About a month ago I had a huge clear out and I was shocked at the amount of beauty products I own, so that’s why I haven’t done a Haul post for a while. But being me I decided to treat myself, just a little the other day. So this is what I bought.

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Blue Grape & Lyche I’m a fan of the Barry M Nail polish’s but hadn’t yet had the chance to try the Gelly polishes so I decided to pick some up to try. I painted my nails the shade Blue Grape later that day and I have to say I LOVE the formula, it’s easier to apply, super shiny and seems to be long lasting. I will be trying out more shades soon. Barry M Nail Art Pen I picked this up because I really wanted to give it ago to see how well it works, If all goes well I will try other shades. L'Oreal Lipstick Rouge Caresse Cheeky Magenta I already have one of the Caresse Lipsticks in Fashionist Pink which I’ve been wearing a lot this summer. They give a tint to the lips and are very moisturising; I like these lipsticks because they are like tinted lip balm and perfect to keep the lips hydrated in warm weather. MUA Intense Colour Eyeliner Lovely Lilac I’ve been looking for a lilac eyeliner to create a look I have in mind. The sales assistant recommended this to me and I was wowed by the color pay off and the effect it gave. Glamour & Lash Studio False No real reason for buying these lashes, I just always seem to pick them up when I’m shopping. 

Single Synthetic Hair Extensions in Pink, Black and Purple I buy these from time to time because I like to add a bit of colour to my wigs for make-up looks. They are extremely low quality but are perfect for what I used them for. 

Freederm Overnight Clearing Serum I decided I could no longer use the night product I had been using because I really didn’t like it nor did it do anything for me. I choose this product on whim, I’ve never used any of the Freederm products before so I’m hoping this works for me. Johnsons gentle eye make-up remover I’d just used up the last of my make-up remover and fancied a change, my friend recommended me this one, and I’m so pleased she did. I used this the other day when I had heavy eye make-up on and it removed everything superbly, I will be buying this again once I run out. Nail The Habit I have a gross habit of biting the skin around my cuticles; it’s something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. Hopefully this product will help me beat the habit.  

What have you been buying recently?

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Glossybox July 2013 Seaside Splash

Hello my beautiful readers, I hope you’re all enjoying Britain’s heat wave! Unfortunately I’m not enjoying the heat as much as I would like to, because I hurt my neck on Saturday, and I’ve had a pretty painful weekend to say the least. I received my Glossy the day I decided to do a big stretch and hurt my neck, so that’s why this post is a couple of days late. However I’m feeling a little better today and decided to do this post for you all. Talking of late I mentioned I received my Glossy on Saturday, but just this morning I got my dispatch email……..crazy? Let me know if this has ever happened to any of you. This month the Glossy team have gone with a seaside theme which I think fits perfectly with this lovely weather.  I already knew this because Glossy had a picture on their website, so since then I’ve been extra excited. The box itself is my favourite so far, I adore the design. I collect these boxes and use them for storage but this one will be used for something special. 

So this is what I received in my box this month:

Anatomicals Spray Misty For Me Facial Spritz - Full size 100ml - £6.00

I’m a big fan of Anatomicals since I reviewed some of their products, the headache balm being my favourite. This facial spritz with calming lavender and refreshing peppermint extracts helps rehydrate and calm skin. It’s great to be used every day, during flights, at the beach, in the city or in the office. To be applied on the face after cleansing or even over make-up to refresh and set make up. I’m looking forward to trying this product because I have another product very similar that I have been using a lot. Quick tip: Keep in the fridge to really make your skin feel refreshed.

Alterna Haircare Bamboo style Boho Waves Tousled Textured Mist – 25ml sample – Full size 125ml - £23.00

Your perfect “Seaside Splash” summer companion! Forget perfectly primped hair, and instead opt for effortlessly tousled, “just back from the beach” waves with weightless mist. It adds texture, volume and a healthy shine to all hair types. I’ve never used a product like this before because I have never felt the need to but I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

Coola Organic Sun care Collection Mineral Face SPF 20 Unscented – 7ml sample – Full size 50ml – £29.99

Coola Organic Sun care Collection is hypoallergic, free from Parabens and packed with antioxidants. It provides complete UVA/UVB protection and fights free radicals, while soothing, toning and minimizing pores. Organic Acai Oil delivers powerful anti-aging benefits, while organic Evening Primrose and Linseed Oils reduce inflammation and balance moisture. I’m looking forward to tying this product because it has lots of benefits, and I love multi-tasking products.

Sleek Makeup Pout Paint Mauve Over & Minx – Full size 8ml – 4.99

Pout Paints are intensive, long lasting lip pigments that are made to be mixed. Use a tiny bead of Pout Paint and smooth onto your lips for mind blowing vibrant colour that gives you full coverage that lasts for hours and dries to a satin finish. Simply use to brighten or add vibrancy to your regular colour. I’ve been meaning to try the Pout Paints for quite some time because I really like the idea of them, and if they are anything like Lime Crimes Velvetines I will adore them. I’m really happy with the colours I received because they are both colours I would wear.

Essie Sleek Sticks – One set from £9.99

I was a little disappointed because I’m not very good at applying nail wraps / foils, and I would rather have got a nail polish. However I will try these out because I like the Pattern.

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Empties

Max Factor Xperience Weightless Foundation 40 Light Ivory

I really liked this foundation when I first bought it, but for some reason I stopped using it. Recently after forcing myself to use up all of the foundations I own because I over buy them, I found myself using it again. I've used four other foundations by Max Factor and I've liked all of them. I think Max Factor’s foundations are a fabulous quality and one of the best brands in my local drugstore. This foundation is a great price at £9.99 and it lasts me a long time because I don’t need to use a lot to get full coverage. It feels comfortable on the skin and it lasts a good eight hours. I have the lightest shade, and it suites my porcelain white skin perfectly. I can see myself buying this foundation again in the future because its reliable, full coverage and comfortable.   

Sanex Shower Gel Dermo Moisturising

This shower gel may look plain old boring and smell not so nice but it works wonders for my dry skin. The gel is thick and I don’t need to use a lot to get a good lather. It leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed and very importantly moisturised. It leaves a layer of oil behind on the skin which I like a lot, because I love the way it makes my skin feel. It’s also great because I don’t need to moisturise with a different product after a shower or bath. At the price of £2.19 I will definitely purchase this again.    

Aussie Three Minute Miracle Colour Deep Treatment

Don’t get me wrong this is an amazing deep treatment conditioner at a purse friendly price of £4.99. But I leave conditioning treatments on way longer than three minutes and in all honestly this is just as good as any other I have used. It smells nice and leaves my hair soft and manageable. However I would buy this again which I have a few times, but I use it as an everyday conditioner rather than a treatment.

NYX Studio Finishing Powder

I really like this setting powder because it’s so finely milled and leaves my skin looking radiant and luminous. It’s brilliant at setting liquid foundation, and even though it’s white it applies transparent. However its £9.50 for only 6g which I don’t like so much but the main problem I have is the mess it creates. Most loose powders are messy but this is stupidly messy. I unscrew the top and the amount of powder that comes out is just a big waste and for the amount of product you get to start with, it’s a complete waste of money.  

Liz Earle’s Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Cleansing is the most important step in my skin regime. So firstly the bottle is amazing, I use one pump if I'm not wearing make-up and two pumps if I’ve had make-up on. The pump applicator makes cleansing your face simple and less messy, plus you don't waste product like you do with tube design cleansers. You then apply the cleanser (which smells divine) onto dry skin or a face full of makeup. I love the fact you don't need to wet your face before applying the cleanser, because if you’re anything like me, I get my hair soaked, sleeves wet and the mirror gets splashed. One less thing for my parents to nag me about. You can also apply the cleanser straight on to a full face or make-up, which is great if you have been partying till early hours in the morning, or your lazy like me. You can even use the cleanser on your eyes to remove eye make-up such as mascara; it does not hurt my eyes in any way. Back to the regime once you have applied the cleanser on your face and neck you simply remove the cleanser with one of the pure muslim cloths you get provided with the product. Although if your removing make-up be prepared for a make-up covered cloth afterwards. I absolutely love this cleanser and it’s not a bad price at £14.75 and that includes two muslim cloths. I can see myself buying this again. 

Dermorganic Leave In Treatment

I didn’t get much use out of this product because it was a sample but I really enjoyed the amount I had to use. I would apply this to towel dried hair and comb through and it really made a difference in the time it took for my hair to air dry. It also made my hair feel soft and manageable but no different to what my usual Argan Oil treatment does. I wouldn’t buy this again because I didn’t find it anything special and Its pretty expensive at £8.59 for 30ml and £21.50 for 120ml.

Good Things Ulta Rich Creamy Scrub

The Ultra Rich Creamy Scrub is fantastic, it does exactly what a body scrub is supposed to do and it doesn't leave my skin red and blotchy. The scrub contains pomegranate and red grape with smooth micro beads and cranberry seeds that work to lift away any dead skin cells while the gentle creamy formula replaces lost moisture. I like to use this scrub all over my body before I shave my legs as the scrub prevents any nicks to dead skin cells or bumpy skin. Remember always exfoliate before applying fake tan!!! However I do prefer harsher scrubs but I like to use this scrub when my skin feels a little sensitive. It’s also purse friendly at £4.99. 

Eucryl Tooth powder Freshmint

I’ve been using this powder instead of toothpaste for the last month, and my teeth look a lot cleaner and whiter. It tastes pleasant and makes my teeth feel a lot cleaner than my usual toothpaste. I have bought this again and I will continue too as its only £1.00 and actually works.

Rimmel Gentle Eye Make Up Remover

I’ve been using this product for months now, and I keep on repurchasing. I like it because it is gentle and it doesn’t cause any irritation to my eyes or skin. It removes the toughest make up like mascara and Lime Crime’s Eye Shadow Helper. It does what it is supposed to do very effectively and Its another purse friendly price at £3.50! Love it.

What products have you used up this month?

  

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Murad Pore Perfection Starter Kit*

Hello my lovely readers, today I’m doing a review on products by Murad. I had never used any of Murad's products before, so as you can imagine I was pretty excited to try them. I chose the Pore Perfection Kit because I have combination spot prone skin and Murad claim this kit will clear pores and embrace beautiful, radiant skin. Being a blogger I have lots of skincare products to review, and I like to finish off products before I start to use something else, unless I don’t particularly like it. So I came to an end of one set of products and decided to try out the Pore Perfection Kit. I’ve been using these products none-stop and I’m near the end of them, so it’s time to get my opinion out there.

Pore Perfection Kit £49.99

Energizing Pomegranate Cleanser - Full size 150ml £25.00

The cleanser comes in a pump bottle which I really like because it’s simple to use, and the bottle is transparent displaying the product to be water like. Once you press the pump the product is already foamed. The duel-action foam cleanses and exfoliates the skin but is extremely gentle and there is no grittiness at all, just smooth foam. The cleanser contains powerful antioxidants that defend skin from free radical damage, ensuring maximum skin health. As well as cleansing and exfoliating this cleanser also tones. Just half a pump per cleanse is enough to remove trapped dirt and impurities. Witch Hazel keeps pores clear and oil production under control for a perfectly matte, shine-free complexion. It also works as an anti-ageing treatment both preventatively and proactively so you can enjoy youthful, smooth, beautiful skin every day! I enjoyed using this cleanser because it’s a foaming up cleanser, and I personally feel I get a better cleanse with those sorts of cleansers to oppose cream cleansers. It leaves my skin feeling clean, fresh and super soft. However I don't find it to be any better than other cleansers I have used. So I doubt I will buy this cleanser in the future. But I think this cleanser would be great for people with normal to combination skin that are prone to one or two spots. I get a lot because of my age.

Energizing Pomegranate Moisturiser Broad Spectrum SPF15 - Full size £29.00

This moisturiser is lightweight and oil-free and it infuses the skin with powerful antioxidants while stimulating healthy cell function to leave skin with a healthy and radiant glow. It absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed. It also has added SPF15 which I love because everything I need is in the one product. What I like most about this product is that it makes my skin feel alive in the morning and it’s a great base for makeup. I would buy this product in the future because it does everything it is supposed to do and I like it very much.

Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask – Full size £25.00

Dissolve tired cells and frees skin from trapped impurities for a refreshed, revitalised and balanced complexion. I absolutely love this mask because I can feel it doing its job. Once washed off my skin feels super clean and refreshed. It smells really nice just like all the products in this range. It doesn’t dry out my skin but it does tighten, I like to wear this mask while I sleep because it helps dry out spots and makes a huge difference the next morning!

T-Zone Pore Refining Gel - full size £50 

Shine free complexion by dissolving blackheads, balancing oily and dry zones and gently exfoliating dull skin cells for that impeccable Murad Glow. This really does help with blackheads and large pores; I've noticed a visible difference already! I like to use this product in the morning before makeup, because it takes care of my skin through the day and helps to prevent me from breaking out. However make sure you leave to dry before applying makeup. I really like this product but I won't be paying the price for it. 

Have you tried Murad? What do you think of their products?

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