Tuesday 30 September 2014

The British Tag

There are not many tags I watch or read that I really love, but there was something about The British Tag that I love. So I figured I’ll bring it on to the blog and share with you all! Who says YouTube should have all the fun?

How many cups of tea do you have a day? + How many sugars?I probably have between two and three cups of tea a day. We take turns to make tea at work so it normally depends on how busy we all are! I don’t take proper sugar anymore but I normally have two or three sweeteners.

Favourite part of your roast?This is easy; Yorkshire Puddings, very closely followed by stuffing! I think I could just have these and gravy and be happy for the rest of Sunday.

Favourite dunking biscuit?I don’t really ever dunk biscuits in tea or coffee anymore. My favourite biscuit is a Bourbon though! I love them!

Favourite quintessentially British pastime?Afternoon Tea is by far my favourite British pastime, I don’t get to do it very often though! There’s something so lovely about perfectly presented sandwiches and scones on a cake stand! Other British pastimes would include eating fish and chips at work on a Friday, eating Strawberries & Cream and baking Victoria Sponge cakes. Oh dear, all mine are food related, ha!

Favourite word?This question took some consideration, yet I still couldn’t find one! I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a ‘favourite word’ – I have a few I use all the time but not a favourite.

Cockney rhyme slang?I know what Cockney rhyme slang is but it’s completely lost on me. Why is ‘apples and pears’ better than saying ‘stairs’ just seems like a bit of a waste of time! ‘Dog and bone’ always makes me laugh though!

Favourite sweet?I’m definitely a bit of a sweet fan, I like a lot of different ones. Jelly Babies, Love Hearts, Black Jacks and Fruit Pastilles are all favourites! But my biggest soft spot is for Liquorice Allsorts!

What would your pub be called?I think I’d call my pub ‘The Dog and Duck’ it sounds a bit silly and unoriginal I know. But we had a pub called The Dog and Duck in my home town and it has some lovely memories. They are also my favourite two animals!

No.1 British person?I think it would be someone like Gary Barlow? I have a bit of soft spot for him. It’s a bit hard to pick one favourite British person!

Favourite shop / restaurant?It’s got to be Harrods or Selfridges! I always feel a bit overwhelmed shopping in these places but there’s something so cool about them!

What British song pops into your head?I think my favourite song of all time would be Oasis – Wonderwall, I’m a big fan of that song it has so many memories for me. Angels by Robbie Williams is a close contender and practically every Coldplay song. I love them all! Music is very close to my heart so it’s very hard to even think of a select few!

Marmite.
I love it!

I tag you all to join in and try The British Tag! If you try it leave me a link below, I’ll definitely come over and give it a read!
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Monday 29 September 2014

Laura Mercier Lip Glacé



Laura Mercier lip glacé in Gossamer, limited edition to the Secrets Collection.


I picked up this lip glacé when I bought my Laura Mercier Secrets Collection from House of Fraser. I can't believe how long it's taken me to get around to reviewing it! Lip glacé's are widely well reviewed by bloggers and I can now see why. They have a beautiful texture which is really easy to wear. It actually feels sticky when you first put it on, but then it settles down to a light smooth finish. Gossamer is a pretty 'my lips but better' shade, which is just perfect for me, you don't catch me in bright lips! Gossamer has a high-shine finish with some specs of glitter through it. It's rich in colour, it's long lasting too and it doesn't bleed. The lipgloss is nice and moisturising which is perfect as we come into the winter months.

I'm definitely going to check out some of the other shades from Laura Mercier, this is close to being the perfect lip gloss!

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Sunday 28 September 2014

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush



Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow, £28

I picked up my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Sephora in March and it's been rattling around my drawers ever since. It's just the most beautiful product, it's got a stunning shiny gold compact and the blush itself is laced with beauty.

Hourglass have combined the formula of the Ambient Lighting Powders with coloured hues to create 'soft focus' colour. I have to say that this is unlike any blusher I've ever tried, it's completely unique. You don't get a huge wash of pigmented colour, in fact I wouldn't say you get any 'pigment' from this at all! Instead you get a beautiful highlighted effect with a tinge of colour to your cheeks, it gives you a bit of a 'glowing from within' look.  Ethereal Glow is a cool pink blusher which has been paired with the Ethereal Glow Ambient Lighting Powder which gives your cheeks a moonlit glow. 

Hourglass say that the technique of making these ensures that no two blushers are the same, they mix each one independently to create the perfect balance of pigment and powder. This is definitely something special and something I use sparingly, it's very pretty, definitely a bit of a collectable!
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Saturday 27 September 2014

All About The Eyes Palette | Review



Collection All About The Eyes Palette by Little Mix, £3.19

I have to be honest and say that I've never really been blown away by a Collection product. But when word hit the street about this All About The Eyes Palette, I knew I needed one. The All About The Eyes Palette is part of the collection by Little Mix and I've seen many young girls on the hunt to own every piece from the collection. It's safe to say that this product isn't aimed at my age group, but the sleek black packaging offers something for everyone. 

The palette features six eyeshadow shades which makes up the perfect neutral eye palette. The palette has everything from a basic cream all the way to black, which gives you the option to put together a variety of looks. The eyeshadows are even named, from left to right we have; Feather, Sunkissed, Golden Sand, Dazzling Brown, Cocoa Dream and Blackbird. I'm really impressed by the quality of these eyeshadows, they are so pigmented and to me they don't feel chalky. They are easy to apply and blend. They even last all day when paired with a primer!

Whether you're a makeup newcomer or an established beauty addict, this is for you!

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Friday 26 September 2014

Taylor By Taylor Swift



Taylor By Taylor Swift Rollerball, £12

I've always been a fan of Taylor Swift perfumes, they all just seem to suit my personality. So when I found her latest perfume 'Taylor' in rollerball format, I was pretty excited. 'Taylor' is pretty floral, fruity scent which is just a touch of something a little different. I'm not very good at describing scents, so here is the official list of notes:

"luscious lychee, sparkling tangerine, magnolia petals, peonies, hydrangeas and vanilla orchids with a base of creamy sandalwood, warmed by an inviting mixture of apricot nectar, cashmere musk and a blend of woods"

The perfume is apparently a blend of all of Taylor Swift's favourite flowers. It's just beautiful and really wearable. It's much more of a 'grown up' scent than Taylor's previous perfumes. It's less sweet and much more sophisticated. 

The rollerball is in a simple glass bottle with a glass bottle. The box it comes in draws influence from the full sized bottle. It's covered in a blue carton is embellished with the vibrant swirls.  Of course these rollerballs are perfect for your handbag and travelling. There is no mess and there's no fear of your favourite perfume breaking or leaking.

Definitely give this perfume a sniff if you get the chance, it's beautiful! 

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Thursday 25 September 2014

H&M Home | Wish List


1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 

H&M is just one of those places that I can go to and instantly find something I love. There home section is packed full of lovely things to fill a home with. Here is a list full of the latest home releases from H&M that I just LOVE!

This glass vase is just so simple but so lovely, I can just picture it stuffed with some pretty flowers. These little heart hooks would add a finishing touch to any room, you could hang towels in the bathroom, jewellery in the bedroom or oven gloves in the kitchen! I cannot get enough cushions in my life and this city scape cushion is so sweet! I love that H&M have started making some basic kitchen items that everyone needs, this wooden chopping board has a cute rustic feel. This owl tealight holder is perfect for a owl lover like me, but I think most people would appreciate the sweetness of it! My last item is this sweet teapot, I love the little bird details, it's cute but not over the top!

What is your favourite item in this wish list?

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Wednesday 24 September 2014

Weekly Roundup #14



Hello everyone, I hope you've had a great week! I missed last weeks roundup as I got a bit out of sync, but I'm back!

Life
I'm currently preparing to go to America next week on business. We have one of our biggest conferences next week and there is lots of filming to do. I'm not really looking forward to going this time because I've been a bit under the weather in the last week. I hope I feel better soon otherwise it's going to be an unpleasant plane journey!

Last week I headed to the Science Museum as ARM hosted a forum there. It was something quite special to be in the science museum at night time, it reminded me of a movie! I mentioned briefly that we went to London Zoo a couple of weeks ago. It was such an amazing time. I actually made a video whilst I was there, you can find out all about it here.  

Shopping
I mentioned last time that I placed an ASOS order for a winter coat, it arrived and I haven't even unpacked it! I've just been so busy that I haven't made the time to unpack it yet! My lovely friend picked me up some goodies from Sephora whilst she was holidaying last week. I chose the Tarte Rainforest Palette, an eyeshadow trio from Marc Jacobs and a Sephora blush palette! I cannot wait to try everything. 

Blog
Over a week has passed so there has been a lot going on! I shared some of my top low cost products, these products are all under £11 and they are fantastic! I reviewed my favourite high end highlighter and the eyeshadow palette that has me hot under the collar

It's been manic for beauty boxes too, I reviewed the Look Fantastic Beauty Box (INCREDIBLE), Glossybox (ALSO GOOD!) and You Beauty!

If lifestyle posts are your thing, you can hear all about my day at London Zoo and read about my new favourite tea!

What was your favourite blog post that you published in the last week? Leave me a link below! 
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Tuesday 23 September 2014

Aperture by Ulrich Lang | Review & Competiton


Aperture by Ulrich Lang


Ulrich Lang is a ex L’Oreal Executive who parted with his friend Britt Biegelsen to create a line of fragrances. There was something a bit different about these perfumes though, they were made inspired by contemporary photography.

Aperture is the latest release from Ulrich Lang and it's nothing like anything I own. It's a woody-spicy scent which is perfect for this time of year. It features pink, black and white pepper, tobacco, cedarwood, musk and amber, amongst many other scents. I have to admit that when I read the list of notes I didn't think I'd like it. I'm normally a fan of floral scents, but there is something really beautiful about this perfume.

If you fancy smelling it you can head to Liberty of London where the fragrance has been launched exclusively. 

Until the 30th of September Luxe Associates are actually running a competition. All of Ulrich Lang's perfumes are decorated with beautiful photographic scenes. Luxe Associates are giving you the chance to have your own photograph on a limited run of 100 bottles!

If you're a budding photographer or just a fragrance fan, it's easy to get involved. Luxe Associates have paired up with Liberty of London, Ulrich Lang New York and Olivia Bee, in support of Aperture Foundation. All you have to do is submit a picture onto instagram using the #luxelibertylang hashtag. The picture should show what the Aperture fragrance reminds you of in picture form. You just have to get all your friends to like the picture and you could be in with a chance of having your picture featured on the bottle of Aperture perfume. You can see me entry here.

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Monday 22 September 2014

Yves Rocher 'Rose' | NOTD


Yves Rocher Nail Polish in Rose, £3.60

I received this little mini nail polish in my August Glossybox. When I first saw it I was a little 'meh' about it, it didn't really look like a colour I'd want to use. However, when I swatched it, instead of it being a muted baby pink, it turned into a beautiful sophisticated rose pink. It comes in a really cute bottle with a pretty flower design in white on the front. The brush is actually a bit hard to use, it's very small and fiddly. You can see by the swatches that one coat is pretty streaky, but with two coats you can get a pretty pigmented finish. 

For £3.60 it's not a bad product, they are actually buy one, get one free on their website at the moment! 
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Sunday 21 September 2014

Current Haircare Routine


I thought it was time to share my updated haircare routine. I often speak about a lot of products separately but never together as a full routine.

Step One: Neal and Wolf Daily Cleansing Shampoo
I use this when my hair needs a bit of rescuing from product build up. It's specifically made to fully cleanse the hair. It's sulfate free and it's got an infusion of silk and milk proteins. It definitely cleans the hair, but for me it strips it a little too much. It leaves the hair easy to manage but I think it needs some hydration afterwards.

Step Two: Frizz Ease Dream Curls Shampoo and Conditioner
I recently switched to this Frizz Ease range from John Frieda. It's been recently reformulated and although I didn't try the old formula, but I love this range! As you may know I have permed hair and this is perfect for taming my curls. It leaves my hair super soft and frizz free! John Frieda say that the range 'defines and enhances curls for instantly easier styling results' and I agree, it's great and it's made my hair much more manageable! 

Step Three: Garnier Ultimate Blends Sleek Perfector Oil
Every now and then I use this oil after washing, it smells like coconuts and it infuses your hair with shine and moisture. A little of this goes a long way, I've used this a lot and I've hardly made a dent in the bottle. It also gives you heat protection of over 200 degrees, which is good if you put a lot of heat on your locks.

Step Four: Aussie Dual Personality Curl Definition Serum
This item is a staple in my routine and I think it will be for a long time to come. I've sung it's praises more than once and I'm still amazed. This serum costs a tiny £5 and it does a better job than products that are four times the price. You run 2-3 pumps through wet or dry hair and it reactivates your curls. It's incredible!

What items are staples in your haircare routine?

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Saturday 20 September 2014

Low Cost & Brilliant

Does anything beat a bargain? I don't think so! I love finding a product that is incredible quality but doesn't cost an arm and a leg to purchase. All these products are fantastically good value for the price point and they are all things I'd repurchase without question.

Soap and Glory Glow All Out Highlighter
I've had this Soap and Glory highlighter in my collection for ages. It's perfect for applying to your cheekbones for a traditional highlight. Or you can use it all over for an all-over glow! It comes in a super handy compact with a big mirror too! 

Essie Nail Polishes
It's hard to pick a single nail polish brand that is my favourite, however if I had to pick, this would be it. They have fabulous colours which are fabulously pigmented. They apply well and they dry quickly. My two favourite shades are Lilacism and Avenue Maintain. 

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation
I've spoken about this foundation a lot in the past, but I'm still impressed every time I wear it! It gives a perfect skin-like finish, it has good coverage but it isn't heavy to wear! There are lots of shade choices too! Better yet, it's £6.99 and you often get it on offer for 2 for £10! 

Real Techniques Brushes
I have a huge collection of Real Techniques brushes and I use them every single day! I actually couldn't do my makeup routine without them. They are incredibly good value and they are so easy to get hold of. My favourites are the Buffing Brush, Power Brush and Expert Face Brush.

What do you have in your collection which is incredibly good value?
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Friday 19 September 2014

A Day at London Zoo | VIDEO



At the weekend we went to the zoo and had an amazing time! We arrived at around 11am and we managed to see all the animals. I'm a big fan of going to the zoo, I find all the animals so cute! (Lame but true!) I took my camera with me and I actually made a little video of the animals! I hope you enjoy 3 minutes of cuteness, something else to cheer you up before the weekend starts! There are some photographs below too! 

Have you ever been to London Zoo? I highly recommend it as a day out!


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Thursday 18 September 2014

Glossybox by Karen Millen

This month Karen Millen has partnered with Glossybox to create a London Fashion week inspired box. I have to say that it's been a long time since I've been this impressed with a Glossybox, it makes resubscribing worth while! The box is decorated with a print of the London skyline which is just beautiful, this box definitely won't be ending up in the bin. So what did I get inside?

L'Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil Rich Oil
One of the spoilers this month was that each box would have a product from L'Oreal Professionnel. In my box I received the Mythic Oil Rich Oil. I've actually tried the original oil before and I'm a huge fan. The Rich Oil claims to offer nourishment and taming for your hair, perfect for my curly locks! It's multi-use too, you can use it before drying or a finishing touch! I cannot wait to try this!

Nails Inc Matte Top Coat

This matte top coat doesn't require any explanation. You simply paint this over any nail polish to create matt nails! It's a full sized Nails Inc product which is fab for a beauty box! 

ModelCo More Brows
This was the second spoiler from Glossybox this month, so most people knew it was coming. Being LFW brows are a hot topic and I for one LOVE trying brow products! ModelCo say you can achieve natural-looking, fuller brows instantly with their brow gel. They say its a quick-dry gel formula which sounds amazing!

Gosh Cream Blusher
I'd actually been considering buying one of these to try as I'd heard a lot about them. I probably have picked a different shade but I'm definitely giving this a go tomorrow!

Skin Pep Brightening Peel and Eye Cream
The last things in the box are these little sachets of Skin Pep's Brightening Peel and Eye Cream. Normally I'd be quite annoyed getting sachets in a Glossybox, but considering the other contents, I'll let this slide. I've never tried anything from Skin Pep before!

All in all, I'm really impressed with this box, mainly because I can use every single item! What do you think of September's glossybox?
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Wednesday 17 September 2014

You Beauty Discovery Box | September


You Beauty Discovery Box, £6.95

Yes that price reads £6.95, I struggle to believe it myself sometimes! The You Beauty Discovery Box is definitely one of my favourites. It features great products, you get to pick them yourself, it's super cheap and it's fantastic all round. 

TONI & GUY – Glamour Volume Plumping Whip
This month You Beauty are celebrating their birthday, so every single box got a tub of the volume plumping whip from Toni & Guy! You just apply a little bit of this to the roots of your hair, blow dry and you're left with sleek body to your hair.

Crabtree & EvelynEvery box also got two samples of Crabtree & Evelyn tea. You get one sachet of Afternoon Tea and one sachet of the brand NEW Green Tea with Blackberry. I'm yet to try them but I will be shortly, I love trying new tea!

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm
This travel sized brilliance balm from Pixi comes in a bright pink shade. Pixi say it's packed full of 'lip-loving ingredients' which both provide a glossy finish and hydrates the lips. The best bit is you do not have to sharpen it, you just twist it up for more product! 

Mavala - Mavadry Manicure Time-Save Fast Drying Nail Polish FinishIf you follow this blog you'll know that I cannot resist a nail product. So when I saw Mavadry, it went straight in the basket. Mavala say that this top coat dries nail polish in a few seconds, prevents flaking and leaves nails with a brilliantly glossy finish! Sounds perfect to me!

If you're interested in trying your very own You Beauty box, you can subscribe for a tiny £6.95 here

Did you subscribe to the You Beauty Discovery box this month? If so what did you pick?
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Tuesday 16 September 2014

Watt's Up?


Benefit Watt's Up Soft Focus Highlighter, £24.50

I've had my eye on the Benefit Watts Up highlighter for a while, I'm a bit of a highlighter junkie! I cannot get enough of trying lots of different ones to find my favourite. Watt's Up comes packaged in a stunning metallic purple tube. You just twist up the product like you would a lipstick, so it's super easy!

Benefit say that Watt's Up is a soft focus highlighter, meaning it's a delicate glow rather than a full on glitter ball look. It actually comes in this stick format which you apply directly to the areas you want to highlight. It's a cream to powder formula, so you can apply and blend it out really easily. I actually have the 'mini' version of Watt's Up which means the stick is small enough to use under your eyebrows, but also big enough for your cheekbones.

I love taking this away with me when I travel, as it's a great highlighter but it also doesn't need a brush or any other products to use with it. The highlighter is beautiful, it's subtle and it's pretty. Just perfect for lots of occasions! 

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Monday 15 September 2014

Blindfold Me Blue


Rita Ora for Rimmel London - Blindfold Me Blue, £3.69

There's something about blue that I just love! I can't get enough of blue nail polishes, so when I saw this I knew it had to join the collection. 'Blindford Me Blue' is a stunning blue hue which is perfect for everyday use. It's part of Rita Ora's Rimmel collection which was released earlier this year. It's Rimmel's 60 Seconds formula which dries super quickly and has the fabulous brush which is easy to use. The colour is pigmented and you can get a glossy bright colour in two easy coats.

I cannot get enough of Rita Ora's nail polish range, there isn't a dull shade in the set. You can pick them up from Boots here.
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Sunday 14 September 2014

Weekly Roundup #13


Life
I'm slowly adjusting to being back from holiday, which sucks! We're definitely approaching autumn now, which is actually my favourite season, it's just a little chilly! I had a string of early mornings this week as I've been commuting by train, it takes 2 hours door-to-door which makes for a long day. I actually had my desk assessed at work this week, it turns out I've been sitting all wrong. Which explains my headaches and never ending neck ache! I'm hoping it's going to be the start of a pain free week. We actually went to London Zoo yesterday for my sister's 21st birthday and we had an incredible day! I'll be sharing pictures from our day out on here soon! 

Shopping
As I mentioned autumn is coming, so I've been preparing for the cold weather! I ordered myself a black parka from ASOS and I can't wait for it to arrive and see what it looks like. I've also picked up a load of travel sized items, as I'm travelling with work again soon. Superdrug still have all their travel sizes on offer for 3 for £3, so I stocked up for very little cost. We've actually picked up a lot of stuff for the house this week too! Chris got me some amazing table mats for the dining room from Homebase, they have owls on them! We also bought some more boring things, like toilet seats and towel rails! They were also from Homebase! 

Blog
This week was pretty exciting as the Look Fantastic Beauty Box landed on my doorstep! It was a super exciting box, so much so I've already ordered myself October's box! You can read my review by clicking 'beauty boxes' above. I also shared the contents of my Feel Unique haul, I picked up some amazing items! You can read all about it here. I also shared a review of the amazing Dove Refresh and Care Dry Shampoo, if you think you love dry shampoo, you need to try this! I also declared my love for the Soap & Glory Heel Genius, I can't believe how good it really is!

I hope everyone has had a fabulous weekend! What have you been up too?
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Saturday 13 September 2014

Marc Jacobs The Lolita




Marc Jacobs Beauty - 'The Lolita' $59

When Marc Jacobs launched a beauty range, I knew it would be a match made in heaven. I'm a huge fan of the perfumes and the makeup screams the same kind of luxury! One things Marc Jacobs have included in the line-up is a range of eyeshadow palettes.

'The Lolita' from Marc Jacobs is a beautiful neutral palette which is ever so fancy! The Lolita comes packaged in stunning shiny, skinny palette which comes in a fabric case and a protective strip to protect the shadows. The seven shadows include everything from an off-white to a matt nude, a metallic glitter pink and a copper sheen. It's perfect because I can get use from every shade, which is rare from eyeshadow palettes!

The colours are beautifully matched to each other, so the palette offers a whole host of looks. You get a choice of metallics, mattes and shiny eyeshadows, so it makes it perfect for everyday use. The eyeshadows are beautifully pigmented, they give your the colour in the palette instantly and they are easy to blend too. Perfect if your a bit of a novice like me! 

You find yourself battling your inner demons with this palette. On one side it's perfect for everyday use, on the other it's so beautiful you want to save it for special occasions. It's definitely a palette that I'll be keeping safe, I don't think I'll be taking it outside the house! It's lovely as a treat to yourself, or as a lovely gift for a friend!
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Friday 12 September 2014

Look Fantastic Beauty Box #1

Look Fantastic Beauty Box #1, £14.99

When Look Fantastic dropped the news that they were making their very own beauty box, I wanted to be top of the pre-order list! I'm actually a huge fan of Look Fantastic and use the website all the time. So I followed the link straight away and added one to my basket. I've been waiting patiently for 11 days since but it was ever so worth it. Look Fantastic say:

"Discover a selection of our handpicked, must have beauty fixes wrapped in a beautifully presented box and delivered straight to your door. The beauty box will always include a minimum of six products and offers a selection of skin, hair, cosmetic and body products, catering to every kind of beauty lover."


You get a selection of at least 6 products and for once, all the products are fantastic! I've never seen such a good collection of high end, well-known brands, so lets here about what was included in this months box.
Kérastase Nutritive
I've never tried anything from Kérastase so I'm really excited to see these products in the box. We got two products, the first is Kérastase Nutritive Irisome Bain Satin 1. Kérastase say that the product is formulated for normal to slightly dry hair which is perfect for my permed locks. It is supposed to gently cleanse your hair of dirt, oil and build-up from products. It sounds perfect for me! The second product is the Kérastase Nutritive Irisome Lait Vital, a conditioner which aims to target your driest parts of your hair. What a fabulous pair of products!
Caudalie Divine Oil
The Divine Oil from Caudalie has been on my wish list for a long time! I've heard some pretty rave reviews so I'm glad to have my own bottle to try. This is a multi-use oil that you can use on your face, body and hair.
Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum
Jurlique is another brand that is completely new to my collection. I love trying something new! This serum from Jurlique is formulated to reduce fine lines, restore radiance and increase hydration. My skin has been acting a bit weird recently, so I'm looking forward to trying this and seeing what effect it has!
This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray
I love products that help you sleep and this is one I cannot wait to try. This is another product that I've never heard a bad review of. It sounds like utter heaven when you're feeling a little stressed. Just spray it on your pillow and relax. This Works say that 89% of people that try it, fall asleep quicker.
St.Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse
This is the only product that I'm unlikely to try, as I don't use fake tan, it's always a disaster! However, this is an award-winning self tan which I hear so many people rave about!
I'm so impressed with this box that I've already pre-ordered next months box. I hope this is the start of a fabulous beauty box range from Look Fantastic! 
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Thursday 11 September 2014

Tazo Tea











I'm not hugely adventurous when it comes to tea, but nothing beats an old fashioned cuppa! I was bumbling around my kitchen at the weekend and I came across a sample of Tazo Tea that I hadn't tried yet, so I thought I'd give it a go! I think I actually received this little sachet as a sample in a beauty box and I knew nothing about the brand. So I figured I'd find out a little more about them! 


Tazo take great care and attention when making their tea, ensuring all teas are properly stored and handled. They only sell teas from the most recent growing season an they taste the tea constantly to ensure it's up to standard! They understand that every kind of tea has 'character' which is affected by region and heritage. Therefore Tazo creates 'signature blends' by blending lots of different ingredients to make the perfect taste! 

This is just Tazo's 'Awake English Breakfast Tea' - a classic and my favourite type of tea! It was actually really nice! I like quite strong tea so I had to brew it for longer than I normally would, but when it was to my liking, it was fresh and light in flavour. Tea rarely gives me the boost that coffee does, but this did wonders as a 3pm pickup! I was really impressed!
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Wednesday 10 September 2014

What to buy in Sephora...

Sometimes a girl is lucky to have pretty amazing friends. Especially the type of friends that offer to go Sephora and complete hauls on your behalf? This exact situation happened to me last week and I found myself dipping into my wish list to find a shopping list. So, you have a friend or family member nipping to Sephora? Or maybe you're lucky enough to be going yourself? What should you put on your wish list?! (Thanks Amber for inspiring a blog post!) 

Of course this blog post could go on forever, but here are some of my top picks for Sephora hauling.

Marc Jacobs
I'm a bit of a Marc Jacobs fan, it just so happens that their makeup collection is available in America. I've heard amazing reviews about all of Marc Jacobs makeup collection, but my favourite items are the eyeshadow palettes. I picked up the 'The Lolita' ($59) palette in March, a stunning seven-piece palette. This time I've asked for 'The Innocent' ($39) palette, which is a stunning brown trio!

Rollerball Fragrance

Rollerballs are hard to come by in the UK, which is a shame because they are cheap to buy and super handy for travel. Sephora have rollerballs in almost every single scent and they only cost around $25. My current favourite perfume is the Daisy Dream fragrance from Marc Jacobs (here), but I really want to try Stella McCartney's L.I.L.Y. (here)
Sephora Brushes
Sephora makeup brushes get incredible reviews and I'd love to give loads of them a try. One I have my eye on at the moment is the 'Pro Airbrush' ($34) which is number #55. It's supposed to be amazing for flawless foundation application.

Tarte Cosmetics
I'm a huge fan of Tarte, everything I've tried always impresses me. I've actually asked my friend to pick me up the 'Rainforest After Dark' palette ($38), which is currently limited edition. If you fancy getting your hands on something cult, you could try one of the Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes ($26). I have one and I've used it ALOT, it's amazing quality! Something else that gets great reviews is the Airbuki Bamboo Powder Foundation Brush ($26).

Make Up Forever
A brand I really want to try is Make Up Forever! It's only available across the pond and people RAVE about it. First on the list is the HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($42), you can actually pick this up online, but I think I'd need to be colour matched in store. You can't talk about Make Up Forever without mentioning the HD Microfinish Powder ($32) - flawless skin in a single pot! The Full Cover Concealer ($32) gets a lot of coverage from Lily Pebbles, amongst a lot of other bloggers. It sounds perfect and it's actually waterproof!

Fresh
I actually have one of the Sugar Lip Treatments in a red shade, but the shade 'Tulip' ($22) looks stunning. It sounds perfect for an everyday shade that I could wear to work. They are colour lip balms that instantly hydrates and gives protection of an SPF 15.

Sephora Formula X Nail Polishes
Another product that is raved by bloggers are the Formula X nail polishes ($10.50) that are made by Sephora. They are stunning shades and there are loads to choose from. I have my eye on 'Sky Blue'!

What is on your Sephora hit list?
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Tuesday 9 September 2014

Mini Feel Unique Haul

I was browsing Feel Unique (which is always dangerous) and I couldn't resist a small haul before heading off on holiday a couple of weeks ago. Feel Unique actually had a free gift offer on Wild About Beauty and I thought I'd give something a whirl. I picked up the Sharpener Duo for £4.50 and received a full sized Nutrilips Balm in 'Laura' (worth £14.50) for free. A bargain I couldn't resist! I've never tried anything from Wild About Beauty, so I'm looking forward to giving things a try. I've heard some pretty good reviews in the past. 

I've had my eye on the new Magic Nail Polish Remover from Bourjois for a while, so it seemed like a good time to add it to my basket. I actually took it on holiday and it was super handy! It was the sponge in the bottle for your fingernails and then a sponge in the lid for your toes! 

The last thing in my basket was the Rimmel 60 Seconds nail polish in 'Blindfold Me Blue'. I love the whole collection by Rita Ora, every shade is beautiful! I have an addiction to blue nail polishes at the moment and I couldn't leave it behind. These polishes well surpass their price, they are a tiny £3.69! 

This whole order cost less than £13 which is such good value, I'll update you with reviews of everything soon! 
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Monday 8 September 2014

NOTD | Coral Glaze


Summer might be starting to dwindle away from us, but that doesn't mean that we have to leave bright summer shades behind. Today I've got a beautiful coral shade to share with you. Models Own's Coral Glaze is from their HyperGel Collection, launched in January this year. The HyperGel collection was created with high pigmentation and a gel-like finish in mind. You can find a HyperGel polish by looking for the high-shine swatches on the lids of the bottles.

At first glance the formula doesn't seem very thick, but if you swatch it next to a normal Models Own polish you can really see the difference. The polishes really are pigmented, so much so you really can't see much difference between one coat and two. They have a stunning high-shine finish which mimics the gel style. 

Beautiful glossy, gel-like nails, with no UV lamp? I'm in!


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Sunday 7 September 2014

Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray


Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray, £16

You'll see in my next set of empties, that I recently finished my MAC cleanser which I use for spot cleaning my brushes. So I was looking for something to try out next and I decided to give the Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray a whirl. 

The Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray comes in a spray bottle which makes for easy application. You don't end up with liquid everywhere or wasted product! You just spray this on to your brushes and leave it to soak in for a few seconds. You can swirl your brushes on some kitchen roll, which gets the dirt out of your brushes and leaves you with clean bristles. I was really impressed by the Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray it performed much better than expected. You actually needed a lot product than the MAC equivalent to get clean brushes, which is always good.

The brushes dry really quickly after cleaning, which is great if you happen to be in a rush (which I always am)! The formula is alcohol free and so gentle, you could literally use this everyday and you wouldn't notice it!

The Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray is quite pricey, retailing at £16, but it's definitely worth it! What brush cleaners have you tried?
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Saturday 6 September 2014

Dove Refresh & Care Dry Shampoo | Review


Dove Refresh & Care Dry Shampoo, £4.59

If you think you've found the best dry shampoo out there, try the Dove Refresh & Care Dry Shampoo and prepared to be amazed. If there's a product that has been hyped in recent times, this is it. Everyone seems to love it and I knew that I had to try it. Never did I think I would like it as much as I do!

The Dove Refresh & Care Dry Shampoo has a beautiful formula which has zero residue. When you apply it to your hair it leaves nothing behind, so you don't get the dry, powdery feel to your hair. You also don't have to spend ages rubbing it into your hair drying to get white marks to disappear. It also smells beautiful, it has the nicest scent! It also adds a ton of volume too. Because the product has no residue, you can spray it all over your hair no matter how greasy it is. So you create volume and lift throughout your hair. It's perfect if you struggle with limp hair the day after washing! 

There's not really much more to say about this, if you haven't tried it, give it a go, it's fabulous! 
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Friday 5 September 2014

Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush




This super cute blusher from Physicians Formula is the 'Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush'. I picked this up in the shade 'Natural' in America on a complete whim in Target. I'd done no research but I knew I wanted to try something from the Physicians Formula brand and this stuck out to me.

The Happy Booster blusher comes in stunning metallic hot pink packaging with a clear lid which shows the product underneath. Underneath the blusher there is a home for a little brush which comes with the product. The brush as always with these things is really rubbish and it just makes the packaging unnecessarily bulky. Isn't the blusher just beautiful? It is lots of lovely little hearts in lots of different shades and it's so sweet. It's just one of those products that you really want to take a picture of, so photogenic! Physicians Formula claim that this has a scent of Violet but it's not something I can detect. It just smells like it's unscented to me!

The Happy Booster has bold claims: "Infused with our Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress."

To me sounds like absolute craziness? Can a blusher really make you feel happy? I think the whole concept is just a little bit cheesy.

On to the product itself: the blusher has a soft shimmer through it, it's not disco ball standard but it's definitely noticeable. It adds a nice highlight to the cheeks which is lovely in the summer. I will say that I don't think that this product isn't pigmented enough, I really have to be bold applying it to get any colour pay off, and I prefer to have a brighter colour on the cheeks than this gives me. All in all, I'm not really impressed with this product. It's good for a sheer wash of colour or a pink-toned highlighter, but for me, not much else.

Have you tried anything from Physicians Formula?
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Thursday 4 September 2014

Soap & Glory Heel Genius | Review


Soap & Glory Heel Genius, £5.50

The Soap & Glory Hell Genius foot cream is no new addition to the beauty world. In fact it's been around for quite some time. I've used this cream in the past, but I actually packed it away when we moved and we're still waiting to move in. So I'd been waiting to get it back out rather than buying a new tube. However, my feet were looking a little dire, I'd tried all my usual techniques, but they still needed some TLC. So when I was in Boots I decided to repurchase Soap & Glory Heel Genius and give it a whirl.

I'd completely forgotten how much I love this stuff! It's a very thick formula which definitely takes it's time to sink in, but it's worth the wait. Just chuck some socks over the top and let it do it's work! Afterwards your feet feel super soft and look better too!

It's a great product and £5.50 it's well worth having in your beauty stash! 
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Wednesday 3 September 2014

Weekly Roundup #12




Life
We missed last weeks weekly roundup, as I've just got back from a beautiful holiday in Spain! Seven days relaxation has done me the world of good, but I wish I was still there now! We went to Xàbia/Jávea and I'll definitely share a whole host of holiday snaps with you in the near future! We spent lots of time around the pool and exploring the beautiful coast that Spain has to offer. Our seats on the plane actually got upgraded coming home which was super exciting! I got such a beautiful picture of London at night out of the window! Being on holiday meant my diet took a back seat, but now it's all systems go again! I'm on a mission to be a lot healthier by Christmas time! 

Shopping
I'm trying to be as good as I can and avoid shopping but a few things have tickled my fancy recently! I picked up the Taylor Swift 'Taylor' rollerball to take away on holiday with me and I loved it! It was only £5 at Superdrug which was a bargain! Have you seen the Look Fantastic Beauty Box? I'm super eager to see the contents, so I had to pre-order mine yesterday!

Blog
I had time to schedule my usual daily posts on my blog whilst I was gone, so I hoped you enjoyed them! Here are some of my favourite posts incase you missed them! I reviewed the 'Kate Rocking' Curves Mascara' which is lovely if you want length and not volume (link here). I shared my August Favourites, which are all products that have helped me survive summer (link here). I reviewed the incredible 'Brow This Way' by Rimmel, I cannot believe how cheap this product is (link here)! I also shared my thoughts on the Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Ultra Nourishing Oil, which is to die for! (link here)

I hope you're all having a really good week! Have you been up to anything exciting?
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Tuesday 2 September 2014

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Pencil | Review


Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Pencil in Pink Spark

This Caviar Stick Eye Pencil is the first makeup product from Laura Mercier that I've tried, what a great place to start! The Caviar Stick Eye Pencils from Laura Mercier, are stunning cream eyeshadows, which comes in stick form. The shade, Pink Spark, is a limited edition colour from volume five of the secrets collection, which is available in House of Fraser. Pink Spark is a beautiful 'everyday' shade, it's a light pink with shimmer running through it, which makes it handy for lots of different occasions. I've been enjoying wearing it to work!

The Caviar Stick Eye Pencil glides onto your eyelid, which is fabulous as there is nothing worse than a cream shadow which drags on your eyes. I apply it straight from the pencil, the applicator is a good size. It's not too small and fiddly that you need to spend all day applying it, but it's also not too big that you end up getting product everywhere. I blend it out with my fingers and then it sets and doesn't budge. It's really pigmented and a little bit goes a long way! It's so easy to use and it's a great product for travelling as you don't need any extra tools or brushes! This will definitely be coming with me on holiday!

I've spent quite some time looking at the other caviar shades online, they are all so beautiful. It's hard to pick just one to buy next! They retail for £20.50 each, so they are definitely a high-end pricey item, so I'll have to put a lot of thought into it before I invest in anymore.

Have you tried any eye products from Laura Mercier?
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