A Little Bit Gel-ous?? - Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel Oil

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Disclaimer: Ok I realise my title is appalling but just go with it for now and all will soon become clear...

My very first 'proper' makeup item (and I mean 'proper' in that I wore it everyday rather than smeared across my face to dress up as Cinderella or something) was a double ended black and white mascara that I got free out of a Shout magazine when I was about 13. We were on holiday in France at the time (where we used to go quite often) and my mum insisted that I bought some makeup remover before I used it. We went to the super market and she bought me a pack of Demak Up face wipes and then I rushed home to experiment with this strange new product ( and yes I am almost 100% sure I ended up stabbing myself in the eye).

The thing is that although my makeup use expanded and changed (if I remember that mascara made me look really bizarre because the combination of white and black made my eyelashes grey) my makeup removal didn't. Every time we visited France I'd stock up on the same makeup wipes. I have to admit they were soft and didn't irritate my sensitive skin and were practically perfect in every way (casual Mary Poppins reference) but the honeymoon period couldn't last forever. Unfortunately although Demak Up products are available in most European countries including Ireland they don't sell to the UK which meant that eventually once we stopped visiting France I had to find a solution that was more sustainable. 

At first I tried Simple's face wipes but I always felt like 90% of my makeup was still there and the wipes aren't the softest (especially the exfoliating ones which I kept accidentally buying) which made taking off my eye makeup painful. Then I briefly tried cleansers but it just seemed such a chore after the ease of the humble face wipe. Then I tried cleansing waters but I always felt like they left a sticky feeling on my face afterwards. I began to feel like maybe I'd just been spoilt and I was going to have to settle for less and then I found this...

The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel Oil
The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel Oil

I'd been hearing about cleansing balms and they sounded really cool; a solid balm that turns to an oil on your face! It's like magic! Plus the oil part sounded good for my often dry skin (though I'm told they're great for all skin types). However cleansing balms are often very expensive with even the cheapest ones coming in at about £20 so I figured I'd find a cheaper solution and I stumbled across The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel Oil.

The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel Oil
It comes out like a gel/lotion

Now this isn't strictly a cleansing balm. It comes out in as a gel/lotion (see what I did with the title now??) which is why it is available in a tube rather than a pot. It has a nice rich consistency and works a lot like a cleansing balm. You apply it to dry skin and massage it in and the gel turns to a smooth oil which feels lovely and silky smooth on the skin.

Mmm oily

Personally I love this! Since coming to uni I've been feeling like I've slowly been turning into a Spotty McGee (really spotty) and since switching to this I feel like my face is clear as day! Also I can use this around my eyes to take my eye makeup off which (yes I am sad) I find so fun because it does make you look like a panda! Once you've properly massaged this in you take off the oil with a damp cloth and I like to then use a gentle toner to finish before I apply moisturiser (partly to get rid of some excess oil, partly to get rid of any makeup there may be remaining). Plus if you are thinking of entering into that exciting world of cleansing balms but maybe are unsure about it this could be a much more affordable solution as I think it cost around £10. 

Let's Take A Moment To Obsess About Frozen...

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I know in some of my previous posts I've been harping on about how ready for summer I am but that doesn't stop me from being obsessed with Disney's wintery film Frozen. I'm not going to lie when I fist saw it advertised I wasn't impressed. I even remember saying how I thought it was gunna be another rubbishy film, with a tired script we've all seen before that was lying at the back of some cupboard somewhere that they changed slightly to have a wintery theme so they could knock it out quickly in time for Christmas.

I started getting annoyed and ranting about how cinema has become too monetised and no one thinks about the art of movies anymore. This is why great stand alone films become increasingly degraded by a series of sub-standard sequels which continue to be churned out until no body is interested in even the original anymore. However how jaded and wrong was I...

I love it. That's the first thing I thought when I saw the film (thanks to some friends of mine who insisted it was amazing). One question I do have though, having been on a cinema binge over the holidays in order to try and watch as many of the Oscar nominated films as possible (and therefore seeing the Frozen trailer 200 million times); why didn't I know it was a musical? I swear in not one advert did they show a clip of someone singing? Maybe they did and I was too busy slagging it off to notice?

Musicals are my weakness and I think everyone living in my building has heard me singing 'Let It Go' (Frozen's main song) at the top of my voice in the shower in the morning. I just loved the film too because it seemed to hark back to the Disney of my childhood with films like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Also I think the snowman, Olaf, is so sweet and cute!

Blue Silver Nail Art Frozen
Frozen nails (not literally obviously)

If any of you follow me on Instagram you might have seen the drawing of Elsa that I did a couple of weeks ago (if not you can see my Instagram here). I wouldn't say Elsa is my favourite character in the film but I would say she has the best outfit! It's blue and silver and sparkly which are like all of my favourite things! So, taking my Frozen obsession to the next level I decided to do some Elsa inspired nail art...

Miss Den Vernis Express Color Nail Polish Blue Star
Miss Den nail varnish in Blue Star

I used about 3 coats of my Miss Den nail varnish in Blue Star as the base because I thought it was the colour that matched Elsa's dress the most.

Essie Silver Glitter Nail Polish Hors 'DOeuvres
Essie nail varnish in Hors D'Oeuvres

Then I used my Essie nail varnish in Hors D'Oeuvres (with not much on the brush because it is quite a thick glitter) and randomly dragged the brush down my nail to create icicle effects with the glitter. You could use a blue glitter if you wanted (which I nearly did) to make it more like Elsa's dress. Or, of course, you could use different colours entirely...if you aren't as obsessed with Frozen as me....

When I'm Old(er) I Shall Wear Purple

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When I was in first school there was a big thing about reading poems to us in assemblies. As a result there are loads of very random poems I seem to be able to quote due to the fact that there was a very limited store of poetry and about every moth each poem was re-read to us on rotation. The three I can remember most vividly were a nonsensical poem about the oojamaflip, a (frankly disturbing) poem which used the lifecycle of the blackberry plant as some weird metaphor for death (that one was particularly popular around harvest time) and 'When I'm Old I Shall Wear Purple' by Jenny Joseph. The last was probably my favourite. It's about a woman who decides that when she's old she can get away with anything and she goes around in bright purple clothes doing all the things we secretly want to and living life to the full (i.e a premonition of my own behaviour when I reach that age).

I guess the reason why I've thought of this poem when writing this post is because of:
1. The colour connection
2. That 'why not?' attitude.

Rimmel Scandeleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Purple
Rimmel Scandeleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal
eyeliner in purple

Over the Christmas holidays I went on a mad make-up binge (which I mentioned in my previous post) and one of the things I bought was a Rimmel Scandleyes  purple eyeliner. I had just read somewhere that purple on the eyes really brings out the colour of green eyes and (although I have strange eyes which in various lights appear to be various different colours to different people) I am considered by at least half the people I meet to have green eyes. So I thought I'd mix it up and give purple liner a try. The only thing is I used it twice, got distracted by other stuff I'd bought and forgot about it...that is until this morning.

Slightly scary eyes but the eyeliner looks nice!

Don't ask me why but this morning I just felt like doing something a bit different. A bit (as one of my flatmates would say) 'snazzy'. So I was rummaging through my makeup drawers and found the purple eyeliner and decided to go for it.

Very subtly purple

The other times when I'd used this eyeliner I felt a bit strange, I don't really wear much colour on my eyes, and I felt like someone in a syfy movie where they think its a good idea to stick random bright colours just on their face to make them look 'futuristic'. If I'm honest I can't exactly remember how I used it over Christmas (I think at one point I tried it with green eyeshadow...not wise) but today I decided to do a really neutral eyeshadow look and then use the pop of purple as the main thing and I think it really worked.

My face

I paired it with my Sleek Matte True Colour Lipstick in Mystic, which is another product I bought ages ago on a whim and then quickly forgot about and I like the purple with blue/pink effect. I just got quite excited about this this morning and thought I'd share it with you...after all why not right???

Eyeshadows For A True Romantic - True Romance Eyeshadow Palette

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After another busy day at uni I'm counting down the days till the Easter holidays when I can go back home and just chill for a little while. Of course that will probably involve some shopping (what better way to relax??) and when I was home for Christmas I think the excitement of not having to buy a weekly food shop for a while caused me to go a little overboard with my shopping i.e buy practically everything in Boots (of course I joke...I didn't buy nappies or mens shaving cream).

One of the many makeup purchases I made over the Christmas break was the Kat Von D True Romance eyeshadow palette in Saint. I'd been getting bored of my Urban Decay Naked palette (which is excellent btw) and was looking for something to change it up a bit and excite me into creating new eye looks. There were various different palettes I was considering but after many unsuccessful trips around Newcastle I decided upon this one.
Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette Saint
L-R heavens, enjoy the silence, <3, downtown,
sunny, pray for me, bookworm, caravaggio

I saw it first in one of Essie Button's beauty videos on YouTube and thought the shadow colours looked beautiful (also the packaging is amazing!). Kat Von D was like my idol when I went through an emo faze in middle school and although sadly (in my opinion) LA Ink started getting a bit boring and samey I can't help but admit the middle school Chloe inside of me couldn't wait to get her hands on some of Kat's makeup line. Unfortunately the Kat Von D makeup line isn't widely available here in England and although you can get items off ebay, Amazon etc. I never 100% trust sellers with makeup which is so easy to knock off to a lower quality so instead I purchased mine from Rose's Beauty Store. This site is great if you want to get your hands on something which isn't really available here but is in America, you will pay more than you would if you bought it in America but trust me the difference is way less than a flight.

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette Saint
Pretty packaging

When the palette first arrived the first thing I noticed was the packaging. First off the cardboard box it all comes in is so pretty (but sadly I don't still have it so I don't have a picture to show you). Then there is the packaging of the palette. It is black with a rose design (my favourite flower) stamped onto it with the Kat Von D logo embossed on top. I have read reviews where people complain that the packaging feels very plasticy and cheap and I would say it doesn't feel extremely luxe. However it is in keeping with Kat's overall aesthetic and middle school Chloe enjoys that very much. 

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette Saint
Lovely neutrals

Now to the bit you've all been waiting for...the shadows themselves. They are all really pigmented and beautiful to wear (my personal favourite is downtown, the rose gold shade). All of the shadows are shimmery apart from caravaggio (which is a matt dark brown) and <3, and bookworm (which both contain chunks of glitter). I do love this palette so much and use it almost every day in conjunction with my Naked palette or other shadows as, despite the fact it is so neutral, I do find it difficult to create looks only using these shadows due to its lack of matt colours, which I prefer to use for blending. Also I would recommend using a good primer (mine is Urban Decay's primer potion) underneath these shadows as they are quite powdery and so you have to be careful to avoid fall out when applying them. I would also say press your brush into the pans rather than dragging it across (as I found the hard way this just makes a total mess). These aside however I think the colour pay off of these is fantastic, they are very easy to wear and...you never know I might be tempted to try another one of these palettes over the Easter holidays! I can hear my bank account complaining now....

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette Saint Swatches
Swatch of (L-R): heavens, enjoy the silence, <3, downtown and sunny

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette Saint Swatches
Swatch of (L-R): pray for me, bookworm, caravaggio

Gloomaway On A Gloomy Day - Gloomaway Body Soufflé

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In my last post I said how excited I was for summer now the weather is turning and I think I may have jinxed it as the temperature is gradually dropping back down and the clouds are rolling in. As I type the rain is beating a sad rhythm against my window washing away my dreams of sun.


Rain window
Outside my window


It is on days like today that I want to use summery feeling products like my Origins GloomawayGrapefruit Body Soufflé. I received this as a Christmas present from my parents and at first I was taken aback by the unseasonal scent. When it says it smells of grapefruit it really SMELLS of grapefruit (so if you don't like that scent then it won't be for you) however I really like it so that was all well and good, I just thought it a strange scented present to receive in winter. 

However the product seemed too nice to leave in the back of my drawer until summer so I started using it right away and that was when the name 'Gloomaway' really came into its own. On the back of the tub it claims to create a feeling of 'optimism and content' and I swear it really does! The fragrance is so summery and warm, and it just fills up the room you are in so that it feels like a waft of warm air bringing a taste of summer to you. The scent even lingers on the skin so that it is almost like carrying that feeling around with you all day. Mmmm...

Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle
Even the lid is sunny!

Just had to pause to put some on there! Other than the scent (which I know I've raved about but is really only half the story) it also works amazingly as a moisturiser. I've only ever used one other product which referred to itself as a body soufflé and that had a very solid texture so I was quite surprised to find that this has a nice, lightweight, whipped texture to it which just melts into the skin as soon as you start massaging it in.

I also have quite dull dry skin so I am extremely impressed with this product! I mainly apply it to my arms and legs and my arms have become the smoothest I've ever seen them and my legs...! It gives that freshly shaved feeling to my legs (even when they haven't been) where I want to walk everywhere in a stupid criss cross fashion so they can rub together as much as possible because they are that silky soft! I just love it! Plus (since I've been using this pretty much non stop since Christmas in very liberal amounts) it lasts for a long time as I haven't even used a third of it yet.

Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle
Whipped to perfection...

In case all of the above hasn't convinced you of how great this product is it is also paraben free, paraffin free and Origins don't test their products on animals so it is good for you and you can feel good about it too!

In Search of the Perfect Pout

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I love makeup. Ask anyone! Well ok maybe not anyone in the whole world but anyone who knows me. My friends, family, flatmates they'll all tell you the same: that yes I do...maybe a little bit too much...

One of the makeup items I love the most is lipstick. Don't ask me why, I just do. However there seems to be some sort of science to choosing what lipstick to wear. One of my friends told me she only ever needs two; a red and a neutral. However if anyone has seen my lipstick drawer then they know I clearly do not share in this minimalist approach. Another one of my friends never chooses her lipstick until she has done her eye makeup. Although I agree with this philosophy to a point I'm not that bothered if they match perfectly so long as I don't look like a drag queen or an explosion in a colour factory!

Lipsticks
My lipstick drawer

I realise that I'm making this sound like a big issue. I will admit that this is not on par with say, choosing which wire to cut to disarm a bomb, or being the leader of a country. Those both involve far more important decisions. However the right lipstick can make the difference between being fabulous and sexy and looking like you got ready in the dark...without a mirror...when you're colour blind.

Personally, how I'm feeling largely dictates which lipstick I choose. At the minute, after feeling like I've spent months in hibernation during the depths of winter, I'm ready for a bit of summer (and it seems like at least half the time the weather is agreeing with me). As a result of this summery feeling my lipstick choices are becoming summery too!

So, while I've been leaving the house in optimistically short skirts and bare legs, debating if the weather really is nice enough to leave my jacket at home (then deciding halfway through the day I'm too cold and coming back to get it) my lipstick has been one of the following three bright combinations:

Maybelline Colour Sensational in Shocking Coral


Maybelline Colour Sensational
Looks slightly orangey in this photo - be kind I'm new to this!

I've seen this colour recommended by so many beauty youtubers and bloggers and every time I've walked past the makeup counters I've stopped to look at the tester and gone "Oh no thats so not the colour I thought it was!" and admittedly in the tube it does look like the colour favoured by my Nana. However after much coaxing I took the plunge and never looked back. Actually wearing it rather than staring at it the colour becomes much more flattering and vibrant coral/pink (not grannyish don't worry) and as a result is the perfect summer colour!

Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple


Revlon Lip Butter
More sheer than it looks, promise!

I've been really liking this colour for more understated lips recently, which is something I don't do very often as 'understated' is not really a word that can be used to describe me. However this adds a slight orangey toned red hue to the lips and also makes me look slightly more tanned (a feat all on its own).

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquer in Big Bang


Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquer
Excuse my chipped nails!

This is not a lipstick for the faint hearted! As it comes in like a gloss form I would say you have to be really careful to make sure you don't go too far outside your lip line or it will genuinely look like you've been bleeding from the mouth (attractive!). I prefer to blot this after I've applied it anyway because it brings out the orangey tones in the red (yes there is a theme developing!). Blotting will also help to prevent the colour bleeding and keep your lipstick from leaving large red rings marking your territory on every glass you drink out of. 

Below are swatches on my hand of all three colours:

L-R: Candy Apple, Big Bang, Shocking Coral

What's your favourite lipstick at the minute???