Bourjois Blush Exclusif...

I've always been fairly sceptical of those 'colour changing' products to be honest. Remember that green Barry M lipstick? No I'm sorry I'd just rather pick the colour I want rather than trusting the judgement of a funny coloured lipstick…who knows what you're going to get?? When Bourjois re-launched their cult Java Rice Powder they bought out a few other products alongside that seemed to get overlooked, including this little beauty. I loved the formula of Bourjois cream blushers when they originally launched last year (or quite possibly the year before…who knows now!). The Blush Exclusif version is a cute pink cream blush that transforms to an individual pink shade based on the person putting it on. Don't quote me on this but I think it's something to do with skin temperatures. On my hand it appeared on the lilac side but on the cheeks came out a very subtle, pale rose coloured pink. 

Like the original cream blushers in the line, the formula is perfect…not too sticky, tries to a powder finish and lasts really well. Also, the packaging is so damn cute and tiny you can afford to home the whole collection!

Anyone else tried this? What did you think?

Loves

xxx

Shopping my stash #1...

I see a lot of these posts going around on blogs from one week to the next and I love the idea that it encourages using products that have long been forgotten and pushed to the back of the draw rather than going out and buying yet MORE new products. I had a rummage in the 'reserve' draws and pulled out these three beauties. 

Sax blusher in Rosy Glow, The Body Shop shimmer cubes palette 06, Topshop lip crayon in Coy.

This blush is a really beautiful rose pink with a lot of gold shimmer running through it. If you don't like any shimmer in your blushers, this isn't for you. I love the fact that it eliminates the need to add a highlighter afterwards….although thats not to say that I don't add one!

I've had this for longer than I can remember, but it really has laid unloved in my collection. The coppery and champagne shade in this palette are the kind of colours I reach for on a daily basis so I can see this becoming my everyday palette now I've bought it out of retirement. 

The Topshop lip crayons are very matte which is just how I like my lip products at the moment. They glide on beautifully (just make sure you exfoliate your lips first….) and have great staying power. This one in Coy is a beautiful peachy pink shade….and who doesn't love a peachy pink?! This will look gorgeous with a sweep of the above blusher and some of the copper shadow on the lids from the Body Shop shimmer cube palette.

Does anyone else do this regularly? What have you rediscovered from your stash?

Loves

xxx

The Balm review...

I love makeup, I love finding new products and reading reviews on products, and I love finding things I  enjoy using enough to make them part of my everyday makeup. But it's not all that often that I get excited over a brand like I have over The Balm. I first discovered them in Brisbane where I picked up their What's Your Type mascara on a whim and realised it was one of the best thing's I've ever applied to my face. Probably ever. 

I'd not been able to get my hands on them over the past few months when I'd moved away from Brisbane, until I popped into & Other Stories on Regent Street a couple of weeks back. I actually squealed. Of course I had to pick up another of their What's Your Type mascara's immediately. It's a thin plastic wand that holds a lot of product and creates incredible volume that you would not think you could find in a mascara tube. If you love a volumising mascara, this should be your next pick.

Being blushers number one fan, it would have been completely wrong to not pick up their Big Mama blusher, the most beautiful rose/coral/gold colour with a stunning gold shimmer through it. Not only does it eliminate the need for a highlighter (hello golden glow) it lasts on the skin all day and makes your skin look perky and fresh.

There's not really enough words to explain how much I love this, and I don't want to bore you all to tears telling you how in love with the brand I am, but honestly, one of the most exciting brands and products I've used in a very long time.

Has anyone else used any of The Balm products and can recommend any more to me?

Loves

xxx

Introducing Makeover Essentials...

I was stopped recently by a lovely representative from Makeover Essentials asking if I wanted to try some of their new makeup, soon to be making appearances in Debenhams near you! Of course I said yes and picked up a few bits from the range.

First up was the 'Complete Petite' which was, I have to say, an incredible little product. This little beauty that packs away to a tidy little handbag friendly cube, includes a mirror, sharpener with lid to catch sharpenings, two blushes, five lip colours, five matt day eyeshadows, five shimmer night eyeshadows, mascara, lip liner and an eyeliner, and even a couple of cute little brushes. I've not had chance to try this yet, but hopefully the quality is as good as the packaging.

Next up is the illuminating powder. Again I've not tried this apart from on the back of my hand, and as someone who doesn't really use powder illuminator it's quite fine and isn't too glittery on the skin. It's quite a bronze shade and I usually go for more of a pink shade, but with a bit of a tan when I go back to Australia I think this will look stunning.

I also got a cute little Kabuki in it's own little pouch, which I have used and loved. Nice and soft, doesn't shed, and spreads powder into the skin evenly. 

I saved the best till last; this is their bronzing powder which is a gorgeous soft silky powder with a tiny hint of shimmer. It's a very light bronze shade, and I've been using this for the past week daily, on top of my EL Double Wear, in place of my Mac MSF natural powder and I love it equally as much. 

This is definitely quite an interesting brand, and I'll look forward to seeing more of them when they reach Debenhams stores over the next few months. If you want to check out their products now they're available online here. 

Has anybody else checked out anything from this brand yet? Will you be heading to Debenhams to check them out?

Loves

xxx

London and Paris haul...

Of course, being in London the first stop I had to make was & Other Stories. I'd heard so much about their Fig range I decided to pick up a hand cream and a re-purchase of my favourite mascara ever, The Balm What's Your Type body builder mascara. Then, just because, I picked up another of their blushers for my collection; Big Mama! Love this, will pop a full review up soon.

Next to Camden. First up, WHY DON'T I LIVE THERE!?! I picked up a couple of scarves from the market, and a cute Pug t-shirt that I'll be styling over Disco pants with my black Dr Martens and a big gold chain. 

Then off to Paris... and of course it would be rude not to go into one of their amazing pharmacies. I picked up a replacement for my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and decided to try their Effaclar Matt product as a makeup base. I also wanted to give Nuxe Reve De Miel lip balm a go, and it wouldn't be a trip to a french pharmacy without a bottle of Bioderma!

Last stop was Sephora (again, rude not to) where I picked up their daily brush cleanser, a Sephora lipstick, the UD de-slick setting spray (due to the massive hype around the original setting spray) and the Make Up Forever smokey lash mascara that I've been dying to try since there was a huge blogger hype around this not too long ago. 

Loves

xxx

Top five blushers....

I have TOO much love for blush! 

Top l-r: Mac Fleur Power, Vivo (colour's rubbed off I don't know the shade!)

Bottom l-r: The BodyShop Petal, MeMeMe Coral, Topshop Head Over Heels

Mac Fleur Power was my first ever Mac blusher and the only one I've hit pan on and had to re-purchase. EVER! MeMeMe in coral is a really summer shade and I only really wear that with a tan but as soon as 'summer' hits us again this will be back in my everyday makeup bag. Everyone knows how amazing Topshop blushers are, no need for me to go into that! If you haven't tried a Vivo baked blush I suggest you do so NOW, one of my best finds of 2011. And The Body Shop blush has a highlighter built in it so need I say more?!?!

Would any of these make it into your top 5? If not, what would??

Loves

xxx

Elf loves and hates...

I've bought quite a few Elf products just recently, some have been amazing and some well, just haven't. I'm especially loving their blushers, and since making this video I've been using a few more bits from their mineral range that I'm enjoying, but here's my rundown of my Elf best and worst....

Also, on another note, I need to have a rant about something....

I may not have taken part in drama or theatre groups as I was growing up, but was always a willing supporter to my friends year after year in their Youth Theatre and school productions. It’s always fun sitting back and watching drama unfold in front of you, watching characters live out their life. It’s the same with films, tv programmes and even books. We laugh at them, with them and for them. We cry at their sad times and empathise with them through their hard times. We even judge them for the mistakes they make, and hate them when they do something wrong.

Then you realise, at nearly 23 years of age, you’re in your own bloody drama. I’m not particularly bothered if people want to talk about my life and laugh at me/judge me/ envy me or whatever else they may wish to feel. That’s their own choice and if their life isn’t interesting enough and they have to sit back and watch mine then so be it.  

But would you get up out of your seat at the theatre, climb on stage and start giving the leading lady a lecture on her behaviour? Or would you sit in the cinema and shout to the hero of the story what you really think about him? No thought not.

It’s not protocol getting involved in the plot line, so where to you get off messaging me on facebook or texting me, sticking your nose in where it’s, quite frankly, not needed. I’m not sure what you aim to achieve by this, although the cynic in me believes you want to ruin anything good I’ve got going in my life. But maybe you’re just bored. If you want to stop me being happy or try and upset me with what you say, then I feel sorry for you and this time, it won’t work. If you’re bored and have nothing better to do, I suggest you get a hobby – I hear the local theatre club is looking for new members.

Sorry about that, just had to get it off my chest and I knew you were the only ones that might be able to put up with me!!

Loves

xxx

Twice baked....

I woke up to a lovely surprise this morning, my Body Shop parcel came, which was brilliant considering it only got dispatched yesterday! So first of, YAY for The Body Shop!

Secondly, YAY for their amazing makeup which, until I spent a good ten minutes discussing the merits of a shimmer versus a matt bronzer with the lady in my local store on Thursday, I'd never really been bothered about before. Whilst it's true that I am what could only be described as addicted to their all in one face base (I've been using this for forever and a day!) I only ever walk in, grab it and walk out again. I kind of just wandered into The Body Shop out of boredom on my lunch break and discovered their Baked To Last Range which is just stunning! I didn't actually get any there and then, and instead came home and popped on their website to see if they happened to have any offers on. And let me tell you, oh yes they did!! If you spent over £40, you got £20 off your order, and free delivery on orders over £20, which I had a feeling wouldn't be a problem. This is what I got....

They had two bronzers, this one was the lighter of the two and was actually a lot lighter than I'd ever buy. I think it would be OK as a bit of an extra colour over my face when I have a tan, a bit like a powder, or even a bronzing highlighter. I'd definitely pick up the darker bronzer next time I'm in The Body Shop, it's not too shimmery to be used all over the face, and the colour stays all day! This one was in Warm Glow. 

I'm not very experimental (as you may know) when it comes to eyeshadows, but they had some gorgeous colours in their baked eyeshadows. They have two tones to them, a dark and a light. They are SO pigmented, I haven't actually tried this yet but they look like they'll go on amazingly! This one was in  Moonstone, but I also liked the look of Copper and Starlight. 

This was easily my favourite buy, their baked blusher in Petal. Again like the eyeshadow it has two colours to it, but swirling a big brush across the two of these gives a lovely colour. The pale colour on the right makes a great highlighter, I wore the pink as a blusher with a sweep of the highlighter today and it has stayed put all day, it's such a beautiful pinky colour that really matches my skin tone. 

The last think I bought was one of their cult products, their shimmer cube palettes. Not much needs to be said about these, gorgeous colours, really pigmented, and work well alone or together to create a smokey eye. 

Has anyone else tried anything from the Baked range from The Body Shop? Do you recommend any other colours/shades?

Loves

xxx 

Summer brights....

I’m quite new to the whole Sleek range of products, I’ve never really bothered with them before but the past couple of items I’ve bought I’ve been beyond pleased with. For the price, I think the quality of both the product and packaging is brilliant, it feels like really high end stuff! I’d seen quite a lot about the new Sleek Mediterranean range on blogs and on their twitter account, so I popped down to Superdrug today on my lunch break and thought I’d take a look. Now I’m not a huge fan of bright eye shadows on me (I love a neutral!) so even thought the colours in the eye shadow palette were beautiful, I decided to go for the blusher instead. 

The packaging is gorgeous, and event though it is BRIGHT it does blend really well as you can see. I’ll probably wear it with quite a glossy pink lip, a bold brow and lots of mascara.

Has anyone else tried anything from the new range?

It's all about me me me....

I am LOVING this weather so much....quick picture of my outfit today which does, of course, include some coral as I have too much of it in my life right now, it's be far my colour of the moment....

My cardigan was from my H&M haul last week, and the dress is Primark from ages ago that I hadn't got around to wearing yet. 

I popped back into Superdrug (again) today and in amongst all my usual brands I came across Me Me Me which, it seems, has had an overhaul and looks fab! The packaging is very Benefit-esque but it’s a fraction of the price and some of the products were great. I only picked up a couple of things from their range, to see what they were like really as I’d never really tried them before.

Firstly I picked up this lipstick which comes in a really cute little cardboard package, and is such a beautiful moisturising coral colour. It’s really strong and pigmented, is really long lasting and probably one of my favourite lipsticks I’ve ever bought (apart from Mac Saint Germain obv).

I also bought their blusher in coral, which is packaged exactly like Benefit blushers, and I have to say with a similar finish. Again, as with the benefit blushes, I don’t like the brush at all. It’s pointless, is rough on my skin and doesn’t give a very even finish, but other than that this blush is lovely. This is my first coral coloured blush I’ve ever tried and, due to my absolute obsession with all things coral at the moment, I’m not disappointed! I've got the coral blush on in my OOTD picture above. 

Big Weekend...

Well for Radio 1 anyway, which I've been listening to all day so far and am absolutely loving. Of course I'd love to be there but it was a bit of a mission from Leicester so I never bothered registering for tickets. Ellie Goulding has been a highlight so far, she's just incredible.

I, on the other one, have had the opposite of a big weekend. I'm exactly half way through my detox, still no alcohol and a whole load of very healthy food. I'm feeling so much better for it, but have had to brighten up my sober evenings and non-hungover days with a little bit of shopping. I popped into town with Mum today just to browse Boots and such-like (there's not much on offer in Hinckley in fairness) and ended up in one of my fave haunts, Kerrie Anne's. I'm not sure if this is a country-wide thing, but I know we have one in Hinckley and there's one in Nuneaton. It's basically end of range makeup sold of cheaply, and you find some real bargains in there.

I'm a huge fan of W7 as a cheap makeup brand. Anybody tried it? I've had a couple of their nail varnishes and coloured eyeliners in the past. I tend to buy random items from there, like strange shades of eyeshadow that I'm not sure if I'll like, instead of spending a lot on them from Mac or anywhere else. I went for this nail varnish today, because well...it's orange AND sparkly!!

You really can't tell on here but it is BRIGHT!! I mean seriously neon! They don't have colour shades or numbers on W7 nail varnishes which is annoying, but if you ever see this one in a shop you won't miss it, so so bright! Bit of a bargain of £1.70 and is quite a big bottle that lasts ages, although I do find it goes quite lumpy quite fast so I add a couple of drops of nailvarnish remover to it before I use it and give it a good shake and it's fine.

I also went for a W7 blusher as well, which is unusual for me as I'm a big BIG Mac blusher fan. However, if I go on a night out I do like to take my blusher out with me for a top up and I don't like the idea of taking my Mac one out with me for it to get smashed or lost, so I always have a cheap alternative.  This one is really pinky which is totally different from my usual darker hue of Mac Fleaur Power, but when I'm out (and drunk) I don't trust myself with such a dark shade, I'm safer with brighter colours! 

The swatch on my hand is a bit rubbish, wouldn't show up on camera properly sorry!

It's a nice colour when it's on that you can build up as much as you want, it goes on REALLY bright and with a nice solid colour if you layer it up! 

I couldn't decide on an outfit today, I got ready once and changed my mind, but I took pictures of both. Really casual today, went for the Blazers and ended up wearing them with a Primark checked shirt and my Sass and Bide jeans rolled up....

Anyway I'm going to spend the rest of my evening watching So You Think You Can Dance and the Eurovision with a big pizza (It's Saturday after all, I deserve a treat!) Hope everyones having a good weekend!!