Wednesday 31 August 2016

Pore Purifying Clay | New Face Masks By Vichy

I'm quite frankly loving the moment that face masks are having in the beauty industry! They are everywhere at the moment, with lots of new masks being launched at lots different price points. The latest face mask launch to land at my doorstop, is a very exciting launch from none other than one of my favourite skincare brands. Vichy actually launched three new masks earlier this year and I was so excited to get my hands on one to try.

Vichy are calling the masks the 'power of three', with a mask for detoxing, a mask for hydration and a mask for illuminating the skin. Earth, Water and Rock inspire the new collection of Mineral Masks, to create three unique formulas, giving you something special, whatever your skin type. Each of the masks are created with Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water, which is at the heart off all Vichy skincare. The Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water contains 15 beneficial Volcanic minerals and it is well known in the skincare industry for it's soothing properties.




I've been road testing the brand new Pore Purifying Clay Mask*, which is unlike anything I've ever tried before! Normally clay masks are quite dark and thick in texture, but this Vichy mask is formulated with two types of white clay. Mixing the white clay with the Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water makes an incredibly light and gentle mask. As the name suggests, the Pore Purifying Clay Mask works to immediately unclog pores & purify oily skin.

As I've already mentioned the mask is created with the Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water, which adds moisture back into the skin. Kaolins and bentonite clay is that added, which aims to remove impurities and excess sebum from the skin, whilst minimising pores. Then Vichy add Aloe Vera, for its soothing and hydrating properties. Finally Allantoin is added which soothes damaged and fragile skin.

To apply the mask I simply unscrewed the lid and applied the mask to the skin with a brush. Vichy then recommend that you stimulate the mask, by gentle pushing down on your face using the flat parts of your fingers. You simply move from the center of your face, all the way to the outside edges, which is uber relaxing but it also encourages the mask to penetrate the skin. One of the first things I noticed about the mask is that you only leave it on the skin for five minutes, which is almost unheard of with clay masks. The Vichy dermatologists say that this stops you from stripping skin of essential, advising that you should always remove a clay mask just before it dries completely. So after five minutes you simple rinse your face with water to remove the mask, which is very easy as the mask is so light. 

Whilst I was a little skeptical about how much this mask could achieve in just five minutes, I was actually pleasantly surprised with the results! My oily troublesome skin instantly felt soft, clean and soothed! I'm in love with this mask, it has great results and it only takes five minutes, which makes it perfect for us girls who are always on-the-go! 

The new Vichy Mineral Masks are available now, priced at £14 each.


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Tuesday 30 August 2016

New Color Tattoo Shades from Maybelline | AW16

Let's be honest the Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows from Maybelline need no introduction in the bloggersphere. These little cream eyeshadow pots get a lot of love and rightly so! The Maybelline Color Tattoos was my first ever introduction to the cream eyeshadow world. When I first tried this product I was a student in Southampton and I had a very small amount of money to spend on makeup. I struggled to find a product on the high street market that made me fall in love with cream eyeshadow, until I popped one of these into my basket. 




This product is dreamlike, we're talking high pigmentation, a creamy formulation and long-lasting hold whatever the weather. When you consider that these eyeshadows cost less that £5 a shade, they often outperform products that are a lot more expensive. Many bloggers (me included) flocked to buy these eyeshadows in every shade and I've already seen the excitement rolling around Twitter that there are now two new shades for everyones collections.

'Breathless*' and 'Fantasy*' bring the Maybelline Color Tattoo lineup to a total of 20 different shades. The new shades are part of Maybelline's Autumn/Winter makeup release and they are the perfect everyday neutrals for any makeup obsessive. Both the new shades have glitter running through them, making them perfect for nights out and parties. Breathless is a gorgeous creamy beige hue, whilst Fantasy is a taupe-brown shade. I've swatched these for you below, Breathless is on the left and Fantasy is on the right. 

If you've never tried the Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows you need to give them a whirl. The new shades are already available, so you can get your hands on them right now! Pick up Breathless here and Fantasy here. If you're interested in some of my other favourite shades, I'm a big fan of Pink Gold, Eternal Gold and On & On Bronze




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Monday 29 August 2016

The Warm Neutrals Palette by Sigma Beauty

We all know I'm a palette addict, especially if it's a sleek black compact of neutral eyeshadows. I don't know about you guys, but I did not even know that Sigma created makeup products? So the Warm Neutrals Palette* is a bit of a welcome surprise to my collection.




The lovely Sigma Beauty Warm Neutrals Palette first launched in 2013, as part of the Enlight Collection released around Christmas time. As you can see it's an impressive black compact which includes 12 different eyeshadows in a variety of different formulations. The palette itself is created from cardboard, but it's pretty robust, it definitely does not feel flimsy and I'd happily throw it in my handbag. The palette is matte black and it's decorated with the words 'Sigma Beauty' in glossy letters. As you flip open the palette you're greeted by a large mirror and the 12 eyeshadows, which are also embossed with the Sigma Beauty lettering.

So what sets this apart from other neutral palettes? Well the 12 shades include all the classic shades you'd expect from a palette like this, but there some different shades thrown in for good measure. In particular I'm referring to 'Optimistic' which is the pink hue on the bottom row and 'Russet' which is the burgundy shade above it. As someone with green eyes, these purple-toned shadows are most welcome. Shades like 'Warm Stone' (the last one on the bottom row) allow you to add some real darkness to your look. It's the perfect palette to carry you from a daytime look to something more sultry in the evening. 

The shadows come in all different formulations, which include; duo-chrome, matte, sheen, frost, dimensional frost, shimmer and glimmer. It gives you real choice when you're planning your look and it means the palette appeals to lots of different tastes. The shades are nicely pigmented and really easy to blend to create a seamless look. There is some fallout in the pan, but this doesn't transfer to the face, which allows you to be really creative.

The Sigma Beauty Warm Neutrals Palette is priced at $39, which really is quite good value for money, pick it up from the Sigma Beauty website. Enter SIGMA2016 at the checkout to save 10% off everything on the site! 




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Friday 26 August 2016

Inside The August Dollibox | Beauty Box Review

Beauty subscription boxes are no new thing, but there's a new brand on the block hoping to get in on the action. Dollibox is a very familiar concept; a new online subscription service, providing five personalised beauty samples to your door each month. Dollibox encourages you to fill out your beauty profile, in order for them to personalise what arrives in your box every month.

Here we have the August Dollibox* which arrived earlier this week. It comes packaged in a bright pink cardboard postage box, which you unwrap to reveal the contents inside. In the top of the box there are two cards, these cards outline the details of each product hiding inside. This month the box is all about Poolside Glamour, aiming to give you everything you need to look and smell good all summer long. Lets take a closer look at the contents...



Girl Meet Brush Cosmetic Brush
The first item in the box is a foundation brush from Girl Meets Brush, which is a brand I've never heard of. All the brushes by this brand are vegan friendly and they are cruelty free! Each brush is made with soft fibres and they are packaged in a sleek black handle with matching bristles. There are four different brushes in this months box; the Foundation Brush, the Blending Pencil Brush, the Highlighter Brush and the Eyeshadow Blending Brush. 

Skintruth Afterdark Age Defy Moisturiser
Skintruth is another new brand to me, but they say they are loved by beauty experts and therapists nationwide. As the name suggests, this is an intensive night moisturiser which is suitable for all skin types. The formula includes Rose (for it's replenishing and hydrating properties) and Goji Berry (for it's antioxidant and anti-ageing properties). You can get this moisturiser from Sally Express for £13.99

Schwarzkopf Liquid Oil Conditioner
This Liquid Oil Conditioner from Schwarzkopf aims to give your hair instant shine and smoothness, whilst giving bounce and life to your hair. The oil's formula includes Argan Oil, which has amazing detangling properties, without weighing down the hair. The oil is a bi-phase formula so you need to shake the bottle to mix all the ingredients together. You then spritz the oil onto wet hair to reap in all the benefits. 

The Herb Garden Massage Bar
Opening this little box is was so exciting as I had no idea what was inside. Nestled inside the orange tissue paper is a mini travel sized massage bar. The massage bar is created with almond oil and shea butter, which offer hydrating properties for the skin. As you rub the massage bar onto the skin the bar melts so you can benefit from the essential oils. There are lots of different massage bars, so in the box you'll either get ones that focus on refreshing, warming or relaxation.

Dreamy Handmade Bath & Skincare Bath Bomb
The last item in the box is a bath bomb from Dreamy Handmade Bath & Skincare. It's an all natural, organic and vegan friendly bath bomb which is handmade. It's an all-round natural skincare treat. There are several scents that will appear in the box including Birthday Cake and Unicorn, so if you want to try a different scent you should check them out online here

This month's box is worth £33, which means you're getting a £22 saving on the products inside. For me you don't get the initial wow when you open the Dollibox, for me it comes much later. This is because all the brands are normally ones I've not heard of, so I love reading about all the new brands and learning about their products. The Dollibox is a great way of supporting the smaller, more niche brands on the beauty market. 

If you're interested in trying Dollibox, you have three subscription options at the moment! You can get a monthly subscription which costs £10 per month (plus P&P), a 6 month subscription which costs £54 (plus P&P) or finally a 12 month subscription which costs £102 (plus P&P). The postage and packaging costs are fairly standard too, costing £3.25 per delivery. You can sign up for Dollibox at www.dollibox.co.uk
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Thursday 25 August 2016

Thursday Tittle Tattle #55

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! I'm LOVING all of the Autumn/Winter makeup which is starting pop up! The year is FLYING by! This week we’re talking about a more gorgeous eyeshadow palettes, new blushers from Rimmel and Autumn/Winter collections.




Royal Blush - new cream to powder blusher from Rimmel London
The Royal Blush is Rimmel London's first EVER cream-to-powder blush! They come in compacts that reflect the colour inside and Rimmel say they have a 'cream, non greasy, non drying' formula. They are designed to give you a natural & beautiful flush of colour to your cheeks. I'm really super excited by this particular launch, Rimmel London excel in all areas of makeup creation. However, I personally feel they've always been lacking in the blusher market! Hopefully these live up to expectations! There are three different colours available and you can grab them from Feel Unique here

DIOR 'Skyline' - the autumn collection is now available at Escentual
Normally I don't pay much attention to DIOR, but the Autumn Skyline collection has me feeling weak at the knees! As the name suggests, the collection is inspired by the city of lights and it's all about contouring! There are tons of different products available from an illuminating powder, to an illuminating pen, pretty eyeshadows and deep red polishes. However, the thing that has really caught my eye is the Light & Contour Sculpting Stick.

NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette
I'm still finding my feet with NYX, as they only were added to my Boots store very recently. However, I spotted the Ultimate Shadow Palette's and I'm absolutely obsessed! A lot of NYX's packaging is very bulky and over the top, but these feature 16 different shadows in a very handy, small compact! Each palette features 16 high-performance cool-toned shades in a vivid mix of velvety-rich textures, from mattes and satins to shimmers and metallics. There are a few different palettes to choose from which you can check out here.

Rodial freebie with a £50 spend!
We all love a freebie right? Well until Tuesday 30th August, you can get a FREE 50ml Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Tonic worth £16.50 with any purchase over £50 on the Rodial website! All you have to do is enter TONICGIFT at the checkout. Click here to shop

New Hand Balms from NEOM
Neom Organics recently announced their brand new wellbeing Hand Balms. They are available right now on the NEOM website and they retail for £15 each. The hand balms are designed to be nourishing and hydrating, whilst giving you some added aromatherapy benefits. NEOM's new Hand Balms are available in four blends to support mind and body. The line-up features: Nourish, Breathe & Sleep Hand Balm; Nourish, Breathe & Calm Hand Balm; Nourish, Breathe & Energise Hand Balm; and Nourish, Breathe & Smile Hand Balm. Shop the new balms here.

New eyeshadow palettes from The Body Shop
It's been a long time coming but The Body Shop have officially launched a whole set of new eyeshadow palettes. There are lots of new quads but I'm obsessing with the Down To Earth Eyeshadow Palette. The new palette has a built in mirror and the whole thing is customisable. Each of shades in all the palettes click in and click out of the casing. Meaning that if you have several palettes from The Body Shop, you can move your shades around. This palette has eight pretty natural shades, which come in three different formulas; mattes, iridescent shimmers and sparkle. You can buy the palette online here.
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Wednesday 24 August 2016

The Green Tea Collection from Roger & Gallet

I’ve actually not featured Roger & Gallet on my blog for a while but fear not – I still feel like their biggest fan! Roger & Gallet have formed part of my beauty, skincare and perfume routine for a long time now. I’m not alone either; I know that lots of my followers are fans too! Today I’m here to talk about something exciting, as I’ve been testing their latest launch! The new launch happens to be a whole new collection, featuring a brand new Roger & Gallet scent! 



Thé Vert (Green Tea) collection from Roger & Gallet is this summers UK launch. Now when I heard Green Tea, I thought it might be a bit odd, but it’s actually gorgeous. When you delve into the origins of the fragrance, Roger & Gallet say that it’s inspired by Mount Fuji at sunrise. The notes of the fragrance include green tea, citrus and woody notes. Taking inspiration from oriental tradition, the scent is designed to balance body and mind. So it’s a very light and pretty scent, designed to be subtle and fresh.

The fragrance has been brought to life in whole host of different products. The new range will include a Green Tea Fragrant Wellbeing Water, Perfumed Soaps, Nourishing Body Lotion and Relaxing Shower Gel. I had the pleasure of trying two different products from the new collection. 



First up we have the Roger & Gallet Green Tea Fragrant Wellbeing Water, which is available in three different sizes. I’m a big fan of some of the other water fragrances from Roger & Gallet and this one is just as lovely. The Roger & Gallet Green Tea Eau Fraiche Fragrance comes in the pretty glass bottle, which has delicate lettering and gold detailing. The fragrance is an eau de toilette, so it lasts well on the skin but it does need topping up throughout the day. The fragrance is designed to suit all skin types and can be worn in the sun, which makes it a perfect holiday scent. 



The second item I’ve been testing is the Roger & Gallet Green Tea Perfumed Soap. The soaps from Roger & Gallet are the fanciest soap I’ve ever used. They always come packaged in delicate tissue paper, which lets the scent penetrate through. Which makes them great for popping in your drawers to scent your clothes, but I also leave mine in the bathroom to leave everything smelling fresh.  The soaps are created using a very unique process using artisan tradition. This gives the soap their perfect scent, but also makes them very soft and gentle on the skin. 

The Green Tea range is a great addition to Roger & Gallet’s line up. The new products have all the great properties I’ve come to expect from the brand. I’m sure that beauty fans will love adding the new scent to their collection! The whole range is exclusive to House of Fraser and it’s available here. Click here if you’re interested in some of my other Roger & Gallet reviews
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Tuesday 23 August 2016

Strobing With Hourglass

I'm a huge fan of the Ambient Lighting Powders and the Ambient Lighting Blush from Hourglass. Being a complete highlighter obsessive, it was only a matter of time before the Ambient Strobing Powders were going to join my beauty stash. Lets take a look at this new formulation and see how it compares to other high end highlighters on the market.


The Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders are a collection of illuminating strobing powders, designed to add light and dimension to the skin. They borrow the beautiful formulation from the other Ambient Lighting products, but add some concentrated ultra-fine mico-pearl particles, for good measure! The pearl particles are popped into the powder in lots of different sizes and refraction levels. This means you get all the glow you need for a natural-looking radiance, without the heavy light highlighter finish. Much like it's Ambient Lighting sisters, the powder is designed to capture and diffuse light.

After much deliberation and I mean a lot of deliberation, I opted for Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in 'Euphoric Light'. There are four colours in total which are universally flattering shades are perfect for all different skintones. You simply load up a brush with the Strobe Powder and apply it to all the places you'd usually apply a highlighter. I always use it on the tops of my cheekbones and my brow bone, to give a natural highlight to the skin. You can use these powders either wet or dry, which gives you varied levels of intensity. On a dry brush you get an incredibly natural finish, which I've swatched below and you can see it's very hard to see. On a wet brush you get the chance to create a more dramatic evening strobe highlight. 

I don't dare count the amount of highlighters in my collection, but what I can say is that i have PLENTY that offer a dramatic finish. Whilst I love the "go hard or go home" approach, sometimes it's not appropriate to wear that heavy metal highlight. What I love about the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder is that it plugs a gap for when I need something more subtle. It still feels luxurious, it still performs like a high end product, it's just that little bit more sophisticated. 

The Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder is available in four shades, retailing at £34 from SpaceNK here in the UK, or Sephora in the USA. 





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Monday 22 August 2016

Maybelline Color Sensational Mattes & Swatches | AW16

Sadly the end of summer is fast approaching and it's definitely nearly time to wave goodbye to the sun. However, there is one advantage of Autumn fast approaching - new makeup! I love when a new season starts approaching and we get a whole new range of makeup to get excited about. If you're a frequent reader of my blog, you'll know that I'm not really a lipstick girl. However, when these brand new Maybelline Color Sensational Mattes* arrived on my doorstop, they were too pretty for even me to ignore. It would be a crime to keep these from my lovely readers right?!





Maybelline have gone all out for Autumn, releasing more makeup than you can shake a stick about. Maybelline's collection is all about taking that glow into Autumn, with pretty highlighters and lots of shimmer across the new range of products. However, if you're a fan of the classic Autumn hues, you will not be disappointed! Maybelline have released a ton of new lipsticks, all in a brand new matte formulation, in lots of pretty Autumn hues. 

The new lipsticks are everything a girl can dream for! They have it all from pretty pinks, to nude hues and deep purple finishes. I have seven shades to share with you today, from left to right they are; Midnight Merlot (885), Berry Boosy (886), Fiery Fuschia (882), Orange Danger (883), Rich Ruby (968), Blushing Pout (942) and Clay Crush (932).




Maybelline's new lipsticks are split across two slightly different formulations. Rich Ruby (968), Blushing Pout (942) and Clay Crush (932) are part of the Creamy Matte collection. These shades offer rich pigmentation, which include precious oils in the formula. The eye-catching shades are really comfortable to wear no matter the occasion. 

The rest of the lipsticks (Midnight Merlot (885), Berry Bossy (886), Fiery Fuschia (882), and Orange Danger (883)) are from Maybelline's Loaded Bold collection. This collection is actually huge, featuring 20 different shades that offer a full-spectrum shades from "deep plums and electric blues to vibrant reds and natural nudes". These lipsticks offer hypercolor pigments, in a creamy clay base. The formula is enriched with honey nectar, which gives them the lovely creamy finish.




All these lipsticks are swatched for you above, from top to bottom you have Midnight Merlot (885), Berry Boosy (886), Fiery Fuschia (882), Orange Danger (883), Rich Ruby (968), Blushing Pout (942) and Clay Crush (932). If you fancy getting in the Autumn mood already, you can buy all these lipsticks right now. Grab the Loaded Bold collection here and grab the Creamy Matte collection here
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Friday 19 August 2016

The Ultimate Base Set | Real Techniques

I’ve been a huge fan of Real Techniques since the moment the brand launched.  Real Techniques mission is to allow the inner expert in all of us, giving us brushes and tutorials to look our best. The whole collection is created with YouTube beauty gurus Sam and Nic Chapman, who really need no introduction. 



I knew that I would fall in love with the brand initially, but I didn’t anticipate that years later the brushes would still form the basis of my whole brush routine. For me Real Techniques tick every box. They are reasonable priced, they are well made, they sit well on my dressing table, they travel well, they clean well and most importantly they apply my makeup beautifully. I love the fact that everything matches through colour-coded system and I love that every brush is made with synthetic bristles. 

Real Techniques are on a bit of roll at the moment with their new releases, in fact it’s been a bit hard to keep up. However most recently the Ultimate Base Set* caught my eye. Real Techniques say that this latest limited-edition set, gives you everything you need for that flawless base. Offering you all the tools needed for seamless foundation and the ultimate concealer application. 



If I had to pick my favourite Real Techniques brush I wouldn’t even need to think about it! It’s the Expert Face Brush* and it’s the only brush that I need three of in my collection. It’s got huge fans all over the world, who praise its ability to apply foundation. Naturally it’s the first brush included in this limited edition set. It’s ultra-firm and broad bristles make it an amazing multi-use brush, making it perfect for buffing cream, liquid or powder foundation. 

The second product in the set is the Miracle Complexion Sponge*, which again is a product praised by makeup artists and beauty fans worldwide. Real Technique boast that this is the #1 branded makeup sponge and it’s actually one of the only Real Techniques products I haven’t tried. The sponge includes a rounded side, a precision tip and a flat edge, which end offer something different to the base process. 

The last product in the set is the Deluxe Concealer Brush* which is packed with dense and rounded bristles. It’s a good medium-sized concealer brush, which offers good concealer application especially around the eyes and nose.

As always the three products come in a handy pouch, which includes a mirror. It just makes travelling with the whole set very simple and quick. If it’s not already obviously I’m a huge fan of this limited edition set, I think it’s a great addition to my collection. The set is available now, priced at £20.99 from Superdrug stores at Superdrug online


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Thursday 18 August 2016

Thursday Tittle Tattle #54

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! Can you believe that we're already starting to think about Christmas? The year is FLYING by! This week we’re talking about a stunning palette from Marc Jacobs Beauty and a chocolate themed release from KIKO!




Mega palette release from Marc Jacobs Beauty
Marc Jacobs have given us a peek into what we can look forward this Christmas, with a very early release of a Christmas palette! The limited edition 'About Last Night' palette features 20 different eyeshadows. The eyeshadows are all packaged in a pretty gold palette which opens to reveal the shadows and a big mirror. The best bit is that you can buy the palette RIGHT NOW here for $99. This palette is going to be hard for me to resist! 

SEVENTEEN launch MEGA MATTE Lipsticks
If you are a lipstick fan you'll be excited by this news from SEVENTEEN! They've just released their brand new MEGA MATTE Lipsticks (available in Boots online here and in-store). The MEGA MATTE Lipsticks are available in 12 shades, offering "long-lasting colour with a creamy texture that lasts up to 13-hours". The new lipsticks are available now, priced at £4.49 each.

SOIGNE Summer Sale
Fancy topping up your nail polish collection? You need to check out the Soigne Summer Sale! You can get some of their fabulous nail polishes at a fraction of their normal retail price! Check out the full sale here.

Cocoa Blush Shock from KIKO
I know that beauty fanatics will go crazy for these blushers from KIKO. These chocolate themed sweet blushers are scented with vanilla! The collection includes four different two-tone blushes. They have a baked formula which offers a matte finish on the skin. I personally love baked formulas as they are great for building colour on the skin. KIKO say that the blushers are soft and ultra-fine, with a texture that glides lightly over the skin and is very easily blended. Check out these new products here

NikkieTutorials & Too Faced collaboration 
Global beauty megastar NikkieTutorials and Too Faced have collaborated to create a limited edition collection to celebrate the transformative power of makeup. The exclusive collection features everything you need to create endless looks. The collection includes nine brand new eye shadows, two shades of Love Flush Long-Lasting Blush, highlighter in Champagne Truffle, the bestselling Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, purple Deluxe Better Than Sex Mascara sample,Sketch Marker Liquid Art Liner in Deep Black, Deluxe glittering Glamour Dust in Glitterally and Deluxe Shadow Insurance 24-Hour Eye Primer. AND BREATHE, it's a huge collection! The full set is priced at £50, available from August 2016 at Debenhams and www.toofaced.com.

Clarins Weekend Box
I seem to be getting emails from Clarins with new products all the time. What caught my eye this week is The Clarins Weekend Box. Clarins have gathered the best beauty essentials for the ultimate weekend away. The Clarins Weekend Box contains 3 minis, plus you’ll get an extra bonus product! Your Clarins Weekend Box contains; HydraQuench Cream Normal to dry skin (30ml), One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser all skin types (30ml), Moisture-Rich Body Lotion (30ml) and the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 01 rose shimmer (5ml) all in a little pouch. It's limited edition to Clarins, priced at £35 here.
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Wednesday 17 August 2016

Cheap But Effective Multi-Masking With L’Oréal

It's definitely the season for face masks! Out of nowhere, tons of affordable face masks have come out of the woodwork. I'm definitely not complaining, it's about time that the high street pulled up their socks and gave us some face masks that actually deliver. Multi-masking has been around for a while, but before now it's consisted of celebrities using several expensive masks at once. Let's be honest, for Joe Bloggs it's just is not a realistic hobby or a wise use of money. 



However, if you've been wanted to try multi-masking on a smaller budget, it's time to rejoice. The team at L’Oréal has created three clay masks, each retailing for £7.99 (though currently on offer for £5) and each designed to combat a different issue. The campaign around these is huge, you can't walk into a Boots store without seeing them. Even my boyfriend noticed them and was asking me all about multi-masking, so it's really reaching across the demographics. Naturally I needed to give these masks a whirl and today I'm here to tell you all about them. As I mentioned, there are three new masks in total from L’Oréal. Today I'm going to be talking about the Detox Mask and the Purity Mask, the other one is the Glow Mask. 



Let's begin with the Detox MaskL’Oréal say this mask is "indulgent and transformative" and I definitely have to agree. As with all the masks, the Detox Mask is pure clay, but this particular formula has been super-charged with charcoal. Charcoal is well know for it's cleansing and detoxing properties. It's famous for it's ability to clear out pores, drawing out impurities. You unscrew the lid to reveal a deep, black, charcoal mask, which is thick in texture and definitely feels luxurious. I always apply my masks with a foundation brush, as it ensures that you get an even coverage all over your face. This mask is incredibly creamy and it applies to the skin really well. As the mask dries it gets very tight on the skin, it's a bit of a nightmare to get off the skin, but when you do it leaves a purified and radiant complexion. It treats all spots and blackheads with ease, leaving the skin looking more balanced. 

The Purity Mask has all the lovely properties of the Detox Mask, just with a different focus. When you unscrew the lid you are greeted with a lovely mint green mask, it's just as creamy and rich as the Detox Mask. It's another pure clay face mask, but this time it's been infused with Eucalyptus, which is great for purifying and mattifying the skin. I personally love the smell of Eucalyptus, it always reminds me of spas, so it's a lovely mask for recreating your own spa at home. The Purify mask is great for using on an oily t-zone, as it clears shiny and oily skin, leaving your skin looking mattified.

You really have to pinch yourself when you're using these masks, they perform beautifully and they well outperform their price point. I love that they are readily available in Boots and I love that I can afford to buy all three, without getting buyers guilt at the checkout! 

Will you be trying the multi-mask trend? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!


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Tuesday 16 August 2016

Ready, Set, Brow | The New Benefit Brow Collection

The brand new brows collection from Benefit Cosmetics has been out for a while now, yet the excitement isn't dwindling. The 13 new brow products launched in June and the collection offers every formula from pencils, to gels, to waxes and a whole host of accessories too. Today I'm here to give you the low down on Ready, Set, BrowI'm somewhat ashamed to say that I've never tried a clear brow gel. I've always been more of a coloured gel girl, I've just never seen the appeal. However, when the Ready, Set, Brow sample was sold with Marie Clare, I knew I wanted to give it a whirl. 

Ready, Set, Brow is designed to keep unruly eyebrows in check. Offering a formulation that can shape, seal and set your brows all day long, without effecting the colour or style of your eyebrow work. 






Ready, Set, Brow comes packaged in Benefit's new fancy packaging, offering a shiny, metallic tube, finished with pretty pink writing. You just unscrew the lid to reveal the new custom-molded wand. Unlike most brow products on the market, this wand is made from plastic. It's a dual, sided wand which is designed to catch all your hairs, the plastic bristles allow your to really brush through your brows, moulding them into the shape you desire. The formula of the gel isn't sticky or flakey, setting your brows without making them feel crispy or hard. 

I've loved using Ready, Set, Brow on the days when I want a more natural finish to my brows. Normally I fill in my brows with my chosen pencil and then add further definition with Gimme Brow or another tinted brow gel. For my lazy day brow, I just fill my brows in with my Goof Proof Brow Pencil and then just set them with Ready, Set, Brow. It makes brow grooming quicker and more simple, giving a lovely natural finish. 

Ready, Set, Brow is available now, retailing for £18.50 at Boots, John Lewis and the Benefit website and boutiques




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Monday 15 August 2016

CARE | A NIVEA & Cancer Research Collaboration

Keeping safe in the sun is something I'm hugely passionate about. It's something I try and talk about frequently here on my blog, but also in real life. I try to have open and frank conversations about sun care with all my family and friends (sometimes even when they don't want to listen). I know that a lot of other bloggers are passionate about this too and it's amazing to see it becoming a topic of conversation all across the globe. 

Whilst it's fantastic for us to talk about it, sometimes it takes big companies and charities to spread the word. These huge campaigns get noticed and it means that the word then spreads to people outside of the blogging community. So when I heard about the CARE campaign from NIVEA and Cancer Research UK, I knew I wanted to talk about it on my blog. NIVEA and Cancer Research UK have had a long relationship and they've partnered up again in 2016. Their collaboration is focussed around a new acronym - CARE - designed to give you easy to remember advice.

Cover Up (wear a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses)
Aim For The Shade (between the hours of 11am and 3pm in the UK)
Rub On Sunscreen (use plenty of at least SPF 15 and a 4 star rating)
Enjoy (have fun in the sun safely)



As always, the CARE campaign is driven by strong research and statistics. Did you know..

  • Only 61% of us seek shade when we're abroad and that this drops to 51% in the UK? It's incredibly important to take frequent breaks in the sun between 11am and 3pm. It's a good opportunity to head inside for a drink or to sit under some shady trees for a picnic.
  • 20% of us believe it's impossible to be burnt if we're wearing sunscreen
  • 17% of Brits admit that they are unsure if sunscreen expires and 3% of people believe that it doesn't. As with most products, sunscreen has a recommended shelf life from the moment you open it. All you have to do is check the back of your product and find the jar with a number followed by the 'M' symbol. This is the amount of months a product should stay open after using it.
  • In the UK, only 32% of Brits reapply suncream of at least SPF15 when in the UK sun. You should be applying enough suncream liberally and frequently, two teaspoons of sunscreen should be used for your head, arms and neck.
  • 70% of parents make sure their children are covered up in the sun, but only 35% look after themselves. Long-sleeves, hats and sunglasses are important - no matter how old you are! It's importantly to remember that different fabrics offer different levels of protection from the sun.

If you missed the commotion on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter/Snapchat, I was on holiday last week and I took the chance to test out lots of different NIVEA products. They actually already form the entirety of my boyfriends suncream routine, but I'd never given them a go myself. I love the fact that there are LOADS of different formulations, in different shapes, sizes and factors. I think my favourite products include the NIVEA Protect & Refresh Spray SPF*, as it gives you instant protection and it's so quick and easy to apply. You just spritz the fine mist all over your body and rub it into the skin. My other favourite was the brand new NIVEA Roll On SPF* as it's so easy to chuck in your handbag for on-the-go protection!

Next time you're out and about why not practice the CARE advise from NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research and protect yourself from any nasty surprises. 

Cover Up (wear a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses)
Aim For The Shade (between the hours of 11am and 3pm in the UK)
Rub On Sunscreen (use plenty of at least SPF 15 and a 4 star rating)
Enjoy (have fun in the sun safely)
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Friday 5 August 2016

Make Brush Cleaning Simple With Sigma

Cleaning my makeup brushes is my least favourite chore, so if I can find a shortcut, I'm all for it. Brands across the world are starting to realise that there's a real market for brush cleaning accessories to make a difference. In my opinion, the brand really leading the way in this market is Sigma. They have tons of different gadgets and gismos that help make cleaning your brushes as easy as possible. They offer non-compromise solutions, which don't lack on quality or effectiveness, but also don't break the bank. I've been testing the new Sigma Spa Express Brush Mat and it's safe to say I won't be going to back to any alternative method. 




The Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat is the best way I've found for washing my brushes. The Cleaning Mat is a silicon mat, with suction caps which you attach to the bottom of your sink. It fits cleverly inside lots of different sinks, of all different shapes and sizes. The Cleaning Mat is covered in a whole host of different textures and finishes, designed to clean all different types of brushes. Each of the textures is designed to help get your cleaning agent, right into the root of each brush. Dissolving every single spec of makeup, so that your brush collection can be as clean and as hygienic as possible.

To use the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat, simply place the mat into your sink and secure with the suction cups. As you can see by the image below, the mat is split into different sections and each section is labelled. The Cleaning Mat is split into two halves, on one side you have textures for your face brushes and on the other you have textures for your eye brushes. So you simply start by adding water and cleaning solution to your mat and start to swirl your brushes into the corresponding 'wash' section. You then start running water and you sweep your brush over the 'rinse' section. This allows you to remove the makeup residue and soap. You then swirl your brush on the 'refine' section, which gives an added deep clean. Finish by using the 'rinse' section once more to get rid of all the left over soap. 

The benefits of using the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat are that you get clean brushes every time, without making a load of mess and without getting wrinkly hands (which I hate). When you're finished with your Cleaning Mat, you simply dry it off and store it for next time. It's so light and flexible, which means you can even take it traveling without wasting too much space. The Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat retails for £20 here in the UK, or $25 in the USA, which I think is an absolute bargain! 



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Thursday 4 August 2016

Thursday Tittle Tattle #53

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This is my favourite time of year in the beauty world, as the focus has moved to summer. This week we’re talking about MORE high end makeup palettes and some new shades from Clarins!



The Instant Light Perfector by Clarins gets a facelift for summer
The Natural Lip Perfector product from Clarins is famous across the bloggersphere! It gets a lot of love and it's completely justified in my opinion! The exciting news is that it is now available in three original new shades, which means there is new makeup to add to my collection PRONTO! Better still, the tube has been given a summer makeover and has been adorned with a floral design. The formula is still the same; it smells lovely, it's lightly pigmented and it gives your lips a shimmery plump finish. Check out the new shades here

HUDA Liquid Matte Lipstick coming SOON
Lots of people will be very excited by this news from Cult Beauty! The eagerly-awaited Liquid Mattes from Huda Beauty will be launching VERY soon on the Cult Beauty Website! If you want to get your hands on them, make sure you get your name on the waitlist here. These will sell fast and you will not want to miss them! 

Contour Sticks from Collection
Yep you heard that right! Collection have FINALLY created a cream contour stick for precision contouring! Collection say that these new crayons are "luxe matte textured cream contour sticks" - claiming that they are to blend and instantly create contours and sculpt features. I love that these have a slimline applicator, offering something we've not seen on the high street yet! I've ordered mine already from Superdrug, grab yours here

By Terry Sun Designer Palette is back in stock
If you loved the look of By Terry's Sun Designer Palette but you missed out, you'll be pleased to hear that it is back in stock! The palettes offer six buttery powders and they come in two different colour combinations. There is ‘Tan Flash Cruise’ which offers lots of bright summer hues and then ‘Light Tan Vibes’, which is a little lighter and more natural. The palettes give you everything you need to "sculpt, illuminate and glow"! They retail for £64 each (ouch - but worth it) and you can get them at Cult Beauty here

The Becca Champagne Splits launched THIS WEEK
At the time of writing all the brand new Becca Champagne Splits are available online and in stores, but they won't be there for long! The Champagne Splits are an extension to Becca's Champagne Collection, this time with a focus on sculpting the skin. The limited-edition Champagne Splits allow you to contour with colour and light. On one half of the palette there is one of the famous Becca highlighters, either in Champagne Pop or Prosecco Pop. On the other side there is a matte blusher, available in Flowerchild, Hyacinth, Amaretto or Pamplemousse. Grab them while you can from SpaceNK or Sephora
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Wednesday 3 August 2016

The Paradise Box | nailbox July 2016

If you're looking to keep your nail polish collection on constant rotation, I may well have the beauty box for you today! I'm an avid nail polish fan and with about 300 of them sitting in the bottom drawer of my IKEA Alex, I'm never stuck for a new shade to wear. I love testing new shades, new formulations and failing at producing pretty nail art. One thing I've never considered getting though, is a nail polish subscription box! So when I was offered the chance to give nailbox* a try, I jumped at the chance!

The nailbox subscription service, gives you the chance to try fashionable nail colours, without paying high street prices. When you subscribe to nailbox, you get a selection of the hottest nail colours delivered directly to your door, every single month! In each of the monthly boxes, nailbox contains five items (including three or four nail polishes and one or two nail tools or treatments). Plus, they promise to never send you the same colour twice. This month's nailbox is named "The Paradise Box" and it's full of pretty shades for the hottest month of the year, plus some handy accessories and treatments! Shall we take a look inside?




The first thing that caught my eye when I opened my box, was the Nails Inc Gel Effect Polish in 'Soho Place'. I'm like a magpie when it comes to pretty blue polishes and I've been obsessed with this since it arrived! Soho Place is a real aqua blue hue and it is part of Nails Inc's bestselling Gel effect polish range! The formula includes Nail Inc's plasticiser technology, plus their extra wide brush for easy application and a long lasting colour. As with a lot of Nails Inc polishes, Soho Place is really pigmented and it's super glossy! 

Next in the box is 'Snow White' by Angelica Nail Colour, which as the name suggests, is a white white hue. This might seem like a bit of a weird choice for summer, but it's actually incredibly handy! If you really want neon or bright summer hues to look their best, you should put on a white nail polish first. This makes the colour look really true and bright on the nails and it also means you need less coats of the bright shade. If you're not feeling the bright colours, 'The Summer House' by True Brit London gives you the perfect nude option this month. It's a soft tan shade, which has a gold pearl undertone and True Brit London say it was especially designed for Spring/Summer 2016.

The last two items are designed to keep our nails in tip top condition over the summer. First of all we have the Brush Works Toe Seperators, which are an absolute essential for at-home pedicures. Last but not least we have the Nailberry "Coconut nailbalm", which offers your nails and cuticles a little bit of TLC. It's made with Coconut, Jojoba, Olive, Bee wax and Coconut fragrance, designed to give your nails some much needed moisture.

I absolutely love this idea from nailbox, what's better than new nail polishes being delivered to your door every single month?! The nailbox subscription service costs £15 a month, but it's even cheaper if you opt for a quarterly, six-monthly or yearly subscription. You can sign up via the nailbox website here




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Tuesday 2 August 2016

The High-Efficiency Face Cleaner from Hylamide

If you browse my blog for DECIEM (the umbrella brand behind Hylamide), you will not find a DECIEM product I hate. In fact, everything I've tried from Hylamide, NIOD, Hand Chemistry and Fountain has been beautiful. Hylamide recently announced the release of their new High-Efficiency Face Cleaner*. It's designed to be a skin-balancing formulation, which removes all makeup and impurities from the skin, whilst adding hydration to the skin. I'm here to give you the low down...




I've always admired DECIEM's no-nonsense approach to product design. From the minute you receive the High-Efficiency Face Cleaner it oozes simplicity. The cardboard packaging has a neat tab, which you pull to reveal the product inside. The bottle is very simple and it's colour coded so you know exactly which range it's from. The writing is simple and it's easy to read, giving you clear instructions on how to use it. You simple unscrew the metal lid, replace it with the handy dispenser and you're good to go.

The High-Efficiency Face Cleaner is packed with oils of Mediterranean Crambe and East Asian Kanuga, which are combined with plant-derived esters. Together these ingredients work to 'delete' all impurities from your face and eye makeup. As you rinse away the cleanser a layer is left on the skin, which is created by Amazonian oils and purified tomato carotenoids. These leave a layer of comfortable protection on the skin. 

Using the cleanser is very simple! If you're wearing makeup, apply the cleanser to dry skin and then rinse away. If you're face is clean or makeup free, using the cleanser with a wet face and then rinse it away. I first used this cleanser in the morning on what I thought was clean skin and I was quite shocked. After cleansing my face brush was covered in foundation and makeup, which the cleanser had broken down! As far as I was concerned, the makeup wasn't even there, so you can tell how well this cleanser removes all traces of makeup. 

The Hylamide High-Efficiency Face Cleaner retails for £19, pick it up from the DECIEM website or from Look Fantastic. 
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