Sunday 31 May 2015

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Mascara

I've made no secret about my love for high street mascaras! They perform so well and I've never felt the need to branch out to try 'high end' alternatives. One of my favourite brands for mascara is Rimmel London, I've never been disappointed by a mascara they've made. So when Rimmel London launched the Wake Me Up Mascara, I knew I had to try it!



The Wake Me Up range from Rimmel has been expanding recently. There's the foundation, the concealer and now we have the mascara. This is the Rimmel London Wonder'Full Wake Me Up Mascara, packed with vitamins and cucumber. It aims to make your eyes look wide-awake all day, as it gives you defined volume, left and length. It's also made with sensitive eyes in mind; so if you usually struggle with mascara, this might be for you! 

It comes packaged in a metallic green tube, which I think is really pretty - you certainly can't miss it in your makeup bag! The brush itself is an hourglass shape, it has thicker edges and it's slim in the middle. I found the brush easy to use; it caught every lash without leaving mascara all over my face. 

Here's something new and a bit different; this mascara is scented. That's right, it actually has a fresh cucumber scent! I thought that I'd find this a little bit gimmicky, but I really love it and it makes such a difference in the morning! 

Once again, I haven't been disappointed by the performance of this mascara. One coat gives you beautiful volume and length, with every lash being coated and defined. However, the result isn't particularly dramatic, it's just a very subtle effect. Being a fan of a more dramatic look, I often opt for two (sometimes three) coats of this mascara. It doesn't get too thick or too clumpy, so it's really easy to work with and it's not a chore to create dramatic lashes.

This new mascara retails for £7.99, which makes it incredibly affordable. It's available at Boots and Superdrug now! 

Hope, Freedom, Love
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Saturday 30 May 2015

Fragrance Direct Essie Haul



My favourite nail brand in the world is Essie – they make incredible formulas, great colours and they boast great staying power. The only real problem for me, is that at £7.99 a pop, they can be fairly pricey. That’s why I love Fragrance Direct as they often have a whole load of them for £2.99 (link here). Every now and then I pop on to the site and check out what colours they have up for grabs. Last week I had a peek and I couldn’t resist picking up three new colours for my collection.

Strut Your Stuff (bottom swatch)

The first one I picked up was Strut Your Stuff, which is a bright blue shade. It’s a really compelling aqua shade and it looks wonderful on the nails. It honestly puts me in a great mood when I wear this shade, it reminds me of sunny days on the beach. The pigmentation of this is a little weaker than standard for Essie, but two coats gives you a beautiful application.

Ruffles & Feathers (middle swatch)
I don’t have anything else like Ruffles & Feathers in my collection. It’s a really extravagant, bright, peacock green! I still haven’t actually mustered the courage to wear this yet, but I cannot deny that it is gorgeous!

Style Cartel (top swatch)
The last shade I picked up is Style Cartel which is such a ME shade. It’s a gorgeous cobalt blue which comes across as a dark navy, creamy shade on the nails. This is a colour I get a lot of wear out of, as it’s perfect for the work place. Again you need two solid coats to get it looking perfect but it’s beautiful. 

What is your favourite nail brand?
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Friday 29 May 2015

Making Eyeshadow Last All Day

If you’re like me, oily eyelids can really dampen your success when experimenting with eyeshadow. It can often feel like a real wasted effort, when you’ve spent ages applying it, for it disappear before you even make it to work. If this rings true for you, keep reading! I have four tried and tested solutions for you try out!


First of all we have liquid eyeshadow primers, such as the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. This comes in a little tube, which has a doe foot applicator inside. You apply the primer to the eyelids, pat it in and leave it to dry. You then put your eyeshadow on top of the primer. The one from NARS is by far the best one I’ve tried yet, however, if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative the Rimmel Undercover Eyeshadow Primer comes a very close second!

Another thing I’ve tried is cream eyeshadow primers, like the L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Eye Primer Base. This one is in a handy stick form, which you apply straight to your eyelids. You blend it in and then again you apply eyeshadow straight on top, the only difference is you don’t have to wait for it to set. What I particular like about this one, is you can actually where it on it’s own. It’s a lovely beige shade and it makes your eyes look awake and brighter.

Next on the list is Cream Eyeshadows! Obviously you can wear cream eyeshadows on their own, but what I’ve found is that they make a really lovely base too. They tend to have a much better staying power and can intensify any colour you put over the top. Some of my favourites are the Maybelline Color Tattoos, I particularly like On And On Bronze (but I actually have about five different shades).

If all else fails you can try out a eyeshadow palette which has been specifically made with oily skin in mind. The best one I’ve found is the Stila In The Light Palette – not only are the shades beautiful, but they also stay put all day! I can actually use this palette without any primer and the colour goes nowhere, it’s really impressive.

There you have it, four ways to have your eyeshadow stay on all day! If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.
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Thursday 28 May 2015

New From COLAB: The Monaco Scent

Since COLAB launched last year I have not stopped raving about it! COLAB Dry Shampoo is unlike any other dry shampoo brand I've tried. 

It comes in two formulas 'Sheer Invisible' and 'Extreme Volume'. The Sheer Invisible formula is exactly that, a completely undetectable formula that helps greasy hair look clean again. The Extreme Volume formula is packed with grit and volume, it adds some fierce body to your hair! Be careful not to get these two formulas mixed up - once I sprayed my hair all over with the Extreme Volume formula and I had to WASH my hair to fix it! It certainly packs a punch. Recently COLAB launched a brand new scent to their collection, which is called Monaco.


New From COLAB The Monaco Scent, dry shampoo, colab, ruth crilly, haircare,
You may know that each of the COLAB scents are inspired by cities. We already have Paris, London, Tokyo, Rio and New York in the collection and now we have Monaco. Although Monaco is technically a principality, we can let it off, as it's definitely a beautiful place! 

The new Monaco scent has been made with glitz, glamour and the Mediterranean Sea in mind. Monaco is beautiful rich scent - Ruth Crilly says it's inspired by some of her "favourite summer fragrances... think Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino". Offically the scent is described as "A sophisticated blend of Neroli & Amber with a hint of Lemon". To me it smells delicious - there's a strong citrus scent which is underpinned by a floral scent - it's really lovely!

If you fancy trying the new COLAB Monaco scent, you can pick it up from Superdrug or online at Feel Unique. Prices start at £2 for the mini can, £3.50 for the Sheer Invisible formula and £4.50 for the Extreme Volume formula. I highly recommend giving this product a whirl, you won't be disappointed!

Hope, Freedom, Love
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Wednesday 27 May 2015

Believe The Hype: Infallible Foundation From L'Oreal

When the Infallible Foundation From L'Oreal was first released, the hype was mad! Everybody was talking about the new kid on the block and it was getting some rave reviews. I wanted to wait it out for a bit and see if any bad reviews started to occur, but no such thing arrived. So I finally caved and added the Mattifying Infallible Foundation to my collection and I'm hear to tell you; the hype is real

The Mattifying Infallible Foundation comes in a sleek tube, with a small nozzle, so you squeeze the foundation out onto your brush or hand. It comes in six different shades, I opted for 'Porcelain' which is number 10, which is also the lightest shade. As you apply the foundation, you quickly see that a little goes a long way. I buff it into my skin with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and it blends effortlessly. It leaves behind a flawless coverage, and I mean flawless. It covers a huge multitude of sins, so much so that I rarely need to add concealer on top. The finish is completely matt, but it's not too drying, or flakey, it just looks like skin! 

I couldn't quite believe the results of the Mattifying Infallible Foundation! I wondered if it was too good to be true, but after using the foundation for a good week straight, I'm really impressed. It's lasted a pretty full on week at work, including being caught in a huge downpour and a lot of manual labour! It's also contended with me feeling pretty ill, a major breakout and some pretty dull looking skin. It really is a life savor - I can well believe that this will be the foundation I rely on for a lot of important events.

The Mattifying Infallible Foundation retails for £7.99 (what a bargain!) and it's available at Boots and Superdrug. 
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Tuesday 26 May 2015

Tips For Blogging and Working Full Time

Sometimes I definitely feel like I’m juggling too many hats! Not only am I working full time, which involves travelling to other continents. I’m blogging every single day, working on freelance ideas and keeping a house running. Whilst sometimes it feels like a real struggle, I wouldn’t change any of it! I love my job and I love blogging, so neither are disappearing anytime soon! So I’ve put together some top tips, that I keep my head to help me succeed.




Make The Most Of Your Commute
I get to work in two different ways, sometimes I get the train to work and sometimes I car share. When I get the train, I take my laptop with me and I write blog posts whilst I’m on the way to work. Then when I have internet access, I copy my post into blogger and add all my links. I have an hour-long trip to work, so I can normally make some really great progress!

I really struggle to write in the car as I get pretty travel sick, so instead, I use this time to research. Sometimes I'll be reading blog posts and leaving comments, other times I'll be browsing Boots/Superdrug for the latest releases.

Plan Ahead
Whilst some bloggers can write about things instantly, when beauty news breaks, I'm often sat at my desk at work. To avoid being late with news, I try to do a lot of research, and liaise with my favourite brands to work out when news is going to break. I also start planning themed posts at least a month in advance. Themed posts often include seasonal edits, or gift guides, so I find it good to be prepared. 

Have Blog Posts In Reserve
Sometimes life gets in the way, so I TRY to work a week ahead of myself. I write my reviews of products, prepare them and schedule them advance. Which then leaves me the evenings to write posts that need to be written at the last minute. I can't always manage this though and quite frequently you'll find me sat at in my office frantically typing away! I find it really important to write in advance, because I'm not always in the mood to write. So if I have a week when I'm lacking motivation, I'm not screwed by having no content! 

Take Photographs In Bulk
I get home from work quite late, so I can only really take photographs at the weekend. So for this reason I always take photographs in bulk. I write a list of things I want to talk about in the next couple of weeks and I try to take around ten photographs every weekend. This means that I always have photographs ready to go, so when the writing mood takes me, I have the photographs as inspiration. Again, life can get in the way of this too, especially if I have plans all weekend! 

Make The Most Of The Things Around You
Sometimes I find inspiration for a blog post in the most unlikely of places. I’m always observing my surroundings, watching people applying makeup on the train, or earwigging to people’s problems in Boots. I also try to make the most out of the things I do everyday, such as cooking new things and sharing the recipes.

I’m by no means an expert on this, but I feel like I’ve started to make real headway in balancing all the different areas of my life. If you have any tips for blogging I’d love to hear them!

  Hope, Freedom, Love
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Monday 25 May 2015

Three Cheek Products You Will Not Regret Buying

I’ve only recently become a blush and bronzer girl! It hasn’t always been my thing and it’s definitely not always been something I’ve been interested in. However, in recent times I’ve become a little bit obsessed. My blush collection has tripled in size and I’m no longer scared to try out contouring. Today I thought I’d share with you, three cheek products I love and would highly recommend.



The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder
This is the one that has been in my collection the longest! It’s also one I eyed up for a really long time before actually buying! The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder not only comes with the cutest honeycomb embossed pattern, it also comes in a pretty tortoise shell casing. I’ve actually almost hit pan on my current one, so this is a brand new one, which I recently invested in. The bronzer is completely matt and it's a completely even shade all the way through the compact. It’s so easy to use, so easy in fact, I’d highly recommend it if you’re a newbie to bronzers. It’s not too pigmented and it’s not hard to blend, it’s just perfect! The Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder retails for £13 here.

From cool and sophisticated, to overly-pigmented glitter, I’ve gone full circle with my second recommendation. Mary-Lou Manizer is super duper pigmented, it's not sheer and it's not for the faint-hearted. It's one of few products I’ve tried from The Balm but it blew me away. It has really cute packaging and the product inside is to die for! You literally need the lightest touch with this, as you can end up as a glitterball very easily. The Mary-Lou Manizer retails for £17.50 here.

Here’s something high end that’s guaranteed to make your heart flutter! These blushers from Hourglass are no stranger to the bloggersphere, as they’ve had some major hype. However, the hype and the lovely reviews are 100% justified! Hourglass combined the formula of the famous Ambient Lighting Powders with coloured hues to create 'soft focus' colour. This blusher is gorgeous, not only goes it come packaged in a gold casing, it has the most beautiful marbled design. On the cheek it gives you a lovely colour and a beautiful glow. Use this for a stunning “glowing from within” look! Hourglass say that the technique of making these ensures that no two blushers are the same! Ethereal Glow retails for £28 and you can pick it up from John Lewis here.

I’d love to hear your recommendations for lovely cheek products, I cannot get enough!
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Sunday 24 May 2015

Currently In My Makeup Bag

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I’m trying really hard at the moment to make the most out of my makeup collection. I have a LOT of products and all too often, great products get forgotten about. I’ve vowed to share my current makeup bag at least once a month, in the hope it will encourage me to switch things up more often. A lot of this months products have recently been reviewed on my blog, but they’ve also become staples in my routine.

First up is the Maybelline Better Skin Foundation (full review here), which I’ve been loving using as a base. It’s the perfect spring base as it’s very light but it gives you a perfect complexion. For contour I’ve been using NARS Laguna – believe the hype with this product! It’s the perfect colour for my skin tone and it’s so easy to wear. I’ve been applying my contour with the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brushes, which I’ve had for ages, but I’ve just rediscovered. The Duo Fibre formula is great for Spring makeup as it picks up less product and it blends everything out effortlessly. 

I’m still enjoying using MAC Soft & Gentle as a highlight, it’s just so pretty and it makes your skin look so dewy (full review here). The Clinique Cheek Pop in Berry Pop (full review here) is still my blusher of choice, I cannot get enough of it! It’s pretty to look at and pretty to wear, I know I’ve said it before, but I cannot get over that embossed daisy! To finish it all off I’ve been using one of the Oh My Gloss lipglosses by Rimmel London, this is the shade 'Captivate Me'. These are really glossy and they have a hint of sparkle too, which I personally love.

What’s in your Spring makeup bag at the moment?
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Saturday 23 May 2015

Products I've Recently Finished



Some of my favourite blog posts to read are empties posts, because normally if you’ve finished a product, you’ve managed to form a steady opinion on it. Here are the products, which have recently made their way to the recycling pile.

Frizz Ease Dream Curls Shampoo & Conditioner
I’ve mentioned a few times that I’ve got permed hair, so when it comes to haircare, I need something that will look after my curls. You can probably tell by the packaging (they are really grubby) that these lasted me quite a long time! I’m a big fan of this range, it helps my hair stay frizz-free in all climates and my curls look lovely too!

I’ve tried a lot of deodorants in my time, but this one from Dove has been a staple in my collection for years now. Instead of being a liquid formula, it’s more a cream consistency. You twist the screw at the bottom and it disperses exactly the amount you need. The packaging says “Proven Wetness Protection” and it’s true – no sweat, no matter the heat makes it through. It also doesn’t irritate my skin, a lot of other products have left me itchy in the past!

When this product first launched it look the beauty world by storm. It’s a handy moisturiser packaged in a spray can. You literally do as it as, spray it on your skin, give it a quick pat and you’re good to go! I’m quite sad that I’ve come to the end of this product and I’ll definitely be repurchasing it in the near future!

This product is not new to my empties posts as I get through it so quickly! Colab Dry Shampoo is the brainchild of Ruth Crilly (A Model Recommends). It’s an invisible formula, which soaks up any grease in your hair and leaves your locks looking (and smelling) fabulous. Colab have actually just released a brand new scent called Monaco – more on that another time.


Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of them?

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Friday 22 May 2015

High Street Makeup Haul

Uhoh, I’ve been shopping again! There have been so many amazing high street makeup releases, that I could not resist picking up a few things from Superdrug. I actually find shopping online with Superdrug TOO easy and TOO tempting! They offer free delivery on every order over £10, so it’s a very easy system to take advantage of.


beauty, haul, High Street Makeup Haul, makeup, Superdrug,

First of all I picked up the L'Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation (£7.99 here). This foundation has had some pretty rave reviews and I couldn’t resist giving it a whirl L’Oreal say that it glides perfectly onto the skin, giving a matte effect that isn’t cakey or dull! This formula sounds like perfection to me, so I cannot wait to give it a go!

I have not bought a new Real Techniques brush for ages, but I was so excited when I spotted the Sculpting Brush (£9.99 here). It looks like the perfect shape for contouring, which is a brush that was missing from my stash. As always the brush is made from synthetic hairs, which are 100% cruelty-free!

Although B. has been around for quite a while, this Whipped Blush in Peach (£7.99 here) is the first thing I’ve bought from them. This is fresh from the Sweet Candy Shop collection and it sounds amazing.

I completely missed the launch of the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Concealer (£5.49 here) but as soon as I spotted it I had to buy it. I’m a huge fan of the whole Lasting Finish line and this sounds amazing. It claims to hide all imperfections for up to 25 hours!

Last but not least we have the latest mascara formula from Rimmel London. This is the Rimmel London Wonder’Full Wake Me Up Mascara (£7.99 here) which is formulated with vitamins and cucumber! It claims to make your eyes look wide-awake all day, plus add volume, lift and length. It apparently even smells nice – I’ll be giving this a whirl ASAP!

If that wasn’t enough I also received a free makeup bag from Superdrug, adorning the slogan “#makeup” – it’s really simple and I know it will be great for travelling! That’s my makeup shopping done for a while – I have a lot of things to test out and I’ll certainly be reporting back! Have you been shopping recently? If so what have you been buying?

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Thursday 21 May 2015

Rescue Kit For When Your Skin Misbehaves


Sometimes your skin decides that it doesn’t want to play ball anymore. It’s throwing a right old hissy fit and you’re stuck to find a cause or a solution. Normally my skin is pretty predictable, so when it does decide to throw a wobbly, I know it’s time to revert back to some tried and tested favourites.

When my skin is feeling dry, I focus on using the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum. The Thermal Serum oozes hydration; it’s cooling on the skin and it leaves your skin feeling plump again. This is particularly great when you’ve been on a plane, or out in the sun a little too long.


When my skin is feeling uneven, I go back to using the Nip & Fab Glycolic Fix Pads twice a day. I can tell that I need to exfoliate when I run my fingers across my skin and I can feel lumps and bumps. Whether it’s dry skin or blackheads under the surface, for me it tends to be pretty noticeable. The Exfoliating Pads tend to fix this for me almost instantly; I just switch to using them twice a day and watch the magic happen. You just have to be careful and make sure that you’re using an SPF (which you should be doing anyway). 

When my skin is feeling congested, the first thing I do is use the Origins Clear Improvement Mask. This is Origins' Charcoal mask and it feels incredible on the skin. This mask deeply cleanses your pores and your skin looks brighter and much happier. I also start using Serozinc twice a day; Serozinc is a Zinc Sulphate solution, which tackles blemishes. It’s great as it’s a cooling mist, so you just have to spray it on your skin, wait a few seconds and you’re good to go!

I like to think that each product listed here, targets a different area of concern. It means my skin gets a little bit of TLC and normally it starts to feel a little less grumpy. 

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Wednesday 20 May 2015

Tanning With Green People #SpringHasSprung

When it comes to looking tanned in the summer, I think we all know that bathing in the sun is never the best idea. Not to mention, that in the UK, we never get the sun long enough to make it worth while. Luckily, bad tanning products are almost a distant memory. Now-a-days we have a whole host of fantastic products that can make us look sun-kissed, without the sun.

Green People are quickly becoming one of my favourite brands. Their products are made with the purest ingredients, without using parabens, alcohol or artificial perfumes. Green People recently sent me two of the self-tanning products which I've been giving a whirl.

The first is their Gradual Tan Moisturiser*. This one is a product you use daily to build up natural tan on your face and neck. It's obviously the perfect way to tan your face, as you don't have to exposure your delicate skin to the sun. It's packed with mandarin and orange which means it smells amazing (no biscuit smell!). It's not got a greasy texture, which means it hasn't aggravated my sensitive skin at all, so it's really win-win. 

The second is the Self Tan Lotion* which is one of Green People's organic products. This product gets some pretty rave reviews on the Green People website, so for once I wasn't scared to give it a go! This is scented with essential oils, including rosehip, geranium and sandalwood, which means again you don't have a horrible scent. I'm very pale, so I often worry that self-tan will leave me looking orange. However, this one gives a nice warmth to the skin, without appearing like a tangerine. 

I'd love to know more about what products you guys use for self tanning, I'm no expert on the concept, but the summer holidays are fast approaching! 

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Tuesday 19 May 2015

How I Survive Flying Long Haul

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Before starting work (properly after University) I’d only been on a plane twice. Both journeys were short haul trips – one to France and one to Spain. When my boss told me I’d have to travel I was pretty excited. I was about to see the world from a whole other angle. The only real problem was the plane – I’d never been on a plane for longer than two hours and I was about to embark on 12-hours in the air.

I’m not a nervous flyer, the thought of take off, landing or turbulence really doesn’t bother me. What does bother me is being cooped up for 12 hours with no way of really killing time. Two trips later I had the whole airport experience sorted, I was a pro at checking in and making my way through security. However, I was still really struggling with making my flight as comfortable as possible. Eight long haul trips later I feel like I’ve really got a good set-up for travel. I can’t claim that the time flies (I still get a bit anxious after seven hours) but it certainly helps. 

The first tip I have is to not be afraid to make the most out of your carry on toiletries. The first two trips I got on the plane with nothing more than a bottle of water. Not only do good toiletries make your flight more comfortable, they also are great at killing time. Nowadays, I pack face wipes, face masks, water sprays, lip balms, some of the Deep Sleep range from This Works – this is only the start of my list. On top of this I pack a range of tablets, hairbands and creams such as Germolene and Hydrocortisone.  You’ll be amazed how more at ease you feel when you know that you have any situation covered!

Next up are tips for killing time – on a long haul flight I don’t rush anything – lets be honest you don’t need to

  • The first two hours are consumed by post-takeoff drinks and meals. So I just sit back, relax and watch a film from the on-board selection. I rarely get a chance to watch films, so it's a real one off and a chance to relax.
  • After dinner I tend to put on some music on the planes system and read a book. I take a selection on my iPad, but I also normally take a physical book or magazine too. I let the music and the book relax me and after this I normally try and get some sleep. 
  • With any luck (things don’t always go to plan) I wake up with about seven hours into the flight. This is normally when I start to feel a bit anxious and chrostophobic.
  • To beat the chrostophobia, I get out of my seat and head to the bathrooms and have a bit of a pamper. I’ll remove my makeup, cleanse and whack on a face mask (I use the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask). I also spray my pillow in the cabin with the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray – it’s amazing for calming you down. 
  • I whip out my iPad at this point as I pre-download a load of YouTube videos. For me this is a really calming process, I think it’s because I normally watch YouTube when I’m tucked up in bed at home. So it makes me feel all cosy and safe – it’s the simple things eh?! I download videos from Vivianna Does Makeup, Lily Pebbles, The Shaytards and The Mom's View and really try to relax. I normally can kill a good couple of hours watching YouTube before I start to feel a bit sleepy.
  • I catch another couple of hours sleep at this point and try to wake up when there’s only two hours left of the flight. 
  • At this point I have another freshen up in the bathroom! I cleanse my skin again and apply a serum. At the moment I'm loving the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum, as it's amazing for dehydrated skin. I return to my seat and watch another film from the plane. 
  • About an hour before landing the air hostesses will start serving food again and it’s all about preparing to get off the plane for me.

For me this system makes the whole journey feel a little more manageable – flying is still not something I really enjoy. However, it’s something that I’ve managed to feel a little easier! I’d love to hear any tips you guys have for flying long haul, leave them in the comments below!

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Monday 18 May 2015

My Little Provence Box




It’s that time of the month again, the My Little Box subscription has landed on my doorstep. If I’m being more specific it actually arrives for me at work (you get a discount if you deliver it to your workplace). This month My Little Box has a Provence theme!

In the box this month we have two lifestyle items. The first is a magnet set, the idea is that you can dress your My Little Doll however you see fit. Although this is cute,  I’m not really convinced of it’s worth (especially as I don’t have a fridge)!  The second item is what My Little Box call “The Sunny Cuff” which is a cute gold bracelet. You can wear it as it is, or you can customise it with embroidery. Simply thread the threads through the holes and you have a completely different bracelet. I think this is very cool and very unique, I’ve never seen anything like it!

Now onto the beauty items! The first thing that caught my eye is “The Amazing Pencil’ which is a pretty brown eyeshadow crayon. My Little Box has a side company, called 'My Little Beauty' who make their own beauty products. So this eyeshadow crayon is made by them directly! The next thing I spotted were four miniatures that looked like freebies from a hotel bathroom. However, I was quite surprised to see that they are actually made by L’Occitane en Provence. There’s a Mer & Mistral Shower Gel, Roses et Raines Hand & Nail Cream, a Verbena Body Lotion and a Verbena Leaf Soap. These are all things I haven’t tried before, so I’ll definitely put them in my travel drawer for next time I go away.

If I’m completely honest, this months My Little Box didn't blow me away! Previous boxes have been better, especially when you compare it to last months box (link here). However, I do love this brand and it’s currently the only subscription box I have on-the-go! If you’re interested you can subscribe here for £11 and £3.95 P&P.

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Sunday 17 May 2015

A Touch of Parisian Summer from Bourjois



I recently won a Twitter competition to try out the brand new Parisian Summer range from Bourjois. It features a whole range of bronzing products too create tanned skin. I have three items from the range here, which I’m going to talk about.

First up we have the Bourjois Sun Illusion Bronzing Primer (which retails for £10 here). In the pot it looks like a mousse texture and it aims to melt effortless into the skin. You can either wear it alone or over your foundation to give a sun kissed appearance. It has blurring properties, which means it aims to give you an even complexion with your pores refined. The texture of this is really light, it takes a little blending but it can carve out some serious cheekbones. It doesn’t have an SPF in this though, so if you choose to wear this on it’s own on holiday, you need to apply a SPF.

My personal favourite item from the collection is the Bourjois Mat Illusion Bronzing Powder (which retails for £8 here). Bourjois certainly know how to create some fabulous bronzers. The Bourjois Mat Illusion Bronzing Powder has the classic Bourjois chocolate scent, but it’s completely mattifying on the skin. I’ve been loving using this as a contour shade first and this lightly warming up my complexion with it. This has a completely different texture to your standard bronzer, it’s not powdery or dry at all, it’s really smooth. Which means your skin doesn’t feel dry or dehydrated when you wear it.

The last product I have from the collection is the Bourjois Sunsation BB Bronzing Cream (which also retails for £10 here). This one is my least favourite from the collection, as I just find it too hard to wear. I’m really pale, so it means that this leaves me looking really orange and completely unnatural. I have a feeling though, that this would look incredible on tanned ladies! It does have SPF 15 though which makes it better for summer holidays!

Have you tried anything from this range yet? It’s exclusive to Very, which is an interesting move from Bourjois!

Hope, Freedom, Love
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Saturday 16 May 2015

Spring Beauty Edit 2015 #SpringHasSprung

For the last few weeks I’ve been testing, reviewing and trying out a load of products. What’s different to any other month I hear you ask? Well the sole purpose has been to create my official Spring Edit of 2015. I’ve tried a lot of products, some good, some bad, but these products are the ones I give my seal of approval. So if you’re looking to update your makeup bag, you can safely take out your shopping list and get stuck in. 

Spring Edit 2015 #SpringHasSprung

The Perfect Base
I’ve not been too shy in the past to say that I don’t like BB Creams, but recently I’ve been loving some amazing light bases! This Vichy BB Cream* not only comes in beautiful packaging, but it provides a lovely dewy base for your makeup. It’s really easy to blend into your skin and it leaves a lovely glow to your skin. It’s not a very heavy coverage, so I top it up with the Urban Decay Naked Concealer and I’m good to go! What’s great about it is that it’s also packaged with ingredients which aim to fight aging. So no matter your age, you can really benefit from this BB Cream! Another product I’m loving is the ESPA Tinted Moisturiser, if you like a REALLY glowing base and I mean really, really dewy, this is for you. It’s got great coverage and it lasts really well on the skin!

Glowing Highlighters
Now for my favourite section; highlighters! I could literally go on all week about my favourite highlighters for Spring, but to keep things short, I’ve selected two. The first is the Rimmel London Good To Glow highlighter, a liquid/cream formula. What I love about this product is the fact it’s multi-purpose. You can use it as a base for your foundation, you can mix it with your foundation or you can apply it more traditionally. It’s an absolute steal at £4.99! If you’re more of a grab and go girl, you might want to check out the Instant Radiance Highlighter from No7. This is a cream highlighter, which comes in a handy twist-stick. Simply dab onto your cheekbones and you’ve got a gorgeous glow without the faff. It’s slightly more expensive at £9.99, but it’s worth it for it’s travel-friendly properties.

A Pop of Colour 
Now, for the cheeks I’ve picked out two products too. The first has had a LOT of coverage on my blog recently, so I won’t go on for hours. It’s the Clinique Cheek Pop in Berry Pop; that beautiful daisy-themed compact that gives a lovely pop of colour all day long. The second is an old favourite and it’s the Tarte Airblush. Sadly, this one is a little harder to get hold of, but it’s the most wonderful texture. It is so light and it’s really lovely to work with.

For lips I’ve picked out the Clinique Chubby Sticks, in particular the shade Super Strawberry. I love how easy these are to apply; they give you a sheer wash of colour and last really well too.

Pastel Nails
For nails I had one clear winner from the new releases and that is the Barry M Speedy Dry range. Gorgeous pastel colours that have a dreamy formulation and they dry quickly! I love two shades, but my favourite is Eat My Dust. Another brand that always wins in the nail category is Essie! Again, they make light work of wearing pastel shades and they all look gorgeous on the nails. A clear winner for me recently has been Bikini So Teeny – a lush purple shade.


Smell Fabulous 
When it comes to fragrance I had a clear winner and it has to be Peach from Library of Fragrance. I’m an utter peach freak, I have shower gels, moisturisers and now I have my very own Peach perfume. It’s basically a dream come true!
When it comes to skincare though, I had to give my gold star to the Lait Sorbet formulation from Roger & Gallet. Roger & Gallet are quickly becoming one of my favourite brands and I cannot get enough of their products. The Energising Sorbet* is citrus scented and it aims to get you up and out of bed in the morning. The lotion feels incredible on the skin and dries almost instantly.

I'd love to hear about your favourite Spring products! Have you tried any of these? What were your thoughts?

Hope, Freedom, Love
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Friday 15 May 2015

NARS Laguna - The Bronzer Perfect For Light Skintones

NARS Laguna - The Bronzer Perfect For Light Skintones


If there’s a product that gets name dropped like no other, it has to be NARS Laguna. It feels like the whole world has spoken about it and it gets some rave reviews. I managed to resist buying this for such a long time, however, I recently caved and now I’m here to share my thoughts.

NARS Laguna comes in a fairly large compact and is packaged in their famous black matte packaging.  It has the NARS branding in the famous white font and the inside boasts the powder and a large mirror. Packaging aside, the biggest attraction for me, is that the bronzer is a pigmented powder, but it’s the perfect colour for lighter skintones.  It’s completely matte, which means you can apply as much or as little as you like – and not end up looking like a glitter ball.

I actually had my doubts that this could actually be as good as everyone says - however, it certainly didn’t disappoint! I apply this to the contours of my face using the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush. It's good, because the brush doesn’t pick up too much product and it allows you to blend it out well. The colour is such a good match for my skintone and it does such an amazing job at carving out my cheekbones. I’ve often just done half my face and stared at myself in awe at the result.

If you’re looking for a bronzer and haven’t had much luck in the past, I highly recommend this product! It’s made real light work of my contouring efforts and it’s definitely drama free.

Hope, Freedom, Love
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Thursday 14 May 2015

Thursday Tittle Tattle #4

Not too long ago, I launched a new series on my blog called 'Thursday Tittle Tattle', a series dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, I'll feature beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! Here are the things that have caught my eye this week:





H&M Relaunches Beauty Line
First up I had to share the relaunch of the beauty line from H&M. I actually had a load of H&M makeup when I was at university, so I’m excited to see it making a real comeback. The line will launch in autumn and will comprise of make-up, haircare, bodycare and beauty styling products. The products will appear in over 900 stores worldwide, with over 700 makeup items alone! Lets take a minute to appreciate that packaging shall we (bottom right in the image above) – it’s beautiful!

5 Years of Topshop Beauty
Another favourite makeup brand from the fashion high street! Topshop is celebrating its fifth birthday – I remember it launching which makes me feel really old! To celebrate, Topshop have launched a limited collection (shop here) which have all been transformed with rose gold packaging! They also have a brand new ‘Beauty Hub’ where they are sharing tips and tutorials.

IWOOT Gift Boxes
If you’re looking for a gift, I love this new idea from The Hut Group. They have launched the ZBOX, which is a “monthly geek box themed around your favourite geeky interests”. There’s something for everyone from zombies to retro games! You can shop all the gift boxes here.

Fantastic Beauty Offers at Escentual
Escentual is one of my favourite places to shop for makeup and this month they have a whole load of fabulous offers! If you move quickly, you can save 20% off all skincare until midnight on Friday. All you have to do is enter SKINCARE20 at the checkout, I highly recommend giving Serozinc (link here) a try! My favourite offer though is from Roger & Gallet, for the month of May you can give 1/3 on all of their products, in celebration of the launch of their new Fleur de Figuier Eau de Parfum (link here).

MAC Huggable Lip Colour Launch
The MAC Huggable Lip Colour is back by popular demand (pictured on the left above). These are creamy shades that boast luminous colour for up to six hours. They have a unique gel base that melts on contact to provide a feather-light moisturising finish! You can shop the collection at MAC online or at John Lewis (link here). I also spotted yesterday that they are finally releasing a Ruby Woo lip pencil to match the famous lipstick!

Stila Sun, Sea & Splash Collection
Another exciting launch comes from Stila, as they’ve just released their summer collection. The most exciting product for me is the Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush, which has a water-based formula, designed to give sheer, buildable colour! There are also new matte lip colours, a new primer, and two bronzers! Shop the new collection here.

Freebie from Origins
I love this freebie offer from Origins; if you spend £40 online you receive a FREE FULL-SIZED KissZing. It comes in the shade Coral Crush and it’s perfect for this time of year! Enter the code 'kiss' at the checkout!

Lily Melrose Launches Book
On Tuesday Lily Melrose (Llymlrs) launched her first book for pre-order. Just Blog It is a book sharing her personal advise for bloggers new and old, on how to establish a successful online brand. I’ve already ordered myself a copy, and you can do the same by clicking here!

Nip & Fab Offer
For my last offer I wanted to share a fabulous offer from Nip & Fab! Right now, if you treat yourself to the 365 Body Glow Fix product, you can get another one absolutely free. 365 Body Glow Fix is a fast drying gel which gives you a natural glowing tan within four hours! It’s only £9.95 and this is a great way to stock up for summer (link here)! 

Thanks for reading, I’d love to know about any fabulous news that I missed this week!


Hope, Freedom, Love
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Wednesday 13 May 2015

Skin That's Good To Glow #SpringHasSprung





When it comes to spring makeup, there’s nothing I love more than a good highlighter. Dewy, glowing skin for me is dream-worthy stuff! For me, trying out highlighters can be a bit of an addiction, if there is a new one on the market – I have to try it!

One of the latest highlighting products are the Good To Glow highlighters from Rimmel London. The Good To Glow highlighters come in three shades and are a liquid-to-cream formula. They come in a little tube and you simply squeeze the formula from the tube. It’s not a true liquid formula (like Benefit’s High Beam) but it’s not a true cream either (like Topshop’s Glow) it’s somewhere in the middle.

There are two ways you can use these highlighters. The first is in the traditional way; I squeeze some out onto my fingertip, dap onto my cheekbones and blend it out with the Real Techniques Contour Brush. The second way you can use it is as a base to makeup – this makes your skin look like it’s really glowing. The third way is to actually mix it into your makeup - it leaves a really dewy texture to the skin.

I have two of the highlighter shades here; on the left ‘Notting Hill Glow’ (001), and on the right we have ‘Piccadilly Glow’ (002). You can see that there is a really obvious difference between these two colours. 001 is a true champagne shade and 002 is much more pinky/coral. For my skintone I much prefer Notting Hill Glow, it’s a good all rounder and can be used in a variety of ways. Piccadilly Glow however, is really good for the tops of your cheekbones of you are rocking a more pink look.

The Good To Glow highlighters retail for £4.99, which I think, is a bargain! You can actually save an extra £1 at the moment at Superdrug (here). A little goes a long way, so one tube will last you a while! What highlighters have you tried recently? Have you discovered any new favourites?

Hope, Freedom, Love

Rimmel Good To Glow Highlighter, beauty, review, makeup, highlighter, #SpringHasSprung, rimmel, rimmel london,

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