Clean Slate - Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Facial Wipes

So...I'm back *awkward silence*...I realise I have been away for quite some time now and I'm sorry (bad blogger *slap on the wrist*) but I've had a really amazing but really busy summer and finding time to write my blog was hard and I hope you guys understand. Anyway I'm back at uni now and I'm back here too so I hope we can all see the benefit in the fact that I've got a whole summers worth of products to share with you all!

The first thing I just had to talk about were these Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Facial Wipes! Now if any of you read my A Little Bit Gel-ous? post then you know that I used to only use makeup wipes to remove my makeup, which isn't the best of things for your skin but is a really quick alternative after a long day when you'd rather just dive head first into bed. However the ones I used aren't readily available in the UK and though I tried a few other brands I could never find ones I loved as much so I just gave up on makeup wipes altogether (and I won't lie, as a result had a few days where I just went to bed without any attempt to remove my makeup).

However the other day I was in boots buying a new eyeliner when I found myself in the skincare section next to these Yes To wipes I'd never seen before. The packaging of them is just really cute and it says on the front that they have won an Allure Beauty Expert Award so I was like 'what the hell' and bought them to try and I am so glad I did!

First off I really like how they come with the closable plastic flap because I've never had that on a packet of face wipes before and I like how it keeps the wipes on the top moist (yes I hate that word too) rather than drying them out like the stick able ones sometimes do.

The wipes themselves are amazing! They are quite thick and sturdy feeling so you don't feel like they'll fall apart half way through using them which is great. Also they feel really soft on the skin more like a piece of cotton than some of the scratchy wipes I have tried and they are just a nice product to use. Plus it handled removing my makeup really well and left my face feeling really clean.

The only downside as far as I can see is that it doesn't completely remove my suborn waterproof eye makeup but then again not a hell of a lot does!

I would say these wipes are perfect as a quick fix for those occasional days where you don't want to go through that complete skin care regime or as a first step before using a cleanser etc. as they will remove the bulk of your makeup. I'm just so excited to find some I love! Let me know if you guys have tried these and if there's any wipes you think I should try too.

Scrubbing Up - Soap and Glory Flake Away

I haven't talked about body products on my blog for a while and so today I thought I'd talk about one of my favourites since in summer (i.e. when people are more likely to see parts of my body that are not my hands and face) I am much more inclined to crack out as many lotions and potions as possible to make myself look fabulous.

Oh also quick disclaimer: I feel like I'm seeming summer obsessed on my blog right now but if any of you come from England (particularly the north) and are experiencing the amazing heatwave right now then I think you can see where I'm coming from.

I was thinking retro packaging, wood panelling...did it work I don't know?

I was away all of last week with some friends and we ended up in a Boots, already a dangerous situation for someone like me to be in, inevitably I ended up buying beauty products (all for you guys to have reviewed of course) and one of which was a repurchase of the Soap & Glory Flake Away body scrub. I first bought this ages ago but then it ran out and (what can I say I'm lazy) I just never got round to buying another one till last week but seriously this is my favourite body scrub of all time!

I've used other scrubs, notably the Body Shop sugar scrub (which is also really good) and some other Soap & Glory ones but for me this knocks them out of the park. This scrub contains sea salt and sugar and is a little bit 'chunkier', for lack of a better word, than the Body shop scrub so the actually scrubbing particles (being so technical here) seem to stick around longer before dissolving down. I like this because if I am going to use a scrub I want to feel like I'm actually scrubbing the dead skin away but at the same time I have quite sensitive skin so overly abrasive scrubs can be a bit painful.

The texture is a bit more jelly like than some other scrubs I've tried

Also, as seems to be the way with all Soap & Glory products we have to talk about the smell. As I say I've tried other scrubs by the brand and have stood there smelling each type to see which one to pick and this one is always my favourite! The smell is sweet without smelling like candy and is the standard Soap & Glory scent that is in their other products such as Hand Food and The Scrub Of Your Life.

Overall I would say a great product which boasts ingredients such as sweet almond oil and shea butter, it leaves my skin feeling really soft and paired with a good body butter makes my skin look amazing after I've been using it. Also if the actual product itself isn't enough it's slogan that 'He'll never know you've been flaking it' might give you a little chuckle in your morning shower.

Have you tried this product?? Are there any body scrubs you would recommend??

Chocolate Cravings - Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer

It's that time of year when the sun is shining, the birds are singing and I am still as pale as a pale thing can be that has an extra special reason to be pale. I guess it's like my mum always says I'm just pale and interesting (well hopefully rather than pale and boring). But since the weather in theory is nicer and summery...er, (though as I type this the sun is hidden behind some worryingly dark clouds) I don't want to be pale and interesting I want to be a beautiful bronze goddess (i.e. regular me with a tan).

The only trouble with me is that I am terrified of fake tan, I'm not even sure why, I think I'm just worried I'll come out the other side looking more like a satsuma than the bronze goddess mentioned previously. Because of this fear bronzer is my only way to tan up in the summer without the aid of any actual sunlight.

The Bourjois chocolate bronzer is a bit of a cult classic and is often raved about in the beauty blogosphere so I knew I wanted to try it out. As usual we have to start talking about the packaging; it looks like chocolate and - is this just me? - it smells like chocolate too so straight off the bat what is not to love? Plus I like how they make the little box look like a storybook and it feels sturdy so I'd be ok traveling with it.

Now onto the actual bronzer (yes I'm impressed by how quickly I got through the packaging too). As some of you may know I'm a reacent contouring convert and, although sadly I'm not all that good at it yet (I'm still too terrified of the dark streaks across my face that I blend it to the ultimate subtlety), I can tell a good bronzer because it makes my novice life a hell of a lot easier, and this product does just that.

The colour is warm and not too orangey, it blends like an absolute dream and, although there is a slight shimmer to it that doesn't really come out when you contour. However if you want an all over bronze instead this will do wonders for you too. The shimmer really comes into its own when you dust this all over the face, it doesn't glitter or give you any added sparkle but it just gives your skin a lovely sheen that makes you look glowing.

As you might be able to tell I love this product so much and I can clearly understand why it is the cult classic that it is. Have any of you guys tried this product? Did you love it as much as me???

Top 6 Nail Polishes For Summer

When it turns to summer nail polish seems to go from being a thing you occasionally do to a necessity! You see your chipped toenails peaking through your sandals and wonder where you went wrong in life and suddenly that bubblegum pink lipstick just can't be worn with your favourite dress because you haven't got the nail varnish to match.

Ok so it's not really all that big of a deal but I do feel like nail polish comes into it's own in the summer because there are suddenly no rules; its not about those rich, dark autumn winter colours or the pretty pastels of spring its about being as loud and bold or as demure and neutral as you like. It may not surprise you to discover that I am in the loud and bold category when it comes to summer
polish but I thought I'd show you what my favourite polish pics for summer are!

Clockwise from top left; Gold Mine, Passion Fruit, Papaya, Teal the Cows
Come Home, Mint Candy Apple, Pearly Blue Peacock

- M&S Limited Collection Metallic Polish in Gold Mine: this colour is a perfect silvery, goldy, shimmery neutral. I think it is perfect for those days when you want to wear something really simple and feel like a natural summer beauty with just that little something extra. It doesn't have great staying power though so I would recommend using with a good top coat.

- Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paints in Passion Fruit and Papaya: these polishes are extremely shiny (in case you hadn't guessed from the name) but are also really thick which is something you have to bear in mind when applying them so that you don't have to wait forever for your nails to be dry. However they last for ages and the colours are gorgeous! Passion fruit is the perfect orangey toned red that's really bold but just screams summer while Papaya is a much more understated yet equally summery peachy colour which looks great with just about anything.

- O.P.I Nail Lacquer in Teal the Cows Come Home: This was my very first O.P.I nail polish and I think it is perfect for summer! The colour is the same blue as the sea in tropical countries and I just think it looks like a beach holiday, its just gorgeous, plus I really like the formula.

- Essie Nail Lacquer in Mint Candy Apple: a cult classic, this polish is just so cute and I love the mint colour so much. I'm a fan of the mint dress so I have a couple I love to crack out in summer and this polish just matches perfectly.

- Kiko Nail Lacquer in Pearly Blue Peacock: similar to Teal the Cows Come Home I love this polish because it reminds me of the sea and the sand and holidays when I look at it. Being a sparkly blue polish with golden undertones this is more jazzy than the O.P.I one and if I just want to dazzle this is the polish I would reach for this summer.

So there you go my favourite polishes for this summer! What are your favourites??

Smoothies In The Summer

I've been loving the recent sunshine so much! Nothing is better than relaxing out in the garden with a good book, some music, my snazzy new sunglasses and a lovely summery drink.

When it comes to the summer my drinks always become so OTT, I'm all about the straws, the cocktail umbrellas, the funky glasses and my light up flashing ice cubes (seriously its like Vegas in a glass). However on a much more classy front I've been dying to make these mason jar sippy cups since the very first time I saw them! They are just really cool and quirky and perfectly fit my summer drink desires as they are portable and so perfect for taking with you on walks or picnics or (if you're much less active like me) sitting on a lounger out in the sun.

Making the sippy cups is really easy (let's face it I can do it) what you will need is:

- A mason jar
- A rubber washer
- Water resistant glue (make sure it is ok to use with food and drink)
- A drill
- A straw

To make the jars...
1. Measure your straw against the washer to make sure the straw will fit through
2. Then just remove the screw top and the lid and mark the centre of the lid
3. Drill a hole in the lid on that centre mark that is the size of the hole in your washer
4. Wash the washers to make sure they are sanitary
5. Carefully apply the glue to the perimeter of the hole on the metal side of the lid then glue your washer on to make sure that the metal doesn't cut you when you wash your sippy cup
6. Leave the glue to set then glue a washer to the other side if there is sharp metal exposed (there wasn't for me so I didn't)
7. Once all the glue is set you can put your summer beverage into your sippy cup

Me and my mum made strawberry, raspberry and ginger smoothies which were absolutely delicious and I would definitely recommend - you can find the recipe on her blog here. I hope you guys are all enjoying your summer too!

Q&A Tag

So this morning I woke up, checked my comments and was delighted to see that the lovely Keighly Kerr from her blog Keighly had tagged me to do this post! If I'm honest I'm a little too excited about this since in the blogging world I feel a little bit like the new girl with no friends and this is like someone asking me to have lunch with them! Totally thinking about Mean Girls now...

Anyway after that rather random start lets start on the questions!

What is your current fashion obsession?
I kind of covered this question off in my June favourites my current fashion obsession has got to be my sunglasses from Topshop, even if since I've come home I haven't had much opportunity to wear them (damn you Northern summer!!)

What is your current makeup obsession?

Since I saw the poster for the Mac collaboration collection with Lorde I so so so want to try out a purple lip it just looks gorgeous so I guess that's what I'm obsessed with right now!

What are you wearing today?

Well (this is embarrassing) I don't know exactly what I will be wearing today because I'm not out my pjs yet, I was just so excited to write this post I had to do it straight away (but don't worry I will be all ready by the time this post goes out!)

Hair?

Well at the minute it is a dishevelled mess but I'll wash and straighten it when I'm finished writing this so it'll be all good...maybe...

Do you nap a lot?

Is it just me who thinks this is the most bizarre question??? Anyway no I do not I'm quite a heavy sleeper so if I was to try and nap I'd be there for hours and not sleep of a night time.

Why is today special?

I want to say because I got tagged to do this but that is just a whole new level of sadness so instead I will say because it is one of my friends 20th birthday (aren't I cute!)

What would you like to learn to do?

I would love to learn to actually play an instrument! In my life I've had lessons to learn; the violin, the keyboard, the guitar and I attempted to teach myself the recorder (which I think was just painful for everyone involved). Despite all this however I can't actually play anything so there you go. On a more practical note I would like to learn website design because since my last foray that I mentioned briefly in this post I've been too afraid to attempt it again in case I have a similarly nightmarish experience.

What's for tea?

Chicken and chorizo (mmmm). If you'd like to see more of what I have for tea (I mean who wouldn't) my mum writes an amazing food blog that I steal recipes off all the time so you could always go check that out! :-)

I love my mum's soba noodles!

What are you listening to right now?

Well right this second nothing because I find it difficult to concentrate and listen to music. However the music I'm listening to at the minute (and please bear in mind I have quite a varied music taste) is:

- Going to Hell by the Pretty Reckless (my favourite song is House On A Hill)

- Young the Giant's new album Mind Over Matter (my favourite song is It's About Time)

- Electra Heart by Marina And The Diamonds (just a favourite album of mine I love all the songs!)

So there you go.

What is your favourite weather?

I'm a summer baby so I love it when its warm and the sun is shining and I can crack out my summer dresses!

What was the last thing you bought?

So super excited for this but I bought the Naked 3 palette and I can't wait to use it today! Of course a review will be up on here at some point in the near future.

So pretty!

What are your essentials when traveling?

Err, this one is actually quite hard now I think about it...I would say my iPad and iPhone for definite, makeup wipes because I am even more lazy on holiday and good people because no one likes to travel on their own (sorry for the slightly cheesy end there folks).

What's your style?

I would say I just wear the stuff I think is nice and goes together so I don't know if I fit into a particular style category...I realise this does not help.

What is your most challenging goal at the minute?

I realise this isn't a very profound goal but its the truth: trying to book holidays for the summer (and yes I know how last minute it is).

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I'd love to say somewhere warm by the sea but in actuality if I could have such an amazing house I'd have it in the same town as my uni so I could live there with my flatmates and actually enjoy it a lot of the time!

Favourite vacation (holiday for us English folk) spot?

Florida! 100%. We used to go there every year when I was younger and I am desperate to go back (yes I am still a little kid).

Name the things you cannot live without...

Food, water...but seriously probably friends, family, my grumpy cat Sooty; those kinds of things.

How was your childhood?

Seriously what kind of question is this? But it was good thanks for asking.

What would you like to have in your hands right now?

Totally have to agree with Keighly's answer and say a winning lottery ticket!

What would you like to get rid of?

Sprouts.

What are you most excited for?

Going away with my friends!

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour where would you go?

Well since an hour isn't really long enough to enjoy a gorgeous part of the world I'd go visit my uni flatmates Anna and Josie because I miss them (sorry to be cheesy again guys what is wrong with me?)

What countries have you visited?

France (so, so, so many times), Holland, USA, Spain, Scotland, Croatia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Italy and Belgium.

So that's the end of the questions! I hope you liked hearing a little bit more about me 

I'm Back! - June Favourites

So first off I'm sorry I've been gone for nearly two months *ashamed face* I didn't realise when I went back to uni just how busy I was going to be; working full days with some weeks where I barely had time to sleep! I'm back though and I thought a good way to cover some of the beauty ground since my last post would be to tell you my monthly favourites!

My favourites

This past month has been a strange one for me because I'm the kind of person who likes to get up a little bit earlier in order to have the time to get ready at my own pace, stare into the distance between spoonfuls of cereal, sing a whole host of songs in the shower and spend time getting my makeup just right. However with being so busy I've been sleeping as late as possible in an attempt to get my 8 hours every night and as a result this month my beauty routine has been about being speedy as much as anything else.

Also the weather has been gorgeous! This has been my first year of experiencing southern summer and it has just been great! Who knew what us northerners where missing out on?? I won't pretend that I haven't felt a certain sense of glee telling my parents just how sunny and warm it is on the phone when they've been stuck inside because of the rain. This lovely weather has made me feel even more summery than I already am anyway and so I've been much more inclined towards colour and brightness in my makeup than I would otherwise normally be.

So without anymore rambling lets get into the favourites!

1. On the bright summer colours theme I have been loving the MUA blushers. I read a really good review of them and decided I had to give them a go and then when I realised they were only £1 each I decided to get my three favourite colours (because Superdrug had 3 for 2 on making it only £2 all together *happy dance*). The blushers are really pigmented which is great and they are really compact for carrying around too which makes them convienient. The only downside I can find is that the texture is a little power but for less than £1 each that doesn't bother me. I also can't say they have great staying power but I have trouble making blush stay on my face anyway since I can't seem to stop touching my face throughout the day.

MUA blush in marshmallow

My favourite of the three I bought is marshmallow because it's this really cool toned pink that goes amazingly well with my much loved Sleek lipstick that I am wearing in this post. I also think it's just a really nice bright colour to wear on the cheeks in the summer time.

2. Carrying on this summer colours thing I absolutely adore this lipstick. Was it just me who watched Made in Chelsea way back when and coveted the beautiful tanned glow and orangey lips that all the girls wore (I think in season 2 or 3) either way I really wanted to try it then and then wasn't brave enough but when I saw this lipstick from Kiko Velvet Mat Satin Lipstick in Bright Orange I was reminded of my Made in Chelsea loving days and just had to have it.

Yes I risk putting my lipstick in the grass for you

The packaging is so cool with the gold coloured K motif on the lid and then the fact that you have to push down on the bottom to release the lipstick its very futuristic and cool and I just am such a sucker for it. Also I think the lipstick is fantastic. It is a matte formula and like a lot of matte formulas I find it to be a little bit drying but I think it stays on the lips really well and the colour is just so wearable and I get so many compliments on it because it is a little bit unusual but it actually isn't too out there and looks gorgeous with that Made in Chelsea tan.

3. Because my eye makeup tends to be the thing that I spend the most time on I've been staying away from my powder eyeshadows where the danger is always that I would have 5 mins before I had to be out the door and then go 'Ooh actually I've never tried this shadow in the crease before', mess it up and either leave looking like a panda, or more likely, leave 20 mins late having just redone my makeup.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in on and on bronze

 Therefore I've been using my trusty Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze that I've had for ages and it has kept me nicely in check. It's a great cream shadow because it lasts for ages, which has been especially helpful for me when I've been doing really long days, its so easy to just apply with your finger and if you blend it out with just a generic, neutral crease colour, like I have bee doing, it's just so quick and it looks like you've put in way more effort than you have which is exactly what we want with makeup right??

4. I just need to pause to enjoy the name of my next favourite; the Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick from Soap & Glory in Nudist. This is another product I'be had for a while but this one just never had it's day in the sun (no pun intended - it makes more sense in a minute) until now, largely because soon after I bought it I left it in my bag in a hot car, came back and found it had partially melted all over the pocket which of course was a barrel of laughs.

And again risking lip products in the grass for you

That little incident aside I love this product and don't know how it lived unloved at the back of my lipstick drawer for so long. The formula is just a teeny bit sticky (but I kinda like that) and it is majorly glossy like to the extent it looks like you've actually applied lipgloss. Plus being a fan of colours as opposed to nudes I am surprised how much I enjoy the colour of Nudist which is almost a your lips but better kind of shade that I actually think looks quite flattering on me. Also this is another really easy product to use as it just glides on and, although it won't stay all day, it isn't obvious when it has faded a bit because it is a nude colour and its really easy to reapply on the go.

5. Maybe this is the month of rediscovering old things I don't know but I have loved this SteamCream moisturiser for ages. I stopped using it in the winter because it is quite a heavy moisturiser and I would wake up feeling like my face was majorly oily so I switched to a much lighter one. However now the weather is so much warmer my skin was becoming a bit dull and dry so I switched back and this has just injected a bit of a sheen (but not oiliness) back into my skin which is lovely especially since its summer and you kind of want that look even more in summer. Plus the tin is just gorgeous! They were supposed to be limited edition but I think mine is still available. Also the ingredients list is vegan and all natural which is great if your skin is as sensitive as mine too!

The flowers look so at home!

6. I was going to do 5 favourites and I realise this post is already really long and your mind has drifted somewhere else by now or you've switched off and are just staring blankly at the screen but please stay with me for this favourite because I love it! I am a glasses/contacts wearer day to day so when the sun comes out I've never been drawn to sunglasses because either you wear them instead of your glasses, in which case you can't see, or you go to the effort of contacts meaning you don't have to wear glasses only to put glasses on which seems kind of counter productive. That was until I saw these babies from Topshop!

Love these glasses so much!

I think they really suit my face shape while not being too similar to my day to day glasses which I think is nice because if I go to the effort of buying sunglasses I don't want it to look like I just got my regular glasses tinted. Plus I think the tortoise shell effect is so cute!

Well thats the end of my favourites! If anyone read this far thank you I will love you forever and I also want to say thanks for sticking with me despite my elongated absence *hangs head in shame again*. If you've tried any of these products did you love them too? Also is there anything you've been loving this month I should try? Please let me know!

P.S
My naughty kitty cat Sooty kept getting in the way of my photos. I think he wanted to try the products out for himself too!

NYX In Next!

So this is my last post in my mini beauty haul series (is it really a series I'm not sure...we'll just go with it). Personally this is the post I'm the most excited about, you may not be and that's ok we're all different people in this world but still...I think it's pretty exciting!

So if you are like me and are in the UK you may have seen other beauty bloggers, youtubers etc talking about the US based makeup brand NYX with the little green goblin of envy in your eyes as they talked about how amazing the blushes are and casually discussed the many colours they own of the very affordable Jumbo Eye Pencils. You may have then gone home and cried into your pillow about how unfair life is and consolidated yourself with the fact that they do have an online shop (although the 'very affordable' prices seem somewhat less affordable when you have to pay £5 delivery). Well no more!

I was walking around the Metrocentre at home (it's in Gateshead near Newcastle) and I was looking for a few odds and ends after having just been to Boots and Superdrug and bought my Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brushes and my MUA Pretty Edgy Palette and decided to pop into Next to have a look at their jeans (which I love by the way) and their shoes. I was walking around at the back of the shop near the shoe section when all of a sudden I noticed a randomly placed new display with the big letters NYX on the top! It wasn't there last time I was home (as far as I know) and I haven't seen one in any other Next shop so I don't know if it's being rolled out across all stores but it was there!

I won't lie to you all the display wasn't huge and there wasn't as much of a range of colours as there are online but they sold the blushes, the Jumbo Eye Pencils, their matte lipsticks, lip glosses (I think they were megashine but I could be wrong) and a bunch of other stuff I can't quite remember.

I did get (possibly a little bit too) excited and there was one point where I had about 6 different products in my hands but then I decided to be a little more restrained and I ended up picking up a Jumbo Eye Pencil in the colour 620 Bronze and one of their matte lipsticks (which as far as I can tell are called matte lipsticks) in the colour Bloody Mary. Very restrained (pats self on back).

The matte lipstick is really nice and I really like it! Firstly (as always) the packaging is really cool (my boyfriend says it looks like a nuclear power cell and I'm inclined to agree), it is very sleek and kinda space-age looking and strangely expensive looking for a drugstore priced lipstick. It applies quite smoothly which is nice and is very creamy for a matte lip. I love the colour which is a rich red with pinky undertones and I like the way it looks on the lips.

Although the formula is supposed to be matte I've found it to have a slight sheen in the light, I mean to say it definitely isn't glossy but it isn't quite fully matte either its more of a happy medium. It does transfer quite easily though and (not exactly being the most graceful/elegant/poised of people) I get it all over my hands, drinks, clothes, everywhere! However despite this it does manage to stay on your lips for quite some time (no I don't understand it either) though you would probably want to top it up for good measure anyway.

The Jumbo Eye Pencils...what can I say? I'm sold! I love love love it! For those of you who may not have used this or pencil eyeshadows shadows before this works in that you apply the shadow to your eyelids much like you would draw with a pencil and then once applied the shadow is slightly more creamy than a regular pressed powder eyeshadow, slightly less creamy than a cream eyeshadow (another happy medium). 

I bought this colour because I really wanted to try a coppery toned/bronzey colour and this fit the bill. It is very pigmented and quite orangey toned (probably more than I would have preferred) but you can put it on then blend it out with your fingers or a brush to mute the colour somewhat but my favourite way is to apply Downtown from the Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette over the top because that shadow is a rose gold/coppery shade anyway and when applied over the top of this it really brings out the bronzy/copper undertones.

Now I'll be honest I always apply this with a primer underneath because I've heard it creases like hell and (I'm a terrible beauty reviewer I know) I haven't had a day yet since buying this where I am prepared to test out the theory with the possibility of becoming crease-zilla. But with a primer this works amazingly and stays all day which is awesome and doesn't crease leaving me looking fabulous all day.

Have you tried any NYX products?? I loved these so I really want to try some more so if you could leave me some recommendations I'll love you forever! 

Tell Me About It Stud - MUA Pretty Edgy Palette

I realised today that I forgot to tell you in my last post (ironically) that I'm back at uni! It's nice to be back and seeing everyone again plus the weather here is soooo much nicer than it was when I was back home! It does, however, make this MUA Pretty Edgy Palette that I bought on a windy, rainy day back home seem a little bit unseasonal but I'll soldier on all in the name of beauty blogging (cry me a river right?).

Top Row L-R: Antique, Bow, Toile, Ruffle, Flounce, Lace
Bottom Row L-R: Sinful, Gothic, Wrath, Envy

Lots of people talk about MUA products but I've never really been that drawn to them...I had a red lipstick of theirs years and years ago that I loved (but I used to get it all over my face) and I have another eyeshadow palette that I bought instead of their Heaven and Earth Palettes (which are supposedly Naked palette dupes) because I already had the real Urban Decay Naked palette so instead I bought this other MUA palette with a ton of blue shades which (obviously) I never use.

However all that being said I was browsing the super drug website ages ago one evening (yes some people have crack, I have online makeup shops) and saw they were advertising the release of their new MUA Pretty Edgy Palette and (I'm not gunna lie to you) the packaging drew me in in much the same way it did with my Kat Von D Palette. The packaging is much swankier than previous MUA palettes; it comes in a black case with a huge mirror on the inside of the lid, the shadows are square not round (try to contain your shock please) and, the bit that got me the most excited, the lid is covered with studs!

The studded lid in all it's glory!

When I first went to get the palette it was sold out because it had just been released and then after a while I just forgot about it and moved on. Then when I was home at Easter I saw it and I was immediately like 'I have to have it!'. The colours in this are really pretty too and since I've tended to err on the neutral side of eyeshadows I figured I could justify (in my head at least) buying this largely purple toned palette (plus it was really affordable so I figured what the hell!).

The shadows themselves are on the dryer side which makes them a little more difficult to work with and there is some fall out too, so you would probably want to use a primer and do your foundation, concealer etc after you've finished your eyes. However the colour selection is really nice and the combination of shimmers (top row) and mattes (bottom row) is very complimentary.

L-R: Antique, Bow, Toile, Ruffle, Flounce, Lace

The colour pay off of the shadows is really nice too, although I would say they don't look exactly like how they do in the pan when you apply them, which is a little bit of a shame as I was really excited about some of them, particularly lace which I have all over my lid in the picture above. They are really long wearing with a primer (I haven't tried them without yet) and I was impressed that even the matte black shadow, Envy (which I used as like a smoky eyeliner and comes out slightly more browney than it looks) had really nice pigmentation as I've tried a few matte shadows from the drugstore which were pretty much invisible once applied.

T-B: Sinful, Gothic, Wrath, Envy

Overall I would say I'm not hugely blown away by this palette in that I will obsessively use it every day but I think it is a nice addition to my collection and will be used. For the price point I think it's worth the money and taking a punt on as the shadows are nice but I can't lie and say I'm not disappointed that they don't swatch as the same beautiful colours they look in the pan.

Have you tried out this palette yet?? Let me know what you think in the comments! Oh and by the way I joined Pinterest recently so if you want to follow me there you can here. Keep an eye out for my next post about what I bought in my mini haul!

I'm Back! - Real Techniques Duo Fibre Set

As you may have guessed from the title (and the fact that you're reading a new post from me) I'm back! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I was working on a new blog design and I was waiting for that to be finished before I posted again but then it all went horribly wrong (photoshop and I are no longer friends) and I didn't get it to look how I wanted so I never got it finished and it turned into a vicious cycle of me not posting but not getting the re-design finished and...long story short I'm back and my blog is just gunna have to keep looking like this for a while until I am willing to start on that long long long road again.

However just because I wasn't here don't think I wasn't thinking about you guys! I went to Boots and used some vouchers I had and did a bit of shopping (all for you guys of course) and I've got a couple of new things to review on here this week!

T-B: Duo Fibre Eye Brush, Duo-Fibre Contour Brush, Duo Fibre Face Brush

This post is about one of the things I got which I have been wanting for so, so, so long; the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Collection. Now if I'm honest I'm a huge believer in applying makeup with your hands (just make sure to wash them after otherwise you'll get weird thumb prints all over your phone as I found out this morning) but there are some things I like a good brush for. Recently I've been trying (and, if I'm being 100% honest here, not really succeeding) to master contouring, but the brushes I was using were way to big so I was having to try and squash them into a contouring type shape and then try and apply the bronzer to my face in a way that didn't make me look like I had 2 o'clock shadow, in other words it wasn't the best. Because of this I've been looking for a contouring brush and a brush to blend all the strange contouring lines into my face a little better than my hands can.

I also absolutely love creating new eyeshadow looks but the brushes I use for putting colour into the crease and blending are pretty old now, and kind of scratchy (but have held up very well considering I bought them for £1 about four years ago) so I figured I should treat myself to a new blending brush too. Thus this set was perfect because it covered all the bases really; the contour brush for...well contouring, the face brush for blending and the eye brush for blending out the crease.

The first thing I noticed about these is just how gorgeously soft they are! I mean before I even did my makeup with them I just sat for like 5 mins rubbing them against my face because they just feel so lovely to use. I have only ever used the expert face brush from Real Techniques before which is very dense and therefore doesn't feel as soft so I don't know if its the 'Duo Fibres' that make them so soft or just Real Techniques brushes in general but whatever it is it works.

Getting over the softness to how well they actually work I've got to say I really like them. The contouring brush makes life so much easier than me (I'm still not brilliant but at least now I can't blame the tools). It allows me to apply the colour really precisely and is the perfect size to create and work within hollows of the cheeks (of which I sadly have none naturally).

The face brush too is really lovely. It blends my contouring out nicely and something I really like about it is how light it is for such a huge brush considering both my expert face brush and Ecotools blusher brushes are both smaller and comparatively heavier.

I do really like the eye brush as well. It is the perfect size to fit perfectly into the crease and it blends out colour beautifully. The only thing is I'm not as in love with this one as I was with the others because I am adjusting to a new eye makeup application routine and it is a very different brush from the ones I used for so long and it's a bit like a break-up; I'm just finding it hard to move on with my new, better brush when the old one keeps calling me back with open arms.

However my personal brush problems aside I think these brushes are just awesome! The fact that they are white on the end is nice for cleaning because you can actually see when they're clean and (according to Boots online) the bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty free which is great. They are limited edition though so I don't know how much longer they'll be available for so if you're interested hurry!

Let me know if you guys have tried these before and keep an eye out for my posts reviewing the rest of my mini makeup haul!

That Velvet Feeling - Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet

Unless you have been living under a rock recently, or are a man who has stumbled across this blog looking to hear of mountaineering adventures (in which case I'm sorry to inform you you've come to the wrong place) then you will have heard that Bourjois have just released their Rouge Edition Velvet liquid lipsticks. I heard a lot about them in the 'blogosphere' and couldn't wait to get my hands on them even though I've been trying to be good (but was it my fault that my concelear ran out and Boots had a 3 for 2 sale??).

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet liquid lipstick

When I was buying this lipstick I just wasn't sure which colour to get because they have such a pretty range of colours that are all very 'me', but in the end I went for the colour Pink Pong as I don't have any other lipsticks this colour (I know, I know stop trying to justify it Chloe). 

Stop...Artistic swatch time

First thing I thought when I was applying this is how difficult that actually is to do. You know I love my Rimmel Apocalips, which are also liquid lipsticks, and I've never found them particularly difficult to apply. However the Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks are different in that when you first start to use the applicator there is tons of product there, however the formula is not as thick so, unless you keep dipping the applicator back into the product, after a while the colour will be uneven across your lips with some areas with lots of product and some with a more sheer coverage (basically it's not a couple of sweeps across the lips and done as with the Rimmel Apocalips).

Despite the faff that goes in to into applying this (I do my best to even it out then cover any extra patches with my Maybelline Coloursensational lipstick in Shocking Coral which adds extra vibrancy) you do have to hand it to Bourjois that most of the claims they make do actually stand up. 

The lipstick is certainly matte and is aptly named 'Velvet' as it does have this strange velvety feel which at first seriously freaked me out (I don't know why but I had the same reaction to velvet nails too) but now I'm getting used to it. Also their claim for 24 hour wear seems to stand up too (although I haven't tried it out for the full 24 hours) since, despite taking my makeup off last night, I still had a slight hint of colour still on my lips this morning and (although yes I do wash thanks for asking) I am still waiting for the colour from the swatches I did yesterday to leave my hand (thus my artistic swatch above). 

Me wearing the Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick with my Maybelline
Coloursensational lipstick on top (which is why it's shiny not matte)

All in all I would say that although this isn't the best liquid lipstick out there (it won't replace the Rimmel Apocalips in my heart) I do really love the colour and will probably continue to use it with my Maybelline lipstick it just hasn't blown my mind and become a holy grail product sadly. 

Have you tried this out yet?? What did you think??

Learning To Be Versatile

I've always been a bit OCD about things. In school my friends used to tease me because I liked my coloured pens arranged in rainbow order and I always had the tidiest notes, colour coded and arranged in a binder with dividers for each subject (yes I'm THAT girl). I think it's because I like a world where the History notes go in the History notes section and everything has a kind of order.

This applies to my makeup too, I organise it so that face products go in the face product section, lipsticks in the lipstick section etc. I guess this is why I've never been that versatile with my products because I have to categorise their uses straight away. However at the minute I'm learning not to be so quick to put (for example) a blush down as being only a blusher.

The thing is is that your products are really versatile they don't have to be used only for what they are sold as. For instance at the minute I'm into doing a really coral-y, rose gold eye look so I've been using my blusher as an eyeshadow either all over the lid or blended into the crease. 

I'll admit I've been the most experimental with using alternative products on my eyes as I've also been using my bronzer as an eye shadow as it makes a great transition colour. I usually use Buck from the naked palette but it can come off a little bit dark on me at times and my bronzer works as a great alternative for days when I'm wanting lighter toned eyeshadows or a little less definition in the crease. I've also been using my Soap & Glory Glow All Out highlighter on the brow bone as a subtle highlight.

There's loads of other products that can be multi purpose too! Eyeshadow primers can be used under the eye to help stop creasing and make concealer last longer. Cream blushes can be used as eyeshadows and lip stains, cream eyeshadows can be used like gel eyeliner and (depending on the colour) blushers and highlighters. Also those who are feeling particularly brave can apply a little lipstick to the cheeks and blend it out to create a beautiful flush of colour. 

There's a whole world out there of experimenting to be done and for someone like me it can be a little bit daunting. But I guess by multi-purposing your products you are able to get full value for money out of them and it gives you the ability to create amazing new makeup looks you never tried before!

If you know of any more uses for products that I haven't mentioned please leave them in the comments!

A Tip, A Chat and A Cupcake

Well today is Wednesday otherwise known as 'hump day' (a little fact I learnt when I was younger from playing Animal Crossing) and before your minds start working it is called 'hump day' because you're halfway through the metaphorical hill that is the week and after this you're speeding towards the weekend.

I've never been a huge fan of Wednesdays personally because when I was in school I always seemed to have my worst lessons on a Wednesday and that feeling of dread waking up on a Wednesday morning knowing its non stop maths, P.E and physics till the end of the day has never really left me. However as far as Wednesdays go today hasn't been too bad! Plus I've tried out quite a few things today I'd recommend for you to try...

One thing that has made today quite nice is that last night I saw a video by Tati (aka Glam Life Guru on YouTube) who was saying in one of her Tip Tuesday videos that if you switch around the order you shampoo and condition your hair in the shower (i.e. condition your hair, wash your body, rinse out the conditioner, THEN shampoo) it leaves your hair silkier, more volumised etc. Now in my hair tutorial post I told you how my hair just doesn't do anything in particular or hold a style so when I heard this I thought I should try it out just to see (plus Tati's hair in the video looked so gorgeous I just had to!).

Me with my (largely) frizz free hair - I have been out in the
wind a bit today!

I've got to say my hair has been feeling amazingly silky smooth all day (I was wandering around combing it with my fingers all morning) and it was quite easy to style this morning which I was impressed with as my hair desperately needs the TLC of the hairdressers at the minute and so I've been getting a lot of frizz and flyaways which just won't go away no matter how much I straighten my hair! Today zilch; one going over with the straighteners and not a flyaway in sight! Admittedly I don't have any extra volume but if you have more style-able hair than mine you might just, plus I was slightly scared to shampoo my scalp too much for fear of washing out all the conditioner so that could also have been a factor.

Also today I have been baking cupcakes with my mum for her food blog (a bit of mother/daughter bonding never hurt right??) and they are delicious!! The cupcakes were chocolate and chilli and vanilla and lavender and they were both so so so nice! My mum's food blog is The Crispy Crouton and she'll be posting a recipe soon so be sure to have a look because they were gorgeous! 

Vanilla and lavender cupcake (L) and chocolate and
chilli cupcake (R)

I realise this is becoming the most random post I've written yet (well maybe not quite but still) so I just thought I'd throw another random thing that I would recommend. I was watching the music channel the other day and it was a 90's show and this song was playing and I really loved it it was just super chilled and summery feeling so I downloaded it and I've been listening to it on repeat ever since (listening to it now and singing along). The song is Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry and I just can't get enough!

Let me know if you try any of these out! 

The Quest For The Perfect Foundation - YSL Le Teint Touche

In my last post I talked about how many lipsticks I have and how do you know when too much is too much and if I'm honest I have the same approach to everything. Things are always catching my eye and I want to try out the newer, fancier, shinier, prettier version be it makeup, skincare, clothes, technology or even stationary (yes I am a stationary geek). But one thing for me that I stick with through thick and thin is my foundation.

Now I won't lie and say I religiously purchase the same foundation over and over as, like many beauty bloggers before me, I am still searching for the ultimate foundation which will make me look permanently airbrushed, and gorgeous, yet won't be drying, break me out or look overly greasy (is that really too much to ask?). However I think I've gotten pretty damn close with my latest attempt.

I received the YSL Touche Éclat for Christmas and instantly fell in love. It made my skin look glowing (something that's tricky for my slightly dry, dull skin) and would have been so much more effective if I wasn't using a combination of my Mum's Estée Lauder Double Wear which was too light for her but too dark and full coverage for me and a different foundation I'd bought at the hight of summer when I was really tanned and therefore by Christmas was completely the wrong shade.

I am in the shade B10

I kept researching different foundations to try and considered the likes of Nars Sheer Glow etc. which are always very highly thought of but then I started hearing good things about YSL's Le Teint Touche Éclat. I want to say that I made my decision to buy this foundation was based solely upon the great reviews I heard but sadly it pains me to say that it just looked too pretty to refuse! I mean can we just pause for a minute to appreciate the packaging; sleek, glass, minimal, with a pump and oh so luxury I didn't have the will power to not buy it.

Le Teint Touche Éclat is supposed to basically give the radiance that the Touche Éclat gives but all over the face. I would say that it achieves this quite well; the radiance isn't as concentrated as it is in the Touche Éclat but I'm not sure that you would want that anyway! It does however brighten up my skin and give it an injection of life and vitality (which I particularly appreciate when I roll into class at 9:00am having not gone to bed till 3:00am).

Also this foundation is really good at evening my skin tone and covering blemishes. It isn't full coverage so you will want to use concelear for any serious under eye circles or if you've got any spots but for me it evens out any patches of redness and blots out any of those annoying red acne scars that take forever to fade away.

The only draw back I can say about this is that, in my experience, it doesn't go very far. The coverage is really buildable and for a more sheer amount of coverage I use just one pump but for days when I am a bit more spotty or suffering more redness I will use two pumps and because of this I don't think it has lasted as long as some of the other foundations I've used where I didn't feel like I had to apply as much. However it lasts all day on the skin and I only really need to top it up if I'm going out in the evening which is nice (especially if you're as expressive as me and therefore constantly touching your face and smearing your makeup everywhere).

Overall I would say this foundation is the closest to perfection I've gotten so far, wearing it makes me feel flawless and fabulous and (if for no other reason) I'd buy it again just to keep looking at the bottle!

How Much Is Too Much?

So as I said in my last post I've been home for the easter holidays this week and its been pretty hectic to say the least. But now all the running from place to place has died down a little and the "Oh my God I haven't seen you in ages! What have you been up to?"s are becoming fewer and fewer I can finally sit down and give my little blog a bit of much needed TLC.

In my very first post I told you how much I love lipstick and how it is one of my favourite makeup items. I also said how I tend to choose which lipstick to wear based upon how I'm feeling. This made packing my makeup for coming home quite difficult since I don't happen to have psychic powers (despite my childhood idolisation of 'That's So Raven') and so I don't know how I'll be feeling and therefore what lipsticks I shall be reaching for at the end of my month at home (yes I know 'bloody uni students do no work').

Therefore when I was packing lipsticks I took the same tact as I did with my clothes; if you think you might want it, take it (which is why I needed to bring two suitcases home...no packing light is not one of my strengths). However today when I was finally sorting out all of my bags out I realised I'd brought quite a lot of lipstick and when I counted I had 10! 10!

That seemed like quite a lot but then when I went through them I figured I'd probably covered all of my bases with what I had and all of them would get used. It was at this point I began to wonder how many is too many?? At what point do I stop being a girl with a lot of lipsticks and become a lipstick addict?? Will I need to go to LAA??? (Lipstick Addicts Anonymous, not as exciting as going to LA unfortunately).

It didn't help that today I went with my mum to Boots to help her choose a new lipstick and lipgloss and found out that she only ever needs the combination of the two to get by. Just two! For every occasion!

However now thinking about it more rationally I have begun to reach the conclusion that maybe everyone has their right amount of lipsticks. It's a bit like if you were to climb a mountain my mum would be there with a small rucksack and a thick coat while I would be there with all the materials to build a house and live quite comfortably for many years to come. Carrying on with this metaphor my mum may occasionally have to borrow a pick axe or a glove when some unforeseen circumstance comes along (no I don't know anything about climbing mountains how did you guess??) but generally she'll be fine.

Hopefully you stuck with me through that rather random and slightly too elaborate metaphor! Now for the good bit; the break down of what I brought with me...

- Maybelline Colour Sensational in Shocking Coral (and Neon Red), Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple and Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquer in Big Bang my three favourite summery lipsticks at the minute (I mentioned them in my first post in more detail) 

- Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey and the Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Standout both of these feel very smooth and lovely on the lips, Honey is for when I want just a little bit of colour and Standout is for when I want a red that is not going to budge no matter how much I eat/drink

- M&S Limited Lipstick in Plum Shine I'm not sure if this was just out for Christmas or not but if it isn't you should definitely try it! Just applied it doesn't have great staying power but blotted down it becomes a lovely purpley pink with slightly blue tinged glitter which catches the light and makes a statement (sounds awful but I promise is really nice and I'm always getting complimented on it!)

- Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus great for righting chapped lips and provides just a little colour...nuff said really

- Sleek Matte True Colour Lipstick in Mystic not the most hydrating of lipsticks but the colour is so gorgeous it makes up for it (you can see me wearing it in this post)

- Topshop Lipstick in Beguiled a dark red this is my go to night out lipstick since it goes with pretty much anything and always makes a statement!

A Quick Post About A Not So Quick Shop

Well its my last day of this semester before I go home to my big double bed (oh how I've missed you) and my snuggly little cat (who will be so happy to see me...not!). Because it's my last week I've been really busy especially the last couple of days so today I decided to do something nice and go shopping!

I realise this probably wasn't the smartest idea since I'm busy till late tonight and I leave early tomorrow and haven't even started packing yet (don't stress out Chloe!). But I thought a nice shopping trip with my flatmate before she leaves this evening would be a nice way to wind down for the holidays. Also Topshop had a sale on...

The damage

Both the tops were from Topshop (very aptly named) and were both in the sale, the mini satchel was also from Topshop in the sale and the playsuit was from River Island (it wasn't in the sale but I couldn't resist!). Have you guys bought anything in the sales recently??

Knotting Your Hair...In A Good Way!

I am awful at hair, like genuinely awful. When I was younger I wanted to be a hairdresser and I believe the highlight of that career was when I thought I'd developed a 'new way of plaiting' and tested it out on my best friend Katie's hair. Long story short Katie's parents managed to cut the 'plait' (read tangled mess) out of her hair. It was fine! Her hair is really thick so you could barely tell!

It also doesn't help that I have long, straight, shiny hair (I know cry me a river right?). But my hair always wants to return to its natural state and doesn't hold pins, curls, bobbles etc. very well at all. So I figured it's about time I learnt! So here is a hair tutorial (as much for me as it is for you guys) on how to create a simple half up half down knot. Enjoy!

All the tools for the job (list below)

For this you will need...

• A curling wand - this one is by TRESemmé
• Salt spray - we used Urban Fudge's Sea Salt spray
• Hair spray - this one is VO5 Ultimate Hold
• Bobby pins - for pinning hair
• A large clip - for holding hair out the way

Step 1: Split the hair down the middle into two equal sections.

Step 2: Curl the hair in 1 inch pieces away from the face

You may want to clip hair up while you do this

Step 3: After curling each piece catch the curl in your hand and then roll it back up and pin to the head (a pin curl). Be careful because the hair can be very hot while you do this!

My hair in pin curls

Step 4: Wait for the whole head to cool and for the curls to set (touch the hair and if it isn't still warm you are good to go) then take out the pins and unravel the curls.

Looking like Kirstin Dunst in Interview With A Vampire

Step 5: Run your fingers through the curls to break them up and make them less ringlety then spray the hair with salt spray for added texture.

Nice and curly

Step 6: Section the hair above the ears then split the hair above the ears into two

Step 7: Arrange these pieces so that they shape the face nicely and then tie these two pieces in a loose knot

Knotting your hair the right way

Step 8: Bobby pin the knot in place so it is nice and secure

Simple knotted design

Step 9: Spray the hair with hairspray to help hold the look in place and you are done!

The completed look

I'd like to thank my lovely flatmates for helping me to create this post. Josie for actually creating this hairstyle and Anna for taking the occasional picture and providing all round entertainment!

Anna

Josie

Let me know if you guys try this hairstyle out!