January 2014 Favourites

I can't tell you how strange it is to be writing my January Favourites whilst I'm still munching my way through Christmas chocolate, and I still have fairy lights up. I feel like this month has flown by, I've been so caught up in uni work I've barely noticed the days ticking by.

I've discovered a few products this month that have already become firm favourites, and I've been so excited to share them with you guys.

I'm gonna mix things up and start with a fragrance. I don't often speak about fragrance here because, to be honest, I'm awful at describing scents. When Giorgio Armani released their new fragrance, Si in 2013, I was obsessed with it. I was working in Boots at the time and I wore the tester during every shift. I absolutely loved it, but at the time couldn't justify over forty pounds on a perfume, especially when I had so many others. However, my lovely Mum knew it was on my wishlist, and bought me it for Christmas, and I love it. I've worn it every day since then, and I can see myself repurchasing this over and over again. I won't attempt to describe it, it's best to go smell it, but it's a really sweet, but grown up fragrance, and I love it.

Something else fragrance related, I've been loving the Aromatherapy Associates Bath Oil Set I picked up in the Space NK sale. I've had a pretty stressful month and relaxing in a hot bath with one of these oils tipped in has been heaven. Hell, even just grabbing a bottle to sniff when I'm sat at my desk and stressing has been lovely.

There haven't been loads of makeup favourites for me this month, the first half of the month was made up of me sticking to using my December Favourites, and then the second half I've been trying out lots of new products, which I don't feel like I can include since I haven't been using them that long (keep your eyes peeled for a haul though!). However, there have been a couple of standout products for me. The first is The Body Shop Honey Bronzer 001, which is unlike any bronzer I've ever used. It's completely matte and very light, but not orange toned at all. I love my NARS Laguna, but on an everyday basis this is more subtle. I've been wearing this everyday as a contour.

Another one that's been getting a lotta lovin' is the Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak, a JennyPurr enabled purchase. I've spoken a lot about this this month, so I'll just say, awesome formula, awesome colour, check out this post, to see more about it!

I've totally fallen in love with a new brow product. The Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil (not photographed, I left it in Bournemouth this weekend, sob) has become a staple in my makeup bag. The tint end allows you to draw in hairs where your brows are sparse, and then the waxy pencil adds definition. I've been using just the tint on days when I'm after a more natural look, and then the pencil too when I want defined brows that still look natural. I have the shade Brownie Points which is a perfect match. 

A nail product made the favourites this week. When I don't want to compromise on glossy finish but I'm in a rush, I've been using the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry Spray on my nails, over my standard glossy finish topcoat. Just spritz this on the nails after applying your topcoat for instantly dry talons. Perfect lazy girl accessories.

I've been on the hunt for the perfect dry shampoo the past few months, and whilst Tresemme's offering came pretty close, I'm currently obsessed with the Dove Refresh & Care Dry Shampoo. This is the only dry shampoo that leaves my hair feeling squeaky clean, smells good and doesn't leave a powdery residue. 

That's it for this months favourites, as I said I'm still loving all of last months favourites, and the products I've mentioned in my This Week I Loved posts!

What have been your favourites this month?

Inside My Makeup Bag - The Weekend Home

I don't often have a makeup bag for you to peak inside, it's been a long time since my makeup collection fit inside the confines of a bag. Usually, the only time I use makeup bags is when I'm headed away from my London nest, where an extensive amount of Muji storage resides, crammed with beauty products. Last weekend, I took a trip back to Bournemouth for two nights (which turned into three), to catch up with my family and interview a few people for my Uni coursework. 

Normally when I head home for just a few days I take very little makeup. When the plan is just to chill with my family, I take very little other than a BB Cream, a mascara and lip balm, but since I had a few bits to do, and I had a few products I wanted to play with, I took a little more than usual, so I thought I'd show you what made the cut. 

I took a primer because I'm didn't want to have to fuss with touch ups, and the one I picked out is the L'Oreal Skin Perfection Blur, a thicker primer than usual, but when worked into the skin it smooths and creates a barrier between skin and makeup, stopping your skins natural oils from shining through your makeup. For foundation, I took the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation, to give it a test run! For concealer, I took the Seventeen Phwoarr Paint, a decent medium coverage concealer, that I like because it stays intact all day. I took a setting powder just in case, and picked the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder, my favourite from the drugstore. 

For the cheeks, I went with my current favourite bronzer, The Body Shop Honey Bronzer, a light coloured matte bronzer, perfect for contour. It's also got sleek packaging, and a decent size mirror, so it's great for travel. For blush, I took the Bobbi Brown Blush in Apricot. This is a recent addition to the stash, a really lovely gift. It's a bright matte pink (no idea why it's called Apricot), and so far I'm massively impressed, but more on that soon. I also took my new Revlon Photoready Skinlights, a lunchtime treat to myself, courtesy of my Boots Points. I like to blend this on the top of my cheekbones and under my browbone, for added subtle glow. I want to try mixing this into my foundation too. 

For brows, it was no question. The Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil is the perfect on the go brow product. I took my MAC Painterly Paint Pot as a base for eyeshadows, to make them last all day with no creases or smudges, and it really makes eyeshadow colours pop. I chose not to take an eyeshadow palette, so instead chucked in my MAC Eyeshadow Duo in Whims and Fancies, as well as my Maybelline Eye Studio Eye Shadow in Iced Fudge, three colours that all work well together, and alone. Mascara was an easy one too, the Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara is great for length and volume, and is super buildable.

Lips were handled by two colour options. I mentioned the Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak in last weeks' This Week I Loved post, and I'm obsessed by it. A somewhat sheer pinky coral lipstick, I absolutely love it. I also threw in the Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Colour in Pink Rush to try out. Also in the makeup bag was the Maybelline Baby Lips Intense Care, for added moisture, particularly since it's gotten so cold recently!

Those are the picks that I took home! If you'd like to see a full review on any of these products, let me know!

The Stationery Edit

Anyone who knows me well will be able to tell you that I'm a total stationery junkie. I'm obsessed with notebooks and pens and listmaking, and I get just as excited over a good notebook, as I do a limited edition NARS blusher. My mum actually thinks its hilarious how excited I get, she still hasn't forgotten the time I scored my dream Filofax for £8 in TKMaxx. I was practically euphoric for a week. With a new year of course comes a new pile of stationery to mix in with the old, so here's my pick of the best. If stationery doesn't get your blood pumping, I'm sorry, normal beauty programming will resume tomorrow!

First up, my 2014 diary. I normally use a Filofax, but I really wanted an everyday diary that had each week printed twice, so I could use one for what I'm up to, and one for what posts are going up on the blog. I found this in John Lewis for a bargain £9.99. It's super cute, and it has the week printed twice on facing pages. Perfect.

One of the latest additions to my notebook ranks are these Go Stationery A4 exercise books. I found them in TKMaxx for a bargain £2.50 each. I love them because not only is the paper quality excellent (geek thing, gotta have good quality paper), the design super pretty, but their also super slim, so they don't take up much room on my desk or in my bag. I use one for scribbling down monthly blog plans, and long blog lists, and the other for my current Uni project. Pretty!

The perfect partner to a good notebook - good post-its. The book on the left is from Cath Kidston, I picked it up in the John Lewis, still extortionately priced. I mostly use this for filling up my diary with extra notes. On the right is a set I got for my birthday last year from my Mum, but I'm pretty sure that came from Marks and Spencer. I use these for making notes in books, magazines and my diary, and to leave notes for the boy.

I got this adorable set of three mini Amy Tangerine sketchbooks from TKMaxx. They're the perfect size for slipping in your handbag for notes on the go, and aren't they adorable? The notebook underneath is one of those Martha Stewart Leather notebooks. I have four of these now, two are full, one is full of personal lists, and this one is where all the extensive blog post planning happens, from lists of photos to take, to notes on products. I adore these notebooks, if they discontinue these I will be stockpiling.

I've been obsessed with Rob Ryan since I was about 14 so when I stumbled across this notebook in Selfridges, it had to come home with me. This is my current sketchbook, I love the design, it's so pretty, and inside has plain pages, which is pretty rare in a notebook.

Stationery ramble over. I could look at pictures of notebooks all day. Got any pretty notebooks? Go on, enable me...

Cooking With Jaye: S'mores Brownies

 I'm not a massive chocolate fan, I don't like chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, hot chocolate or chocolate milkshakes. I can never even finish a small bar of chocolate, but these were amazing. Brownies are one of the few chocolatey goodies that I do like, although I'm pretty fussy, I like 'em cakey but the boy likes them gooey. I made these a week or so ago and they are perfect because the ones on the outside end up cakey, and the ones in the middle gooey. These were incredibly straightforward to make, you know me, I don't like to faff in the kitchen, and they didn't take long either. I love the marshmallow top, it makes these super special, but of course, you could leave it off.

You will need:

100g Butter 

200g Chocolate (you can use any chocolate you like, I used two bars of standard Milka because that's what I had in, but you can use dark or milk, I prefer them with milk!)

4 Medium sized eggs

250g Caster Sugar

100g Plain Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

30g Cocoa Powder

One bag of Marshmallows

One Digestive Biscuit 

The method is pretty simple, start by melting butter and chocolate, I did this by putting both in a glass bowl, sitting it in a saucepan full of water on a medium heat, stirring it as it melted, it only took a few minutes. Then in a mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar together, then fold in the chocolate butter mix. Then mix in flour, baking powder & cocoa powder. Mix it all up til its smooth then bung it in the oven on 200c for 20 minutes (works best in a 20cm tray). Once that's out, let it cool and switch the grill on. Sprinkle marshmallows over the top of the brownie, and grill until they've gone squishy and start to brown at the edges. Finally, crumble up a rich tea biscuit and sprinkle it on the top! Serve with a mug of your favourite tea.

Are you a brownie fan? Got any good recipes for me to try?

Empties #4

 Once again, the box under my desk full of empty products is overflowing, so here's the rundown of the products I've used up, whether I'd purchase them again, and what I thought.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Agent: I'm sure I've mentioned this before, this is a product that I've been using since I was about eleven, my mum, my sister, even my Dad, use this. If you've got the frizzy hair gene, you need this. It tames flyaways and frizz without making hair feel heavy or sticky.

Will I repurchase? Already have.

Tresemme Salon Salon Silk Shampoo: I picked this up basically because it said 'moisture' on the bottle, and my hair felt dry. This is too much for me for daily use, I found it made my hair feel heavy and flat, and greasy quicker, I had to get The Boy to finish this off for me. Nice if your hair is needing a bit of moisture, but the bottles too big and it's too much for everyday

Will I repurchase? Unlikely.

Tresemme Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo: This was recommended to me by a reader, and I'm so glad because I really like it. Unlike most dry shampoos, this is clear, so it doesn't leave a white cast in your hair. It doesn't have a heavy scent, just smells fresh, so it's not overpowering. The one thing I don't like about this, is the fact that it only lasted me about two weeks, since I use a little dry shampoo to style my hair everyday, when a can of Batiste will last me a month.

Would I repurchase? Already have.

Girlz Only Dry Shampoo: I really liked this until I discovered the Tresemme one. Now this feels heavy and horrible. I think the Tresemme one actually makes my hair feel clean, whereas this one just masks oils.

Would I repurchase? No.

V05 Give Me Texture: I've spoken about this a thousand times, so I'll make this brief. Highstreet dupe for the Oribe Dry Texturising spray & Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Thickening spray. Adds texture to hair without making it feel heavy with product.

Would I repurchase? Already have.

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Conditioner: I mentioned this in my recent Disappointing Products post, I used it up just because it was expensive and I didn't want to waste it, but I really didn't get on with this at all. It was really thin and really didn't do anything for my hair at all, when I washed it out my hair didn't even feel like I'd put conditioner in it. Shame because the hair mask from this range is one of my favourites.

Would I repurchase? Definitely not.

Kleenex Facial Cloths: I actually got through four boxes of these, but it seemed silly to keep all of them. I use these every night to remove my makeup and I love them.

Would I repurchase? Already have.

Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant: I picked this up because I couldn't work out what was so special about it, it looks the same as Sure's standard roll on (which I like) but it's more than double the price and is in weird twist up packaging. I didn't get on with this at all, I found that one twist gave out too much product, leaving me with wet under-arms and deodorant all over my clothes, the tube didn't last long at all, and unlike the standard roll on, I couldn't still smell this on me at the end of the day (in fact, the smell was gone by about 3pm). Not impressed with this at all.
Would I repurchase? No but I would get the standard roll on. 

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish: Oh wow I love this. A thick creamy cleanser that takes off makeup a treat but leaves skin feeling hydrated, smooth and clean. From what I gather online this either works for your skin because of the essential oils, or it doesn't, and for me it really does. When I stopped using this my skin broke out like nobodies business, within a week I'd bought another bottle, and now I use it every night without fail.

Would I repurchase? Already have.

Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oil in Revive Evening and  De-Stress Muscles: These were part of the Aromatherapy Associates Gift set I picked up in the sales. I loved these so much, they recommend putting the whole bottle in one bath, but I find that half is more than enough to fill the room with scent and leave my skin soft after. Really impressed with these.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: Finally used this one up, a little really goes a long way with this product. One of my favourite primers for smoothing the surface of the skin and making makeup last longer.

Would I repurchase? Already have.

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Tint:  I've had this for ages but it's finally packed in and dried up. I liked this as a base for lipstick, I found it really helped the colour last, but also fade evenly.

Would I repurchase? Yes, but I have a lot of other products like this that I'd use up first!

Max Factor Lip Tint: Same story as the Maybelline one really, except this one dried up quicker. Shame because it's a lovely product!

Would I repurchase? Probably not.

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder: My favourite setting powder from the highstreet. I hit pan on this majorly, and then smashed it and lost the end. Gives a little coverage, a lot of staying power and gets rid of shine, liked this a lot!

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Benefit Hello Flawless Powder Foundation: I absolutely love everything about this product, except the price. Really gutted that this is all gone, it's definitely my favourite setting powder of all. It's got enough coverage that you can apply it with a Beauty Blender and wear it alone, or you can apply it with a brush as a setting powder. Love the colour on me too!

Would I repurchase? Yes, but I'd wait til it was on offer or I had a voucher.

What products have you used up this month? Have you tried any of these products?

Want to see more Empties posts? Click here.

This Week I Loved...

Another week, another round of products I've been loving. I'm still loving all the products I mentioned in last week's post, but there are a few others that have been in the rotation too.

At the end of last week, I took five empty pots back to Lush and got a free face mask for doing so. I picked Catastrophe Cosmetic, my favourite face mask of all time. This got me out of a tricky situation on Monday when my skin had an impromptu freak out, after I made the mistake of wearing my MAC Studio Fix Foundation two days in a row. This soothed my skin and unclogged the pores on my nose and jawline that were agitated by the foundation, and got my skin back to normal.

This week, I've been sporting a few red lips, with a low maintenance eye look. I've been forgoing eyeshadow in favour of a simple winged liner look. In my opinion, there's no liner that compares to the Soap and Glory Supercat Liner. It's easy to use, wears well, stays black all day with no transfer, and all for a reasonable price. I used to wear black liner everyday, but in the last year rarely have. This week though, I've been back on the liner train and loving it.

I finally caved and picked up the Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Concealer after seeing Kate rave about it in just about every video and blogpost over the past few months. It doesn't really cut it for me when it comes to blemishes, but for everyday use concealing under my eyes and any redness, it's a winner. I'm not really familiar with much from the Seventeen line, I don't think I've bought anything from there since my early teens, but I'm really impressed with this, and if this is what the rest of the line is like, I'll definitely be checking it out.

And lastly, my polish pick of the week. I ordered two Orly Polishes in the Fragrance Direct sale for a bargain £3.99 each, and finally got my hands on the highly coveted Rage shade. It's the most beautiful shimmery rose gold polish, and I'm so impressed with the wear time, four days in and not a chip in sight. Also, it only needed one coat to be completely opaque, and that makes it a winner in my book.

Sort and sweet this week, but like I said, I've still been loving last weeks products, so be sure to check those out too! What products have you been loving this week?

The Drugstore Dupe #2

Ahh Seche Vite. I have a love hate relationship with Seche Vite. I love it's glossy finish, it's fast-drying properties, but hate it's price, and the fact that it goes solid when you've only used half the product.

I, personally think that £9.95 is a lot of money for a topcoat, particularly when you only get to use half a bottle. I know it's cheaper than getting your nails done at a salon, but still...

So when my last bottle of Seche Vite started to turn, I ended up trawling the aisles of Boots looking for something else a little cheaper, when I came across the Rimmel Nail Nurse Base and Top Coat. I don't use this as a base coat, unless I'm travelling to reduce on product space, but I love this as a Top Coat. In formula and finish this is identical to Seche Vite, I've been using it for 6 months now and honestly can't tell the difference, except when you hit the middle of the bottle, it doesn't go gloopy, and turn solid. And the best bit? It's under a fiver and available everywhere!

What is your favourite nail Top Coat? Do you use Seche Vite?

The Blogger Made Me Buy it Tag

I think we are all a little guilty of buying things because someone online said it was good, I mean, you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't value the opinion of bloggers to a certain extent, right? Well the lovely Danniella created a tag all about that...

1) Who are your most influential bloggers? Who are the ones that you really rely on for reviews and swatches?

Mostly the bloggers featured on my blog roll, but in particular Jenny Purr, LeighAnnSays and Gh0stparties. Before I buy a product I usually check out Temptalia too, she's got the best swatches! I'm pretty easily enabled really, give me a rave review and I just have to buy the product.

2) Do you buy a product solely as a result from one review from your favourite bloggers, or do you look for more reviews from others?

Normally I'll be set on a roll by one good review, when I see a review of a product I like, I always tend to look at more reviews before I buy it!It's very rare that I buy something off the back of one review!

3) What is your most favourite item that you have ever bought as a consequence of blogs?

Definitely NARS blushes, they are probably my favourite makeup product, and I never would have found them if it wasn't for the blogosphere, but there are so many products I've bought because of bloggers!

4) What is your least favourite item that you have ever bought as a consequence of blogs?

The Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. Do not understand the hype around that at all, it's cakey and it oxidises like mad! For the most part though, I tend to look into products enough that I know I'll like it!

5) Name 5 products you have bought recently as a result of blogs.

Ummmm, Revlon Matte Balms, Orly Nail Polishes in Rage and Candyfloss, Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak, Sally Hansen Mega Shine Extended Wear Topcoat and The Body Shop Honey Bronzer. That was far too easy to think of.

6) Have you ever given into blogger hype? If so, which hype?

Oh god, so many. The Maybelline Baby Lips, Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, The Urban Decay Naked Palettes, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder... The list is basically endless. If a product has been hyped by bloggers, I've probably got it or had it.

7) Have you ever avoided blogger hype? If so, which hype?

The Oribe Dry Texturising Spray. I know I'm going to love it, but it's waaaaay too expensive to even consider going near! £40 for a hairspray is ridiculous, no matter how good it is!

8) Is everything you buy based on blogger reviews or are there some items you buy without checking out a review?

Sometimes if I'm in Boots I'll come across a product that I like the look of and just pick it up, but only with highstreet products, even if I find a higher end product I like the look of when I'm out I'll usually run a little google search just to see if there's anything negative on it! 

Make sure you check out Danniella's blog, and I tag Linda, Holly, Becca, & Vanessa and any of you reading this!

Are you guilty of buying products on blogger recommendations?

P.S. I've been having a makeup sort out this week, and have found a load of products I either haven't used, or used once and forgot about, would you be interested in a blog sale? Let me know! x

Project Pan

I am very good at spending money on beauty products, I buy a lot. But sometimes, when a product enters the stash it gets forgotten. This normally happens after I've used half of it, and then moved on to something else. I've given myself a new rule for a new year, I'm not allowed to buy a new product, until I've used one up. So to buy a new lipstick I have to use a lipstick up, that sort of thing. So this week I went through the stash, and pulled out all the products that I'm going to try and use up over the next few weeks/months.

MUA Matte Perfect Primer: I've mentioned this product before, it's a near identical dupe for Benefit's Porefessional. I've stopped using primers recently, purely because I can't be bothered with the extra step in the morning, but I like the effect this primer gives. I'm about halfway through this tube, but a little really goes a long way. 

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara: I really do like this mascara, but the formula is just so wet that I kept getting it all over my face, so it was relegated to the back of the stash, until it dried up a bit. Luckily, it seems to have done just that, making it a lovely everyday mascara, adding length and a subtle amount of volume to my lashes. 

Maybelline Baby Lips Intense Care: This isn't a product I stopped using, but it's one of the only lip balms I've ever gotten half way through, so I'm determined to finish it off! I use this in the mornings before I apply makeup to soften my lips up before I put on lipstick. Hydrating and easy, I really like this lip balm. 

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: I've had this almost empty tube kicking around for ages now, but I have a new, unopened one waiting in the wings to be used, so I want to get the last bits out and use them up. This is one of my favourite primers, non-greasy and actually extends the life of my makeup. 

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation: I spoke about this in this weeks' 'This Week I Loved' post, I stopped using it because the lack of pump is super inconvenient and I hate the smell, but I like the finish and coverage it gives. I have no idea how much is left but I've made quite a dent in it that's for sure, the lack of pump actually means a lot of it gets wasted. 

Benefit Stay Don't Stray: This is so nearly used up, but a while back I finally understood the hype around the Urban Decay Primer Potion and since then, that's pretty much all I've used. However, this is an amazing eye primer, so back into the rotation it goes. 

Benefit Hello Flawless Powder foundation: This is by far one of my favourite powders, but since I dropped it a month or so ago and cracked what was left (not much, I had hit pan drastically) I haven't used it much. However, this stuff is expensive and I'm not about to chuck it out when I can still use up the last bit. I don't think I'll be chucking this in my handbag anytime soon, but for setting my makeup in the mornings, it'll be just fine. 

Rimmel Stay Matte: Yet another powder, I like this one, I just got a bit bored of it. I tend to sport powder a lot more in the summer, when I know I'll be shiny by 10 o'clock, but this is a nice lightweight setting powder, and there's not really that much left! 

Vera Wang Princess: I kid you not, I've had this perfume for over three years. This is my go to scent, but I'm a one spritz and done sorta girl, I've never been one to douse myself in perfume. I really want to use this up though before it starts to go funny, I'm lucky it still smells good now!

Let The Good Times Roll: You guys already know this is like my favourite product ever, well... I love it so much I have two open. I have no idea why, I just do. One of them is nearly empty now, so I'm going to make a massive effort to use it up!

The Body Shop Mango Hand Sanitizer: I'm a bit of a hand sanitizer junkie, I have bottles everywhere, in every handbag, on my desk, on my bedside table, on my dressing table... you get the gist. This means however, that very rarely do any get used up. This is one of my favourite scents, and there's less than a third left, so it's time to finish it up!

Pixi Glow Tonic: I love this product, I really do, I just forget to use it. It has an amazing effect on my skin, I just never remember to use it. I'm going to put this by my sink so I remember to use it in the mornings.

What products do you need to use up? Have you tried any of these?

What's On My Face #4 - The Naked 3 Palette

 It's been a while since my last What's on My Face Post, the abundance of chocolate that I ate over the festive period caused a few weeks of dodgy skin, so I thought I'd save you from the pain of looking at my face for a while! But I've definitely fallen for a few products over the last six weeks, and I really wanted to show you them in action. 

I snapped this picture before heading out for dinner with the boy last week, hence the dodgy lighting. I wasn't going to do a post on it, but I really liked the look, so I figured why not, and grabbed a few pictures.

To start off I used the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer, which I am dreading running out of! On top of that, I applied a very small amount of the L'Oreal True Match Foundation, I wanted quite a light, natural looking base. I then took the Maybelline Eraser Concealer under my eyes, and over any redness. I really love this concealer, but mine actually broke yesterday, and I'm not even halfway through but I can't get any more product out, which is disappointing. 

To add a little colour to my face I've been trying out The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer in 01, which is a super light matte bronzer, perfect for warming up the face, or contouring on pale skin. I took this under my cheekbones and then up onto my temples for a little more warmth. On my cheeks I used the NARS Day Dream Blush, which has fast become my favourite blush, possibly of all time. It's such a pretty, brightening pink, but it really goes with everything. Then I took the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light down my nose and across my cheekbones, just to set my makeup, and add a little glow.

Brows were handled by the Soap and Glory Archery in Brownie Points, another product that has totally stolen my heart. I only used the brow tint here, just to draw in a few hairs where my brows are sparse to make them look naturally more even, but I do usually then take the pencil end through them to define them a little more. I then primed my eyes with the Urban Decay Primer Potion in Greed, a gold shimmery confection that holds shadow in place and shimmers the situation up a little. I then took the shade Mugshot from the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette all over the lid, and Factory through the crease, one of my favourite combinations from this palette. I also took a little of the Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Rockstar on a small angled brush along my upper and lower lash line, very close to the lashes just to define. A very Urban Decay centric eye look, but I'm really loving the brand at the moment! Lashes curled with the Shu Umera Lash Curlers, and then applied a few lashings of the L'Oreal False Lash Effect Telescopic Mascara since the boy always comments on my lashes when I wear this (think long fluttery lashes). 

I forgot to photograph the lip product I'm wearing here, since I'd chucked in my handbag for after dinner touch ups, but it was the MAC Lipstick in Syrup, which I've mentioned a thousand times in the last month, it's my current favourite!

What do you think of these products? Are there any products you would like to see in a future What's On My Face?

The Brush Edit

Brushes are something I use on a daily basis, but very rarely talk about. I'm not by any means a brush snob, I have a few MAC, Dior and NARS brushes, but for the most part, my most used brushes are high street ones. So here's the lowdown of the brushes in my daily rotation (if I had any brain cells I'd have photographed them in some kind of order that made sense, but I didn't think about that at the time and I don't fancy washing them again to photograph them!).

The first brush pictured is the Topshop Domed Shadow brush, which I don't think they actually do anymore (helpful I know). I picked this up on a whim, I think it was about seven pounds, and I actually love it. It's got quite densely packed bristles, and it's slightly domed, which means it fits perfectly into the crease of my eyelid, for applying shadow directly into the crease. 

Next is a little Angled Brush I got in a Umberto Gianni travel brush Christmas kit from Boots aeons ago. It's a small angled brush that I use for so much, usually either for filling in my brows with powder, applying shadow as liner, or taking eyeshadow along my lower lashline. It's really small and thin compared to most angled brushes, making it more precise.

Next is the NARS Eye Shader Brush, which came with my And God Created the Woman Palette. I use this occasionally to apply colour to the lid, but mostly to sweep under my browbone after I've finished my eyeshadow to blend out any harsh lines, or to apply highlight under my brow. It's super soft, but just a little too big for shadow application.

Next one along is the & Other Stories Artist Brush, think of it as the MAC 217, but with slightly longer bristles. This is my absolute favourite eye blending brush, it's so easy to use, I prefer it to my 217, and it's only £7!

You'll all know the next one, the Real Techniques Buffing Brush is the best foundation applier I've ever tried. I use this on a daily basis for seamless, flawless foundation. It's super soft, washes well, and just an all round good'un. I'm considering buying a second one because it's also super handy for powder too!

A recent addition to the tool ranks, the Eco Tools Buffing Concealer Brush is awesome for, you guessed it, blending in concealer. I like to use this on any redness or blemishes I want to conceal, I place the concealer where I need it, then use circular motions to buff it in. This brush is excellent, it blends in seamlessly but doesn't compromise the coverage.

The MAC 215 is the only MAC brush of mine that actually gets used a fair bit. It's got short, densely packed natural fibre bristles that are perfect for really packing shadow and colour onto the eyelids. I haven't found anything better than this!

For under eye concealer, I really love the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Eye Brush, it blends out concealer flawlessly, and doesn't let it settle into any creases. It's the perfect partner to the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.

For setting powder, no surprises here, the Real Techniques Powder Brush is my first love. I don't wear powder everyday, but when I do I love to just dust it all over my face with this, it doesn't disperse product too heavily which I really like. On a daily basis though, I like to use this after I apply blush and bronzer to just blend out the edges a little more, I find that when I take the time to do that my makeup looks much more natural. 

The Real Techniques Expert Face Brush is a great all rounder brush, I actually have two of these in my collection, they are so handy. This is what I use to apply my foundation when I'm after a little more coverage, the bristles are slightly denser than the Buffing Brush, so it gives a fuller coverage finish. I also love this for cream cheek products, particularly the Chanel Cream Blushes, Benefit Sunbeam and the Bourjois Bronzing Primer. It really buffs them into the skin leaving a natural finish.

And last but certainly not least, the Space N.K. Contour Brush is just one of those brushes that everyone needs. Perfect for applying blush and contour, it's slightly angled and very fluffy. I also use this to apply the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. I love this because it really picks up product, the natural bristles give a lot more pigmentation than artificial ones would. 

Those aren't all the brushes I own, but they are definitely my favourites! 

Phew! If you made it that far, I salute you! Let me know in the comments what your favourite makeup brushes are!

The Review: Bumble And Bumble

I've never been one for fancy haircare, since my obsession with higher-end beauty products began my hair has been ridiculously short, and a sore subject (moral of the story - don't dye your hair kids). But in the last few weeks, my hair has finally reached an acceptable length (you know that collarbone-skimming hairstyle that every blogger and their cat has adopted in the last few weeks? Yeah I had it first), and I've actually taken an interest in styling it, as opposed to hiding it under a hat, so I felt like it was time to dive into the stash of Bumble and Bumble products I've been saving for this very day.

The Bumble and Bumble Texture Undressing Creme is one I've been so excited to try. It's like a slightly tacky creme, you don't need much at all to do all your hair. I like to towel dry my hair to about 40% dry, and then take some of this (about an amount the size of a five pence piece) and rub it between my fingers, and then into the mid section of my hair. I then blast my hair with the hair dryer and it gives me a really nice wavy texture that holds really well, instead of the frizzbomb I'm usually left with. This is going to last me forever, there's so much in this tube!

Next up is the real multipurpose one of the group, the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray. I use this in so many ways, I spray it onto wet hair if I'm letting my hair air dry, and it kind of does the job of styling my hair for me, leaving me with soft waves without the typical crunch/wet look you'd get from a mousse or gel. I also like to use this after I straighten my hair, I normally section it in half and spray it into the roots of my hair, just to give a little volume. I also use this like a traditional hairspray if I'm wearing my hair up. I have a travel size bottle of this in my handbag at all times, if my hair starts to look a little flat (damn you rain and humidity) I'll just spritz this into the roots of my hair and give it a little massage.

Last up, the Bumble and Bumble Sumotech. This is like a really hard wax, I literally had to dig into this to get it started. You only need the tiniest amount of this, and it feels super sticky on your hands, but I just rub it between my fingers and then through the ends of my hair. If my hair is straight, it adds texture and definition, and if I've curled it, it smooths curls, gives them hold, and defines them. I have even used this in my roots for extra hold. Not one for on the go though, leaves your fingers really sticky!

It's worth mentioning too that all these products smell lovely! You also get a seriously decent amount for your money, and you only need a little bit of each one to achieve the desired effect. Yes these are pricey products, but I really do think they are worth it!

Have you tried any Bumble and Bumble products? What are your favourite hair styling products?

This Week I Loved...

Welcome to the second installment of This Week I Loved, a new little beauty feature we've got going on here. Here, I'm going to give you a brief round up of the products I've been loving for the past seven days. This week is pretty lip products-centric...

First up, a product I meant to include in last weeks post but forgot about, the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails has been a favourite this week too. It's basically a spray, kinda like hairspray, and you spray it on your nails after painting them, and they dry instantly. This is amazing for when you need to do your nails and then rush out the door. It does take some of the shine away, but I'm willing to sacrifice that for speed!

I've rambled on before about my love for the Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks, so when I saw this post of Jenny's,  and fell in love with the colour of her lippie, I had no qualms about picking it up. The Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak is a beautiful pink with a tiny hint of peach (a colour I seem to be really into recently). It actually applies slightly sheerer than the other UD Lippies I own. It's a gorgeous colour though, so wearable with any look.

I mentioned the Smashbox Photo Op Eyeshadow Trio in Proof Sheet in this post, and I've been wearing it all week. They are really lovely eyeshadows, easy to blend, super pigmented and the colours are just so easy to wear, really soft neutral shades. I've worn this trio every single day! 

The Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation has been languishing in my stash for a while now, unloved. I've used around half the bottle, but for some reason I haven't touched it in a while, probably because I really hate the smell. However, I want to buy the NARS Sheer Glow foundation, and I'm not letting myself until I use up two foundations, so in an effort to get through this bottle, I moved it into the Muji drawers, and have been reaching for it every day. I do like this foundation a lot (don't be put off by the 'Nearly Naked' title, it's a medium coverage foundation, just with a super natural finish) but the lack of pump and heavy perfume scent would put me off repurchasing it. 

Another product that entered the Muji drawers in an effort to be used up is the L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic mascara.  This is one of my favourite high street mascaras, but it's starting to dry up now so I've been trying to get the most out of it. This is a great lengthening and separating mascara, whenever I wear this, my boyfriend always comments on my lashes, which is saying something! This is definitely one I'll repurchase when I've used a few up. 

This week, I managed to find the new Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms on the shelves of the Boots nearest my uni, despite the fact they aren't supposed to be released until the 22nd. I limited myself to two shades, and was more drawn to the Matte balms than the Laquer balms, and ended up going for Standout and Elusive. Standout is a beautiful bold red, and Elusive a dusky rose colour. I won't say any more because there's a full review coming your way very soon, but I absolutely love these. 

Have you tried any of these products? What have you been loving this week?

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The Drugstore Dupe #1

Welcome to the newest series on my blog! In the survey I asked you guys to take a look at a week ago, you mentioned you'd like to see more drugstore posts, and more product reviews, so here I am with two in one! 

Over the last year or so, I have found a fair few products from the highstreet that serve as perfect copies of high end products I know and love, so for the next few weeks, I'm gonna share those products in this new Saturday Series.

So the first one is a foundation! You guys know about my love for the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat it's my favourite high end foundation for sure. It's a medium coverage foundation that's really buildable, but still very natural looking. It's got a fairly dewy finish, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for oily skin, but for normal or dry skin it's a good'un. YSL is owned by L'Oreal, so it's hardly surprising that the dupe I found was from L'Oreal! 

I picked up the L'Oreal True Match Foundation when I was back home for Christmas, and I was surprised at how similar it was. When I got back to my London flat I compared the two, and they're identical, I even put both on my face at once, one on one side and one on the other, so I could compare, and they are completely the same, even in wear time.

The YSL offering comes in at £29, whilst the L'Oreal one is a third of the price, available for £8.49.

If you are looking for a medium coverage foundation that looks super natural, this is the one you want!

The Mascara Edit

 It's been a while since we've talked about mascara here, so today the plan is to change that! With most beauty products I'm pretty fickle, I flit between blushers and palettes and lipsticks like nobody's business, but I tend to only have two or three mascaras open at any given time, purely because they dry out really quickly, and then their no good. I don't like mascaras where I have to spend loads of time coating my lashes to make them look good, I like mascaras where one or two coats means I'm ready to go. These are the three mascaras I have open and in rotation at the moment! 

First up is Maybelline The Falsies (£7.99), a mascara I picked up because it was massively hyped in the blogging world, as most Maybelline mascaras generally are. I've previously owned The Rocket, which I didn't get on with, and Mega Plush which was okay, but this one I really like. It's got a curved wand which makes it easy to grab all your lashes, and gives a decent lift to them too. Like most Maybelline Mascaras the formula is pretty wet, which means you want to be careful for a minute or two after you apply it, or you'll end up with it all round your face, but it dries up nicely and wears well. It gives good volume and length, and is a nice all rounder for everyday, defined lashes, or built up for dramatic evening lashes.

Next is Max Factor's False Lash Effect Mascara (£10.99).  This is my go to mascara for evenings, or if I want thicker lashes, if I'm wearing darker eyeshadow. It's a plastic wand which I'm usually averse to, with short, thin, densely packed bristles, meaning it really grabs at each individual lash and coats them in mascara. The formula is great, not clumpy or heavy, and it lasts really well. 

Lancome's Hypnose Star Mascara (£22) is the first mascara I've tried from the brand. I'm a fan of YSL and L'Oreal mascaras so considering they are all made by the same company I figured I'd give this a whirl. I really like the shape of the wand, it's flared at the base and tapered at the end, meaning it's great for getting longer lashes, but also for getting right into the inner corner lashes, or your bottom lashes without over coating them in product. The formula is good, it can get a little flakey in the heat, but it's not marketed as a waterproof mascara so I'm okay with that (plus, if you didn't notice, it's winter). I do like this mascara, but I feel like it wasn't as good as I was expecting. It's definitely not as good as the likes of YSL Shocking Volume, or L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic. I feel like if there were a few more bristles on the wand it would be just as good, but the wand is a little sparse, meaning it doesn't deliver as well as it could on the volume front. It's a great lengthening mascara, I just personally prefer a little more in terms of volume. But damn, isn't the packaging pretty?

What mascara are you using at the moment? Have you tried any of these products, or do you have any recommendations?

The Cosmetic Company Outlet Haul

So last Friday I headed to Bicester Village with my Boyfriend and a friend for a wonder. I didn't buy much, but I did pop into the Cosmetic Company Outlet and pick up two things, which I am really pleased with. 

The first thing I grabbed was a MAC eyeshadow duo in Whims & Fancies from the 2012 Styleseeker collection. I am really loving purple eyeshadows at the moment so I just couldn't leave this behind! It contains two shades, Performance Art, a platinum silver shimmer colour with a pink sheen, and Shadowy Lady, a black plum shade. Both of these eyeshadows were exclusive to the collection, and right up my street! As always with MAC Shadows the pigmentation is excellent and the wear time is fantastic. This duo originally retailed for £22.50 (a saving in itself since individual MAC Shadows are £12.50) but I got it for £12. Bargain!

Whilst I debated over a Bobbi Brown Kit, and a few Bumble and Bumble products, the only other thing I left with was the Smashbox Beauty in Focus Kit. Smashbox is a brand I am pretty familiar with after attending the UK Launch party and receiving the biggest goody bag known to man. I have loved all the products from them I have tried, so I figured this was a safe bet. Inside the kit is a travel size of the Photo Finish Primer (£12.50), a cream blush in the shade Captivate (£14.00), a full sized liner in Brandy (£16.00), a mini lipgloss in Click (£15.00), and a Photo Op eyeshadow trio in Proof Sheet (£21.00), as well as a makeup bag. If I had bought all these products individually I'd have spent a massive £78.50, which makes the £20.50 I actually spent seem like peanuts! 

I've used the primer before and I love it, and am at the end of my previous tube so that's great, I'll definitely use that. The cream blush is a gorgeous natural pink colour, it's super pigmented so you only need a tiny amount, I like to just tap the end of a stippling brush into the product, and it lasts really well throughout the day. I've spoken about Smashbox Liners before, they are my absolute favourite, so I was thrilled to welcome another one into my collection. The shade Brandy is a really dark chocolate colour, it almost looks black, with a tiny amount of gold shimmer, it's really flattering as a strong liner, or smudged out at the lash line. I've used Smashbox lipglosses before and they've got a lovely, not sticky formula, and I seem to be getting really into lipgloss at the moment, so I'm sure it'll work it's way into my handbag! Eyeshadow is one thing I had never tried from Smashbox before, but I'm suitably impressed. The trio contains the shades Vanilla, a matte cream highlight colour, Crisp, a champagne shimmery pink, and Bittersweet, a taupe toned brown with a multicoloured shimmer. The three shades work together to create an easy, natural smokey eye look, and I'm suitably impressed with the formula. I'm even pretty pleased with the makeup bag, it's a really good size, and you can see through it to find things which is always handy.

 I could have picked up so much more in that shop, but I was trying to be good! I will definitely have to pop back soon!

What do you think of the bits I got? Are you a fan of Smashbox?

The Review: Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

I love me a good medium coverage foundation, so when this one was released a few months back I was super excited. However, at the time I had what could loosely be called a tan, and none of the shades matched up to me, they were either too orange or made me look dead. Fast forward to the darkest depths of winter, and I am back to a pale shade of Morticia Adams, and Ivory is a good match.

This foundation reminds me of my younger self. The first foundation, hell, the first beauty product I ever fell for was Maybellines's Dream Matte Mousse. This is kind of similar, but better. The reason I loved Dream Matte Mousse was the coverage it gave my acne-prone skin, and the finish. This has the same great coverage, and flawless matte finish, but it's lighter, not as drying.

It's not an easy foundation to figure out how to apply, it's thick and because of that it's easy to apply to much. I've taken to using half the amount I think I'll need, really warming the product up in between my fingers to soften it a bit, and then using my fingers to massage it into my skin, really working it and spreading it out. Brushes just don't work with this product, but I do occasionally use a buffing brush once it's applied to blend it out at the edges. 

The best thing about this foundation though, is it's staying power. You can honestly put this on first thing in the morning, go to work or school, go out in the evening, and come back even in the early hours to find this still perfectly intact. It's incredible. 

All in all, I really like this product. I wouldn't recommend it if you have really dry skin, but for normal or oily I'd go right ahead. If you're after a good coverage foundation that lasts all day, this is your guy!

Have you tried this foundation?

The Forgotten Favourites

I talk a lot about beauty here, it's definitely the central theme of my blog. However, new year, new changes and all that malarkey, I definitely want to include a lot more lifestyle themed posts here. I've done my December favourites recently, as well as my favourites for the whole of 2013, but I haven't really ever touched on the non-beauty side of things. So why not, here are some of my favourite things, not related to beauty.

Fashion

Zara leggings - you've probably already seen someone in these leggings, they've been very popular over the last few months, and for good reason. They're thicker than your average leggings which is good for two reasons, they aren't see-through on the bum, and they keep you warm! I love the design of these, they're a super flattering fit, and the large elasticised top panel holds your stomach in when you've eaten too many fries.

F&F Boots - I swear by F&F boots. I bought a pair of heeled lace up military boots four years ago and to this day they are still going strong, despite me wearing them to death, so when I saw these go in the sale from £24.99 to £12.99 I just had to snap them up. They're really comfy despite the low heel, and I love the gold detailing.

Zara coat - Oh Zara, high street queen of the coats. I picked this coat up in the winter sale last year and I love it. It was supposed to be just over a hundred pounds and I snagged it at the tail end of the sale for a bargain £25 - and it's worth every penny. Fantastic quality, super warm but still with room to fit a jumper underneath. I wear this coat all the damn time.

Ted Baker Cardigan - This is a recent addition to my wardrobe, I found this in the Ted Baker Outlet in Bicester Village, it was originally £99, but I payed under £40 for it. It's got a really heavy drape, and it's really long, I absolutely love it, it's so cozy!



TV & Movies

Breaking Bad - I'm a little late to the party with this one. I started watching it last year, and then lost interest, but with the final episode aired in September, my boyfriend and I decided to go back to the start and watch every episode. It was slow going because we've both been so busy with work, but we are getting there, and it's safe to say I'm hooked.

American Horror Story - I watched the start of the first season of AHS, but it got far too freaky for me, so I stopped. Same story with season two, but season three is amazing. I love Emma Roberts in this, and I'm gutted we have to wait til March for the next episode.

Modern Family - This is what the boyfriend and I watch after a long day to unwind, when you don't want to watch anything too taxing. We've seen every episode and it's hilariously funny.

Ravenswood & Pretty Little Liars - I'm combining these two since they are much of the same. I love these because they have a bit of everything, they've got drama, they make you jump, they're funny but they also have really strong characters & character relationships.

Revenge - URGH can I just be Emily? She's so cool. Stylish with ninja training.

Sherlock - Ahhh Sherlock, my favourite. I love this programme so much, although I'll admit that season 3 hasn't lived up to my expectations (it's still good, but they've gotten far too into telling the characters stories, as opposed to the previous two seasons which were all about solving crime with a little relationship thrown in. I don't care though, I still love it). I think that Benedict Cumberbatch plays the role of Sherlock fantastically.

The Hunger Games Catching Fire - I'll admit that the first movie didn't really do it for me. It was a let down after the book, but I saw Catching Fire just before Christmas and I loved it! Now that they're done trying to establish the background story, the film has a lot more action, I was gripped from start to finish.

Despicable Me - the child in me loved this film. If you haven't seen it, you should!

Random favourites

Yankee candle tart burners - I love a good candle, but I find that these tart burners actually have a better scent throw around my flat. At the moment I'm burning Merry Marshmallow in my bedroom, and Christmas Cookie in my living room.

iPad Mini - The handiest tech gadget I own. I use this to take notes at uni, write blogposts on the tube, read books in between lectures and check out blogs before bed. It's smaller and lighter than the standard iPad, so more practical for chucking in your handbag, but you only lose an inch on the screen.

Brush holder candle - This cute little brush holder is the jar of a candle I found in TKMaxx. Not only did the candle smell of apple and cinnamon (my favourite), but I absolutely loved the jar, so when the candle was all gone, I emptied out the remaining wax and now I keep smaller brushes, hair clips for when I straighten my hair, and nail files, and it's one of my favourite things in my room.

My throw - I've been obsessed with chunky knit blankets for a very long time, but they are all super expensive. Back in the summer, I found this one in TKMaxx (are you sensing a theme?) and fell in love instantly. I love how cosy and snugly it is, and if I'm home working or chilling out, I'm usually wrapped up in this.





What are your forgotten favourites? What things have you been loving this year?