My Yearly Favourites

Hi guys

Happy New Year!!!! I hope your head doesn't hurt too much today ha-ha. 

I say it every year, but I cannot believe how quickly this year went and I also can't believe everything that happened in 2016. It felt like the year that every music legend was taken, there was numerous atrocities all over the world and there were some very important issues highlighted which will hopefully be the beginning of something very special. I also can't forget the UK voted to leave the EU, Donald Trump is the President of the USA with Nigel Farage being an unofficial spokesperson for Britain and Marmite almost caused a rammy in our local supermarkets! But lets leave all that behind, this post isn't meant to be heavy at all, I just couldn't believe the things that have happened and I wanted to reminisce. This post however, is all about beauty.

Korean Skincare | Tony Moly I'm Real Sheet Masks

Hi guys,

After a harrowing week last week, I lost all my uni work from my pen drive and laptop including my dissertation and an essay, i've decided to chill today. No need to worry though as I managed to get some of my dissertation notes from my supervisor who I thankfully emailed a couple of days before but I had to start my essay from the beginning again which annoyed me as it was almost finished! A break is very much needed ha-ha. 

My Christmas Wish List

Hi guys, 

I thought I would put together my Christmas Wish List today. I haven’t been lusting after many makeup items but I am all over home comforts this year such as bath products, skincare, pyjamas and candles. I have added a few beauty items too so don’t worry. This isn’t a huge expensive wish list, infact the majority of items are under £30 so there’s something for everyone, even if it’s little stocking fillers for that special someone in your life. 

Beauty Essentials | Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner

Autumn Nails

Max Factor Raspberry Blush, Essie Maki Me Happy, Essie Playing Koi and Nails Inc Colville Mews

Max Factor Raspberry Blush, Essie Maki Me Happy, Essie Playing Koi and Nails Inc Colville Mews

 

Max Factor Raspberry Blush, Essie Maki Me Happy, Essie Playing Koi and Nails Inc Colville Mews

Hi guys,

I started Uni this week and I honestly thought I was going to hate it, but so far so good. The only thing, which is something I despise, is the fact we have to do presentations in most of the modules! Arggghhh. For anyone who knows me, knows I can talk and I have gave presentations before but there is something about doing it on a subject I am not too keen on, not well versed in and also the fact I have to stand at the front of a lecture hall in front of my classmates that makes me want to whitey all over the place! Anyway, as it’s my honours year, I am only there until March so I need to get my finger out and grab this thing by the balls if I want a good mark to round off my accountancy degree. Obviously I would love a First but I will take anything at this stage ha-ha.

I decided to talk nails today as I am really loving the autumn shades out there at the moment. Obviously you know I love Autumn but I’m not usually one for bright or dark coloured nails, I normally stick to nudes but after browsing the Boots shelves and picking out some new Essie shades, I thought I would give you a wee peak at what colours I will be wearing.

With all of these, I normally give myself an at home manicure where I trim my nails, buff any ridges and push back my cuticles. I then apply the Sally Hansen Miracle Cure (£9.95) as a base coat, two coats of polish and the Bourjois Top Coat (£5.99) before drying with my Fan Dryer (£8.99). All of these polishes last between 4 to 7 days depending on what i've been doing. Usually on a cleaning day, I will have my hands in water a lot so the polish flakes off but if I am just doing regular things like dishes and showering etc then it will last a little longer.

1. Max Factor Glossfinity Raspberry Blush (£5.99)

As the same would suggest, this is a gorgeous raspberry pink shade which is the perfect dark berry, in my opinion.

2. Essie Maki Me Happy (£7.99)

This is a crimson berry shade which is just beautiful. If you want to have a nice new red nail polish I would suggest this.

3. Essie Playing Koi (£7.99)

This is a rusty orange shade. It does dry a little darker on the nails than what is portrayed in the bottle. It is gorgeous though. Perfect for autumn.

4. Nails Inc Colville Mews (£15)

I am loving this latte nude shade at the moment. It is the perfect nude for me as I love the slight brown shade to it.

So there we have it, my favourite shades this autumn. As I say, im not one for colourful nails but something about these grabbed my attention and I have worn them every couple of days recently. What are your favourite shades this season?

P.S The autumn print (from £3.80) in the background can be sourced via Sweet Allures Etsy Store. 

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Teeth Whitening with CB12 White Including Results

Hi guys, 

I don’t know if you know this about me but I hate my teeth. Well hate is a strong word but I dislike them sometimes. The problem isn't with anything other than the colour as they aren't as white as they used to be and for that reason, I dislike them. Obviously you will see the cheeky wee tooth on the left hand side is a little crooked, that's due to me falling on a rock at the beach when I was thirteen and then I chipped it on a champagne glass a few years ago. 

I could go ahead and blame everything else for the lack of whiteness but who am I kidding, it’s the copious amounts of red wine and coffee I consume that’s done most of the damage. I also smoked for a number of years so that’s yellowed them a bit. They aren’t over the top yellow (until you get up close and personal), most people compliment me on my teeth but I notice all the yellow parts, especially when I go right up to the mirror or take close up shots (see pics below) and it does my head in so I wanted to whiten them. 

I know what you are thinking, why don't I just go to a dentist and have them professionally whitened? but I don't have that kind of money! It’s so expensive and even with my gorgeous dentist, Claire, offering me a discount, it’s still too much so I resort to these kinds of measures.

As you may or may not know, I came across Doll White UK Teeth Whitening Strips* last year and thought they were great. They made such a noticeable difference after just one use so I continued to use them and was wowed by them. I did eventually stop using the strips as I couldn't keep up with the price tag so I went on the hunt for something more affordable. That’s where CB12 kindly stepped in.

The name sounds very scientific doesn't it. I mean come on, CB12 White*(£15)! Or is that just me that thinks that? Anyway as you can guess from the name and the post title, this is a new teeth whitening product which promises to remove stains in less than two weeks, prevent future stains and keep your breath smelling fresh for up to 12 hours! I don't normally believe such statements but on this one, I shouted "Sign me up buddy". 

The solution itself is liquid based, very much like a mouthwash so no need for gum shields or strips. I don't really like things like that due to the fact that I slabber all over the place and it's not really attractive is it? This solution contains Fluoride which helps to strengthen enamel and is also alcohol free. On first use, I brushed my teeth as normal and then took 1/2 cap full of the liquid and swished around my mouth for a minute. It stung a little bit, as a normal mouth wash would but wasn’t uncomfortable at all. The soft peppermint taste was pleasant, it wasn’t overly minty. Once I was finished with it, I spat out (sorry, but couldn’t think of another word) and was surprised by the lack of aftertaste and burning. I usually hate that, but with this, there was no problem. I then used twice per day every day for the full twelve days as recommended.

I have to say, I was a little miffed that I didn’t see instant results like I did with the Doll White Strips but around Day 5 I began to notice the stains on my front teeth fading and that kept me going with it. After the twelve days was up, I was over the moon at the difference. As you can see from the before and after shots, there is a massive change. I took the before shot the day before I started and the after shot this morning before publishing this post. 

I just have to say, both of these photos were taken in the same bedroom of my house. As its Glasgow, it was a little dull on both days but the lighting turned out to be ok. They were not altered and they are my teeth in both shots. Just in case anyone says I have used teeth whitening apps, I haven’t. The only work I done to these pictures were to crop them so it was purely my teeth and lips that were shown as nobody wants to see up my nostrils. Or do you? I then made a comparison picture and added some writing. 

Hopefully you can all see the results from using this teeth whitening solution and for that reason, I would highly recommend it. The only thing that I wouldn't agree with is the fact that you have fresh breath for up to 12 hours. I don't suffer from bad breath, obviously if I eat smelly food or drink coffee then I will but it’s nothing for me to worry about. This maybe worked for about an hour or so but definitely not 12 hours.

All in all, a fantastic product with visible results. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to give their teeth a little clean and to anyone who wants to prevent future staining. I have loved using it and I will be buying a few of these to keep the results coming.

PS. Print can be bought via Dorkface Shop

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Disappointing Beauty Products

Colab Paris Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo

Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes

Zoella Sweet Inspirations Double Creme

Magic Cosmetix Magic Tips

Hi guys, 

After reading Allure of a Girl's guest post on Twenty Something Meltdown, I decided to carry out this blogpost. as it’s nice to take a break from talking up the great products and discuss the ones that have disappointed me. I did one of these a few years ago and I still stick by my views on those items but I have some more to throw into the mix. You can’t like everything and a lot of these products you are going to think, what the hell is she talking about, but it’s only my opinion. You may love some of these but we are going to have to agree to disagree I’m afraid as I thought they were pants.

1. Colab Paris Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo (£4.49)

I had high hopes for this little guy as everyone and their mother were raving about the Ruth Crilly launch so I was keen to get my hands on it and see what all the fuss was about. I hated this from the get go. I didn’t like the texture of my hair afterwards and I didn’t like the fragrance either. I used this as I would any other dry shampoo, I held it away from my hair and sprayed onto my roots by sectioning my hair but it left my hair feeling sticky and unclean. I had slight volume but nothing worth raving about. This felt more like a hairspray rather than a dry shampoo so for that reason it gets a thumbs down from me.

2. Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Lightweight Primer (£7.99)

I just couldn’t get to grips with this at all. It didn’t do anything for me and it didn’t keep my makeup in place nor did it "erase my pores". Not that I was expecting it to. Instead it left a film over my skin which didn’t feel natural and its texture was quite off putting when I began applying to my skin. 

3. Magic Cosmetix Magic Tips (£9.99)

These have been made for those of us who like to use our fingers to apply makeup. They are silicon tips which are supposed to feel skin like and smooth makeup on easily. I can wholeheartedly disagree. These do not help anything smooth on my face, infact they pull at the product which leaves it looking streaky and not applied properly. I used this to apply concealer before buffing out with a concealer brush but I had to go back in with the doe foot applicator as the product which pretty much non-existent. 

4. Eve Lom Cleanser (£40)

I really wanted to like this as it smelt fantastic and everyone raved about it. Vogue hailed it the "probably the best cleanser in the world" but I have to disagree. I liked how soft it made my skin feel (before the breakouts) and how it took off makeup, don’t get me wrong. I also adored the scent but as far as good skincare went, this was a nightmare. I was left with horrible spots all over my face. At first I thought the skin was purging (although I don’t agree with that statement) so I persisted but after a few weeks I had to stop as my skin was sore to the touch. As soon as I stopped using this, my skin started to heal and thankfully, its back to normal but I would never buy this again as my oily/sensitive skin hated it. Maybe this would be better on dry/normal skin though.

5. Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes (£22.99)

I really disliked this mascara. It done absolutely nothing for my lashes and left me with black rings round my eyes. I can handle a little seeping at the inner corners of my eyes which can easily be removed but this little guy smudged all over my lower lash line, above my eyes and at each corner. I looked like I had been punched in the face which is not a look I go for when wearing mascara, I can assure you. My eyelashes felt limp, there was no length,no separating, no curl and no volume. The only good thing was the fact that my lashes looked black at the roots but that’s not enough for me, I need a mascara to create some fabulous eyelashes not little black stumps!

6. Zoella Sweet Inspirations Double Crème (£5)

I bought this off the back of many reviews online and I am gutted that it didn’t work on me. It took far too long to work into the skin, regardless of how much I used and left me with white streaks up and down my body. I also woke up with the worst smell coming from my skin when I wore this overnight after applying after a bath one night. The smell was disgusting. I can safely say this has never happened with any other body lotion, butter or cream I have used before going to sleep but this was horrible. I also didn’t like the smell it left throughout the day, I can’t quite explain it, but it was almost like a fusty smell, you know if you leave wet clothes for too long and they carry that lingering smell. I thought it actually was my clothes for a hot minute, but it wasn’t, it was this bloody cream. 

That’s all I have today guys. Just because I didn’t like these particular items doesn’t mean I hate the people or the rest of the products. I actually adore everything else that I have tried from Maybelline, Charlotte Tilbury and Zoella but I didn’t get on well with these at all. I haven't sampled anything else from Eve Lom, Magic Cosmetics or Colab but I will try some of their other products to see how I get on with them. Let me know in the comments if you disagree with any of my choices as I like to know how you got on with them too.

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If I Could Only Use One...

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush

Revlon Colorburst

Nyx Liquid Liner

Maybelline Lash Sensational

Hi guys, 

After having a major Pinterest session the other day, I came across the lovely Rebecca from “From Roses” latest posts including one based on choosing one product from each beauty category. I really liked this idea, so much so, that I decided to carry it out too. I changed mine up a little by only choosing drugstore products and adding more categories. I am going to choose products based on everything I do after cleansing and moisturising so I don’t leave anything out. Please head on over to From Roses post to see what she choose as some of her choices are stunning! 

Primer

There's only one primer for me and that’s the Nivea Post Shave Balm for Sensitive Skin (£5.35), I use this all the time. Every time I apply my makeup, regardless of where I am going, this is the first step for me. I have a full review of this bad boy right here.

Foundation

This is the easiest one to choose, of course it’s going to be Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (£9.99). I have raved about this ever since I first purchased it and years later it is still a staple in my foundation drawer. I love the consistency of it (think Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua but way cheaper), how easy it glides onto the skin, the subtle glow it gives and its impeccable staying power. An absolute must have! 

Concealer

This was a little tougher I have to admit. I like so many drugstore concealers but after thinking long and hard, I decided on Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19) as it’s amazing. The consistency is magical, it blends out beautifully and covers a multitude of sins. I use this to cover dark circles, to cover blemishes, redness around my nostrils and also to highlight down the centre of my face. It is an absolute dream.

Face Powder

It has to be Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (£3.99) doesn’t it! Not much to say about this other than it helps keep my makeup on all day.

Contour

I have tried an obscene amount of contouring products in the past but when I am in a rush and just want something to add a bit of colour then I find myself reaching for the Tanya Burr Peachy Glow Palette (£8). This is perfect for my fair skin and as it’s a compact it also includes a highlighter and blush.

Blusher

Even though the TB contour palette has a blusher, I always reach for the multi toned Max Factor Crème Puff Blush (£8.99). I really struggled to pick just one shade so I am picking all 6 of them as they are just dreamy. This is easy to blend and you only need the tiniest amount on your brush to create a gorgeous shade on your skin. 

Highlighter

Has to be Makeup Revolution Pro Illuminate (£4). It’s the only drugstore highlighter I have used and had to take a step back once the glow was applied! Seriously impressive.

Mascara

Erm, there is only one mascara out there for me and it is the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (£7.99). I was always a Falsies (£8) kind of a girl until this beauty was released. I honestly cant big it up anymore, it creates the most gorgeous lashes by coating each and every lash, even the small corner ones. It helps to blend your lashes into false ones without being over the top. It has the blackest of black shades, beautiful formula and better yet, it doesn’t bloody transfer onto my eyelids or bottom lash line throughout the day. I have a full review right here. 

Eyeliner

This is a little frustrating as my all-time favourite is the NYC Liquid Eyeliner but I can’t seem to find it anymore so I have to settle on the NYX Vinyl Liquid Liner (£5.50) which is my second favourite. The NYX liner is a dream come true, it has a thin tip which helps to glide over the eye to create a beautiful line and it is easy to create a little flick or a full blown wing. I’m not saying it will be perfect every time as that depends on the person but this is really good. It is super dark, one of the blackest liners I have ever used and I don’t have any issues with it moving throughout the day. 

Eyebrows

Soap and Glory Archery (£10) is the best I have tried from a drugstore. I have tried a million different compacts, gels, pencils, powders and this is still the one I would go to as it has a little pencil for precision and then a felt tip point to create texture. 

Lipstick

This is a little tougher as there are so many good lip products out there, especially from the drugstore. If I had to choose just one I would pick the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms (£7.99) as I find them to be moisturising, pigmented and have a great selection of shades. 

Setting Spray

It has to be L'Oréal Paris Infallible Fixing Mist (£7.99), this is a little cloudy concoction that helps keep your makeup stay on all day. If there was only one setting spray in the world and this was it, I would be happy. 

So there we have it, if I could only choose one product from each section, then it would be these guys. I actually buy these over and over again as they are some of the best products on the market, well for me anyway. I love the finish I get after applying my full face and I have to say, I am never disappointed with how my makeup settles as the day goes on. 

PS. The print in the pictures was created by Jemma over at Dorkface. You should check out her Etsy Store, she has all kinds of wonderful girly, colourful pieces.

What would be your top picks?

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Top 10 Lush Bath Products

Hi guys,

I thought I would give you a rundown of my favourite bath time products from Lush. This is only going to involve bath bombs, bubble bars etc. so don’t be expecting any shampoos, conditioners etc. I will put together another Lush post later in the year of other Lush favourites. A few may surprise you and I may be missing a lot of “cult favourites” but we all have our favourite scents don’t we. Here we go.

1) Frozen (£3.95)

I love this bath bomb. It is infused with grapefruit, neroli and rose oil and leaves your bath filled with silver glitter. I normally hate bath bombs like this as the glitter goes everywhere but this bath bomb is too pretty to fret about the small stuff. This is a great addition to a morning bath when you want to wake yourself up as the grapefruit oil is very uplifting and refreshing. I personally use this at night time as I wouldn’t want to go out with glitter all over me, and boy does this leave glitter on you ha-ha. My bathtub, bathroom, clothes, towel, hair (which I didn’t submerge), pyjamas and toothbrush were covered. I actually don’t know how I managed it ha-ha.

2) Dragons Egg (£3.50)

I don’t know if you know this but Bergamot is my favourite scent ever! I have numerous perfumes, bath products, candles and oils with this heavy scent so it’s no wonder that this made it into my top ten. As well as bergamot, it also has lemon oil and jasmine and as an added extra, some popping candy.

3) Blackberry (£3.35)

Another Bergamot favourite but this also has frankincense too which makes for a very relaxing bath. Both of these oils are used in aromatherapy to help release nervous tension and can be used for depression and anxiety. If I feel a bit stressed, I pop this into my bath and let it soak away my troubles. There is also a little surprise once the bomb fizzes out but I won’t ruin it for anyone who hasn’t used this before.

4) Fizzbanger (£3.50)

This is my number one bath bomb from Lush. I love that it looks so simple with its beautiful yellow glow yet once submerged in the water it’s a different kettle of fish all together. It really reminds me of Christmas, I think it’s because of the apple and cinnamon scent that wafts out of it but it also has Ylang Ylang and popping candy to give it a little edge.

5) Rose Jam (£3.75)

This is my favourite bubble bar/bubbleroon that Lush has to offer. The scent is so strong that a tiny crumble from this bad boy will leave a lingering scent in your bathroom for days. It gives off the most beautiful pink tone in the water and leaves your skin so soft afterwards. I love the double dose of rose that it has to offer too so you can only imagine how pungent it is.

6) Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment (£2)

Holy Moly, this is so beautiful. For such a small amount of product, this really packs a punch in the old fragrance department. I just pop this into a freshly run bath and leave to dissolve. The name suits this bath oil as it is super sweet, almost like candy floss. It contains Almond oil, extra virgin coconut oil and marshmallow powder which help to sooth and hydrate your body.

7) Dreamtime (£2)

If you want a product to relax you and send you off to the deepest of sleeps, then this bath oil is for you. This contains Chamomile, Lavender and Shea Butter which will help to sooth, moisturise and calm you before you hit the sack for some much needed z`s.

8) Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds (£4.95)

I adore this bubble bar and I can normally get about 4 baths from it. I don’t like to use a lot so bubble bars last me ages, but trust me, you don’t need a lot when it comes to this one. It contains patchouli which is used as a relaxant as well as frankincense and cinnamon leaf oil which help to calm.

9) Tisty Tosty (£3.50)

This bath bomb has a special place in my heart as it was one of the first products I ever tried. It’s quite small but boy does it pack a punch. Apparently it’s based on a medieval love potion, I’m yet to try that theory out as I just love popping it in my bath, allowing the real rosebuds to disperse in the water and for my bathroom to become a floral scented dream. It contains Rose oil which is supposed to sooth broken hearts, I mean how sweet is that? Again, not tested that out but hey, every little helps when it comes to a broken heart so why not. It also contains Jasmine and Lemon. An all-time favourite.

10) Yuzu and Cocoa Shower Cream (from £4.95)

I love this shower cream, it’s pretty thick, so you don’t need a lot of it, but oh does it smell good. Again, it contains Bergamot oil which we all know by now is very uplifting and also good at easing tension. The cream also contains Tonka and Cocoa absolute which help to make this gel smell like, in my opinion, chocolate oranges. As well as all that, it has uplifting grapefruit oil and cocoa butter.

That’s all of my favourite bath time products from Lush. What are yours?

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*Top image was sourced from Pixabay