Colour B4 Review

Hello everyone :)

So, after what seems like forever, I'm back! I decided a while ago to take a little break from blogging. I was just so busy with everything else that finding time to fit this in almost felt like a chore, and I want this to be something I enjoy and love doing. I've missed it a lot, so after a break of what seems like forever, I'm back to resume work on my blog :)

I'm starting with a bit of a random review today. I have dyed my hair for as long as I can remember, and always had it pretty dark. I alternated between dark browns, reds and purples, but this summer I finally decided that I wanted something a bit lighter and more summery. I had quite bad colour build up, and no matter what colour dye I put on my hair, it was getting to the point where it almost looked black, and I couldn't change it.

I never really wanted to use a hair stripper, as I'd heard a lot of horror stories about how they ruin your hair (and make it fall out, or make the colour patchy.... you name it, I heard it) but after a friend at work said she used it and never had a problem, I decided to give it a try.

 

I bought Colour B4 from my local shop, as it seemed to have the best reviews online, and one night after a glass of wine for courage, I gave it a try.

 

It didn't smell amazing. Actually, it smelt awful! The consistency was pretty much the same as hair dye. I did a patch test before I used it all over my hair, and knew it was going to be ok with my very sensitive skin, but I wasn't holding up much hope for the end result.

 

But actually, I was really happy! Once I'd washed it all off and used the after treatment they give you, I couldn't smell it any more, and was left with a light coppery hair colour. Naturally my hair is light mousey brown, but I expected there to be some staining from all the red tones I had used on it, but I actually love the colour I was left with. It took all the dark colours off my hair perfectly, and the result wasn't patch at all, my hair wasn't even in bad condition afterwards! Any of my most recent twitter pics show the colour that I was left with, and I think I'm going to be keeping it for a while (I get bored of my hair insanely quickly).

 

Now I'm not going to say that if you use it you will get amazing results, I don't want to give anyone that guarantee just in case. There are a lot of factors you need to consider such as the colour your hair is, the colour it is naturally, the condition of your hair and many others things. I'd suggest doing a bit of research first if you are considering it, but all I can say is that it couldn't have gone better for me.

 

 

Well, it does feel good to be back on the blogging scene, and I promise I will be going back to regular posts :)

 

Thank you all for reading, and as always .....

 

Love to you all x

 

Avon BB Gentle Beauty Cream

Hello everyone :)

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've got a good one for you today! It features a lovely little BB cream from Avon - as mentioned in the title - in the shade 'light'. I was doing my friends makeup for a night out, and used it as the base. The coverage was amazing especially for a BB cream. She has good skin anyway, so I didn't use a concealer, and only used a light dusting of clear powder to set....

As you can see, the overall effect is brilliant. It evens out the skin tone amazingly, and leaves an almost airbrushed effect on the skin. I've always been a fan of Avon, but this is the most impressed I've been with them in a long time. It was easy to blend, has a thin but not runny texture, and can be applied easily with either a brush, sponge or fingers (I used my fingers). Rose (featured in the pic) owns the BB cream, and as her mum is an Avon rep I'm not sure if this is a demo product due for release or if its already out, but I couldn't find it on the Avon site. That could just be me being stupid :P Avon prices are always pretty reasonable though. 

I'll update this post once I find out the price, but trust me when I say this is a brilliant little product, and Avon has impressed me yet again. Also, thank you to Rose for being my model for this post. 

Love to you all x

Beauty UK Nail Polishes

Hello everyone!

I know it's been around 2 weeks since my last post, and I'm sorry! I've been settling in at my new job and all the time I've spent at home has basically been spent sleeping. Things are starting to level out a bit more though, so while I've got a spare afternoon/evening, I thought I'd try and get a blog post done.

Today's post is a review on two different nail polishes that I've tried recently by Beauty UK. One is from the Gel Fix range in the shade Pink Orchid, and the other from the Grit Fix range in the shade Printworks....

We'll start with Pink Orchid. In the bottle, the colour looks quite dark, but when applied its a lovely deep pinky purple colour. As it's part of the gel range, the consistency was quite thick which I liked, and the result was amazingly shiny. I was very impressed! I still used a top coat however, and with that the lasting power was around 5 days - this is impressive for me as I use my hands a lot and tend to chip my nails within a day or two!! I also have it on my toe nails at the minute and love the colour for spring/summer. 

The grit effect polish was something unlike anything I've ever tried before. I know quite a lot of brands have brought out this kind of effect recently but I've never tried it until now. To protect my nails from the hard gritty bits I used two layers of base coat, then only needed to apply one layer of the polish to get a striking effect. I didn't use a top coat as I didn't want to get rid of the matte and grit effect of the polish, and even then it lasted around 4 days without chipping. I loved the effect too! Something really different and I'll definitely be trying more from this range. 

Overall I've been really impressed with these. They are the only things I've ever tried by Beauty UK, and I'll be trying more from them soon. Not sure what to try next though, so if any of you have any suggestions let me know :) 

Thank you for reading, and sorry again that its been so long since my last post.

Love to you all x  

Bad Beauty Habits..... Oops!

Hello everyone :)

Sorry it's been so long since my last post, I've been a very bad blogger lately! So, continuing with the theme of being a bad beauty blogger, today is going to be a little post revealing to you all my bad beauty habits. I love reading posts like this, so I hope you will enjoy reading it too!

1. Brush cleaning. I have a feeling this might be quite a common one, but none the less, I am insanely bad at keeping my makeup brushes clean. One of my new years resolutions was to try and clean my brushes more often, but it still ends up being far too long between cleans. Oops!

2. Lipstick storage. I'm someone who likes to keep all her makeup neatly organised in acrylic storage so I always know where everything is. However this goes completely out the window when it comes to my lipsticks. I have a little stand which is supposed to hold the ones I use most often, however they always seem to get chucked in my bag when I go out somewhere and then stay there for ages. I forget what ones I have, and it has sometimes even caused me to buy one I already had because I forgot I had it. I find them everywhere, in bags, drawers and all over the place in my car.

3. Hair conditioning. I'm lucky enough that my hair normally tends to be in pretty good condition, so i tend to get a bit lazy when it comes to conditioning it. I always use conditioner, but never leave it on as long as I should. Like 30 seconds at the max which almost seems pointless. I should probably count myself lucky that my hair doesn't suffer too much for it.

4. Morning skincare routine. When it comes to bedtime, I'm pretty good with my skin care routine, and always make sure to remove my makeup, cleanse and tone, and do a face mask a couple of times a week. But in a morning, I'm all about getting up, dressed, makeup on and out, so my face gets nothing more than a wash while I'm in the shower and a quick moisturize before I put my makeup on. It's lucky my foundation has an SPF in it too cause I never remember to protect the skin on my face. Bad beauty blogger!

5. Picking at nail polish. It's no wonder that I have to paint my nails so often, as I have such a bad habit of picking it and peeling it off. I know it can't be doing my nails any good, but it seems to be a stress related habit. I find it hard to properly test the lasting power of a nail polish as I pick it off before it would normally chip, but I do always say that in my reviews. I like to be honest :)

So that's it! I'm now filled with shame, but please don't hate me beauty bloggers... It feels good to admit it all to you :) What are all of your bad beauty habits? I'd love to know in the comments.....

Love to you all x

My Payday Wishlist

Hello everyone :)

Sorry its been a while since I've posted, but things have just been a bit crazy, what with studying, a job interview, actually getting the job and arranging everything for the week away for training! But today, I woke up completely full of cold, so have spent the day curled up in bed watching Netflix, looking online to plan what I'm going to buy with my first months wages...

1. Makeup Revolution Iconic 3 Palette

I've tried a few products by Makeup Revolution, and have been really impressed. So when I started seeing reviews popping up everywhere on how this was a good dupe for the Naked 3, I knew I had to try. Plus, it's only £4... Bargain! I will probably end up adding a few lipsticks and nails polishes into my basket too... but haven't decided which yet.


2. theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer Highlighter

 

Lately, I have been obsessed with all things highlighter related! I was having a mass blog reading session the other day, when it dawned on me that I don't actually have this one in my collection. I had a little look on good old feelunique.com, and decided that for £16, this WILL be mine come payday :) I've heard nothing but good things about this, so I hope it lives up to the hype!

 

3. Burt's Bees Facial Cleanser

 

 

 

So far, all I have ever tried from Burt's Bees is their lip balms, and I love them. I have been looking for a new facial cleanser to try, but don't want one that's too full of chemicals. This one looks perfect, and is made up of plant-based ingredients too, so keeping it natural. It's also got a gentle exfoliating quality to keep skin looking polished. Sounds good to me! I've seen it go for between £8 and £12 so I will be keeping my eyes out for a bargain.

 

4. Models Own Polishes for Tans

 

 

Finally we have the newest range from Models Own. The Polishes for Tans range contains bright neon colours which are perfect for adding a bright dash of colour into your spring/summer wardrobe or beauty routine. I can't decide which one I want most, so I might have to go for all of them... Oops! I've always been  huge fan of Models Own polishes, so I'm sure I won't be disappointed by these.

 

Well that's all I've added to my payday list so far. If there's anything else you lot think I should have a look at then please let me know :) and sorry again for the insanely long time it's been since my last post.

 

Love to you all x 

 



Barry M Silk Nail Polish in Meadow

Hello everyone :)

As any of you who knows me or my blog will know, I have a huge addiction to Barry M nail polishes. However, I was so caught up in buying all the colours from the gelly range, that I have only just got round to trying any from the silk collection! The first colour I chose to go for was Meadow, a lovely pastel blue which is perfect for spring.

 

 

I always find Barry M polishes to be good quality and quite long lasting so its no surprise that this lived up to the same standards. I applied two coats of the polish, and this lasted around 5 days before I started to see signs of chipping.

 

The colour itself is beautiful, and I love the slightly matte finish you get from this collection. I can't wait to try more from the silk range, do any of you have any recommendations on which colours I should try next?

 

Thank you all for reading, and as always, all comments are loved and appreciated.

 

Love to you all x

Makeup Revolution Review

Hello everyone, and happy Good Friday! :)

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been seeing loads of reviews pop up on products by Makeup Revolution, and all of them were positive. I'd personally never heard of them, but based on all the wonderful reviews, I decided to make a little online order and try a couple of things. Everything shown on the website is so well priced, and in the end I settled on a lipstick (only £1) and an eyebrow kit in medium (£2.50). Here's what I thought....

First off, we have the amazingly priced lipstick, in the shade Crime. This is a lovely and well pigmented bright pinky purple colour, which has quickly become one of my favorites for spring.  The packaging is very similar to that of MUA lipsticks - sleek, simple and sturdy - but what more do you need? I quite like the simple packaging. In terms of the product itself, the lasting power is amazing! For me, it lasted around 6 - 8 hours without needing to be reapplied, and was still visible on my lips up to 10 hours later! I was amazed. It's also quite moisturising too. I still used a lip balm underneath as always, but I'm not sure you'd need to. 

When I saw a brow shaping kit for only £2.50, I knew I'd end up buying it. I chose the shade medium, as the colour still looked quite dark, and I was glad I did as they are also really well pigmented. Also, even though I would prefer to use my own tweezers to remove stray hairs, how cute are the mini ones you get in this? They are possibly the sweetest thing I've ever seen. I also chose to use my own brush to apply this, but I did try the brush that came with the set, and it's pretty good. Obviously it's only got a small handle which means you don't get as much precision, but the brush head seems pretty good quality - great if you want a top up while out and about. 

Overall I was really impressed with both of these products, and I can see myself making a few more sneaky purchases soon. Have any of you tried any Makeup Revolution products, and if so what did you think? 

Love to you all x

W7 Prime Magic Camera Ready Primer

Hello everyone :)

I don't know about you, but since the weather has been bright and sunny, I've actually managed to feel more productive! Whether this lasts or not we'll have to see. Today, I have a little review on a budget primer from W7. For me, a primer is the most important part of my make up routine, so I normally tend to stick to more high end ones. However in the name of research (and to try and save a bit of money) I thought I'd try a lower priced version, and that's when I stumbled on this one for only £3.80 on ebay.....

They come in 3 different versions depending on your skin type, and I chose to opt for the green toned one to combat redness. The product is easy to apply, works to reduce redness in my cheeks, and leaves my skin feeling a lot smoother. I have happily been using this under both my Illamasqua and Rimmel foundations for a few weeks now, and it does work well as a primer. 

However, for someone with a primer addiction like me, it doesn't measure up to my favorite from MAC. I have enjoyed using this, and I will still keep using it as a day-to-day primer until it runs out, leaving my MAC one for best, but I don't think Ill be purchasing it again. 

To be honest, I think this would be more suited to someone who is just starting to get into using a primer. It is well priced, easy to use, and does the job well, and would make an excellent starting point. I was happy I gave it a try. 

Have any of you tried this, and what are your favorite primers? 

Love to you all x

Barry M Limited Edition Polish - Happy 50th Superdrug!

Hello everyone :)

Hope you all enjoyed the warm weather this weekend! I spent mine shopping, which is always a good way to spend a Saturday, and I picked up this lovely limited edition Barry M nail polish, released to celebrate 50 years of Superdrug. I'd already spent quite a bit, but I could resist, plus they had a 3 for 2 on all Barry M products so it would have been rude not to take advantage....

To be honest, I haven't even thought about glittery nail polishes since Christmas, but this was such an eye catching colour that I couldn't resist! It's a lovely bright fuchsia pink, with large flecks of glitter in it. The fact that the polish is not completely clear means the glitter isn't overly obvious and in your face, making it great for spring, when the thought of loads of glitter is far behind a lot of us. It just makes it shine subtly in the light. I've used two coats in the picture above, however one coat will still give you a nice see-through layer of pink with quite a lot of glitter flecks. 

For me, this is a polish that I would be more inclined to wear on my toes at this time of year, as at the minute I'm all about subtle pastels or spring time brights (just bought my first polish from thee Barry M silk range and am in love with that too! Post on that up soon). However this would still look beautiful for a spring evening night out or special occasion.

I'm a huge fan of Barry M polishes, and I also love a glitter polish that isn't just a top coat but a colour in itself. Plus, at only £2.99 it's a complete bargain, and makes a beautiful addition to my ever growing collection. 

Have any of you picked this up, and if so what do you think? 

Love to you all x

Versatile Blogger Award

Hello everyone :)

The other day I was lucky enough to be awarded the Versatile Blogger Award by the lovely Lizzie over at xbeautymagic.blogspot.co.uk! Her blog really is amazing so I urge you all to go and check it out!

Now on to the rules: 

1) Thank and link the awesome person who nominated you2) List the rules and display the award3) Share 7 things/facts about yourself4) Nominate 15 other amazing blogs and comment on their blogs to let them know you have nominated them and provide a link to your post5) Optional. Proudly display the award logo anywhere on your blog e.g. side bar and follow the person who nominated you.  

It really does mean the world to me to get nominated for these awards :) 

Facts About Me: 

1. I like to name things... for example I have a small cactus that I've named Jerry! Odd, I know! 
2. I have a HUGE addiction to buying lipsticks. I pretty much own one for every day of the month. 
3. I love to cook, and I'm actually pretty good at it. 
4. I'm also pretty good at DIY. I built a set of bookcases yesterday all by myself :) 
5. I love the colour purple. I even have a purple kettle and toaster in my kitchen. 
6. I like to knit, and am currently making some new cushion covers. Very exciting huh?! 
7. I dream of having a house bunny as a pet. But not until I have a house with a garden so it can play outside. 

The Wonderful People I Nominate: 

thefashion-six
a-littlebeautyblog
beautyandtheblank
astudentsharing
californiakissesxo
a-beautifulsecret
daintyandivory
Laurajmarsh
chic-andcheap
topazandmay
observreport
bellezakisses
rosecharli
lynniloves
topdrawfashion

Thank you all for reading, it really does mean the world to me to know that there are people out there who actually like my random beauty ramblings. Thank you again, and as always, all comments are loved and appreciated :) 

Love to you all x

Sue Devitt Triple C-Weed Loose Face Powder

Hello everyone :)

Today I want to share a little bargain I found with you all! I was browsing through the cosmetics section at tk maxx, and came across this loose c-weed face powder by Sue Devitt.

This is a lovely and light loose face powder, which contains three types of seaweed, vitamin c, chamomile extract and green tea. I've had a look around and have seen it on ebay for around £9.99 although I don't know how much it is new. I picked it up for the bargain price of £1.99! 

To be honest, I hadn't heard about the brand before, but had to buy it for that price. It comes in a glass pot with a small puff inside it too, so it really does feel quite expensive. 

Sorry about the picture, I used the puff before I took a picture so it looks quite dirty. Oops! To be honest, I much prefer applying this with a brush, although to be fair the puff is pretty good too. As a powder, it gives you a light coverage, but manages to take away any hint of shine, and this is exactly what I look for in a powder. I don't want something too heavy. This is perfect for me, and in terms of lasting power, it manages to keep all shine away for around 8 hours before I need to reapply. Although I don't have particularly oily skin, so if you do you may need to apply more often. 

I have this in the colour Quiet & Still, and this is completely perfect for my medium skin tone. Plus, the ingredients in it mean you actually feel like you're helping your skin by applying it. It somehow makes my skin feel healthy! 

I absolutely love this powder, and would happily pay a lot more for it. Though as you don't need to use that much at one time, I can see it lasting me quite a while! 

A great find if I say so myself! 

Thank you all for reading, and as always, all comments are appreciated! 

Love to you all x

MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter

Hello everyone :)

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, just been insanely busy studying for my course :( today however I have been full of cold, so decided to take some time off the studying and relax for a while reading/writing blog posts.

Today I just wanted to do a review post on this little beauty from MUA...

I've been wanting to get my hands on this for a while now, but every time I look it seems to be sold out. Last week, however, I was in luck! I was so excited I just grabbed it and ran to the till, not even looking how much it was. But I'm pretty sure it was £3 which is amazing! I've been an MUA fan for a while now, and have a bit of an addiction to their lipsticks, so I couldn't wait to try this. 

I wasn't disappointed. For starters can we just take a minute to appreciate how pretty it actually is. The packaging is standard MUA simplicity, however the product inside is beautiful. I've been using it every day since I bought it and the pretty pattern hasn't started to fade yet either :) 

The colour is a beautiful shimmery pink, but isn't too glittery. You can apply it to the cheek bones, eyebrow bone and cupids bow for a lovely subtle lift, or even mix a bit in with a face powder for a lovely all over glow. It really is subtle which I love. But you can easily build it up with 2 or so applications. 

I used 2 coats in the pic so you could see it more clearly. It's more subtle when blended too. 

It is amazingly easy to blend too, and doesn't smudge away your foundation when you apply it. In terms of how long it lasts, I'd say around 4 hours or so before it starts to fade, but you can still notice it after around 6 hours. That's impressive from a product that only cost £3! Also, you get a lot more of it than I thought. When looking at other bloggers pics, I thought it was a similar size to their eyeshadow pots, but its much bigger! I can see it lasting me right through spring and summer, despite it being added to the 'most used' section of my makeup collection. 

I'm so happy I finally got to try this, and it was love at first brush stroke. If it's still there next time I pop in my local Superdrug I might stock up! 

Have any of you tried this, and if so what did you think? 

Love to you all x

This Months Wish List...

Hello everyone :)

I just realised that its been a very long time since I did a wishlist post! There are so many things I want to buy right now too so I figured this was the perfect time to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and get down a list of the main things I'm lusting after right now. Enjoy!

1. Models Own Speckled Egg Collection

How perfect are these for this time of year. I can't decide which colour I like best, so I've decided I need the whole collection. Plus Models Own have the 6 for £20 deal on which means I may have to take advantage! 

2. MAC Brush Cleanser 

Now, I have to confess that I do get a bit lazy when it comes to cleaning my brushes. I've read loads of great reviews on the MAC brush cleanser, and being a huge MAC fan already, I want to give it a go. I think it's only around £10 too so pretty well priced. 

3. NARS Final Cut Illuminator 

I was browsing through the 'Whats New' section of the NARS website and came across this. The site says this can be used all over the face or as a highlighter, and can be worn under, over or mixed in with foundation. It's limited edition too so if I want it I best be quick! 

4. NARS Instant Line and Pore Perfector 

I also came across this in the same section of the website, and this is also limited edition. Apparently it works to smooth skin and hide pours. The site says it contains Vitamins A, C and E for antioxidant protection, contains Hyaluronic acid spheres to plump the skin and fill in lines, and micro-spheres help to keep skin smooth. I don't fully understand all that, but anything that helps to smooth my skin and create a good base sounds good to me! 

5. BareMinerals Swoon Blush 

I love their foundation and finishing powder, but that's all I have tried by bareMinerals. As soon as I saw this, I thought it would be perfect to create a subtle pink spring time glow. Something natural and pretty looking. Plus, if it's anywhere near the quality of their powders, it'll be love instantly! 

There are probably 100 other things I could add to this list (not to mention what I bought this morning on my eBay splurge) but I think I can happily narrow it down to these top 5. 

What products are on your wishlists right now? 

Love to you all x

Technic High Lights (Benefit Dupe?)

Hello :)

Let me just say that I am a HUGE fan of Benefit's High Beam highlighter. However, I can't always justify paying that much for it, so when I saw that the budget brand Technic do one that looks almost exactly the same, I was desperate to give it a shot and see if it was any good. I picked mine up for around £1.50 on ebay (compared to around £20 for the High Beam)!  So you can see why I had to give it a try....

As you can see, they have pretty much tried to copy the look of the High Beam. The packaging looks ok, but isn't very good quality. I know it should matter more about the quality of the product itself and not so much the packaging, but it did bother me a little. 

In terms of how good the High Lights actually is, well, lets just say I was impressed. It's not quite as good as the High Beam, but then for £1.50 its not going to be. But it did work very well. 

It comes out a light pinky colour that's lovely and shimmery, it blends well into the skin, and works to give you a subtle definition by catching the light where ever you put it. I normally use it around the cheek bones, above the eye brow bone and a little in the cupids bow above the top lip. 

In terms of the lasting power, that isn't quite as good as benefit's either, but it also isn't a problem. With a good base, this lasts on my skin for around 6 hours which is pretty impressive for such a well priced product. It also doesn't smear and rub off your foundation when you apply it which i know is quite a common problem, for me at least, with liquid highlighters. 

Over all I'm pretty happy with this product. It's not quite as good as the more high end versions, but it works well, looks great, and lasts, so what more can you really ask for? I would tend to use this one every day and keep my beloved benefit for special occasions, and I will definitely keep my eye out for another one for when this runs out. 

What do you think? Have any of you tried this? 

Love to you all x

St Moriz Fake Tan

Hello :)

I don't know about you, but now that the weather is gradually starting to get better, I've found myself being drawn back to my fake tan. There are quite a few out there that I love, Baby B Browne being a recent favorite, but one that I always keep going back to, is the budget priced St Moriz. 

My favorite is the spray version, although it is available in a lotion and a mousse as well, but I find that I get a more even finish with the spray (although my bathroom floor doesn't like it too much!!). I buy mine from fragrancedirect.com for just £2.99, and I know you can get it quite cheap from feelunique.com too. 

My favorite thing about this is that you don't need to wait for it to develop to see what colour you will be. It sprays out a dark brown which then blends into the skin when rubbed with a tanning mitt to reveal a lovely golden bronze colour. I use the medium one, but it is available in light and dark too. 

You don't get an obvious fake tan smell either which is a plus. I mean if you put your nose to your arm and sniff you get a light biscuity smell, but it isn't too over powering like many I've tried. This probably has to be my favorite go-to self tan. I try others, but always come back to this. 

Thank you all for reading :) I'd love to know your fake tan recommendations? 

Love to you all x

Sally Hansen Super Shine Top Coat

Hello everyone!

Can I just start by saying that I have no idea whats happened to the weather today, but it's cold, rainy and miserable, and I am well and truly sulking! Thought I'd do a spot of blogging to try and cheer myself up :)

Today is a little review post on the Sally Hansen Super Shine Top Coat.I know this isn't exactly a new product, but I love the Hard As Nails top coat, and so when I saw this for just £2.50 online, I thought I'd give it a try to see if it was anything like it.

I've used it twice now, and I have to say that it really does do what it says on the bottle. My nails have never looked so shiny! It dries pretty quickly too, which is good for me as I'm known with being very impatient when it comes to letting nail polish dry. Oops! 

Before this, I was using a Barry M top coat, and with that my nails would stay pretty perfect for around 4 days, obviously depending what nail polish was under it. With the Sally Hansen one however, even when I tried it with a cheap MUA nail polish underneath, I didn't see any chips appearing until maybe the 5th or 6th day! I change the colour of my nails more often than that anyway normally, so this works perfect for me. 

My nails are in pretty good condition anyway, and so personally, I don't see any reason why I should go back to paying more for the Hard as Nails top coat when this does pretty much the same thing for less. If you want me to be honest, I'd probably say I prefer the Super Shine regardless of the price. 

Overall, I'm very impressed with this top coat! 

Thank you for reading, and as always all comments are loved and appreciated :)

Love to you all x

Anniversary Weekend

Hello :)

I know I don't normally do lifestyle or personal posts, but this weekend was mine and the other half's 2 year anniversary, and with the sunshine out all weekend, we had a really lovely time, and I just wanted to share a few of the pictures with you all.

On Saturday, we had a lovely lunch out, then went to The Deep in Hull, which is a big aquarium on the waterfront. I love going to look at the fish, and now they have penguins too!!

That night we had a lovely dinner at home and made cocktails! On the Sunday, we went for a walk around a local nature reserve and fed the ducks :) After that, we went out for lunch again and had a few drinks before heading to the music quiz at the local pub. We came home, watched a film together, then he ran me a bubble bath with all my Lush products. It was the perfect weekend! 

Thank you for reading, and the beauty posts will be resumed as soon as possible :) 

Love to you all x

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Peaches and Cream

Hello everyone :)

As I have said many times before, I love Sleek's lipsticks. I have a little bit of an addiction to be honest! However the one I'm going to be reviewing today is in a shade completely different to anything I've ever tried before.

Now the sun has finally appeared, I've been trying more spring shades. As much as I love my reds and purples, I'm finally ready to move into the world of pretty summer pinks and pastels, and this could not fit the bill more perfectly.

The shade is called Peaches and Cream, which is a perfect spring/summer name in itself, but the colour is the real star of the show. It's a bright pastel orange with hints of coral in it, and it really does brighten up any outfit ready for spring. It has a lovely sheen to it too and is amazingly moisturising on your lips. I still put a layer of lip balm underneath, but you probably don't need to. 

The staying power is pretty good. I normally find the glossier lipsticks come off pretty quick, but this lasts for around 5 or 6 hours without rubbing off. I do touch it up more often than that just to keep the full effect, but again, you probably don't have to. 

Sleek's products are always very reasonably priced, and this was £4.99. A pretty standard price for a drugstore brand, and the quality is way above that. This is the 6th lipstick I've tried by them, and as much as I love them all, this has to be my favorite. 

I honestly can't find a downside to this product. I often find orangey shades difficult to wear, but this seems a bit more toned down while still being bright, and that somehow makes it very wearable for everyday. I can see this being a firm favourite throughout spring :) 

Thank you for reading! What are your favourite spring lipsticks? 

Love to you all x

Astor Volume Artist Modelling Mousse Mascara

Hello :)

As some of you may know, Astor is a brand that I have come to love recently. After picking up some of their lipsticks and nail polishes pretty cheap from fragrangedirect.com, I fell in love with the quality and value for money. So when I spotted this mascara for only £2.99, I had to give it a go!

Mascara is something I'm a bit fussy about. For me it's the most important item in my makeup bag, so I rarely deviate away from my beloved Clinique, but for that price I couldn't find a reason not to try it. Like with all my mascaras, I went for black, but they did have others in the range.

The applicator brush is rubber, with very short bristles. I thought this might make the product come out lumpy, but it doesn't. The product is very thick, but doesn't clump unless you put too many coats on, and with 2 coats I was pretty happy with the result. It didn't seem to add much length to my eyelashes, but did make them seem a lot thicker. This is a bonus for me, as my eyelashes are already pretty long, but very very thin. However if you were looking for a lengthening mascara then this isn't for you.

I love the sleek silver packaging, and the staying power of the mascara is pretty good. It doesn't flake when you've had it on a while, and the quality seems amazing for the price.

The only downside I have with this is that it took quite a lot of effort to take it off. It smudged everywhere and made a bit of a mess, so make sure you have a good makeup remover at the ready when it comes to bed time!

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and as always comments are loved and appreciated :)

Love to you all x

Sleek Face Contour Kit

Hello everyone :)

Hope you all had a lovely weekend in the sunshine! Up here in Yorkshire it was like summer yesterday so spent the whole day sat in the garden doing absolutely nothing. But now it's Monday and back to reality!

Today, I'm doing a little review post on the Sleek Face Contour Kit, which I have in Light. Sorry in advance for the pictures, I wasn't smart enough to remember to take pictures before I used it... Oops!!

Like I said, I forgot to take pictures before I used it, and I have used it quite a bit so sorry it looks a bit messy. And the marks in the lighter side are from a small dropping accident! Oops again! 

Now, on to the actual product. I love Sleek as a brand, especially their lipsticks, so I was expecting good things from this, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. The bronzer half is a subtle matte shade, and even though I have a medium skin tone, the Light palette was a perfect colour for me. Any darker and I think it would have been too much. It blends well and doesn't smudge your foundation when you apply it. 

The highlighter is very subtle, but that's what I personally prefer so I was more than happy with it. But if you do like a stand out highlighter then this probably isn't for you. It's more like a slightly shimmery face powder. 

The lasting power isn't amazing, and I did have to top up after around 4 or 5 hours, but that's something I don't mind doing, and for only £6.50 I wouldn't expect a super long lasting product. 

As the Light shade palette suits my medium skin tone perfectly, I do think you would struggle to use this if you have a very light skin tone, however it might be possible with a light touch and a lot of blending. 

Overall, I am very happy with this product. The packaging is their usual simple black matte finish, and the little mirror inside is handy for when you're out and about, although for touch ups on the go you will need your own makeup brush with you. I always have a few in my bag but I know not all people do. 

The quality is exactly what you would expect from a trusted brand, and even when I dropped it on the tile floor in the bathroom, hardly any of the powder broke free which I find impressive. 

I honestly think I will repurchase this when I run out, although I expect it to last for a very long time! 

Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all get a chance to make the most of the lovely weather :) 

Love to you all x

Lush Easter Range

Hello everyone!

Sorry I've been away for so long, I needed to take a break from all things blogging and focus on my studying for a while, something I haven't had to do since I was about 18, so it felt weird, but now I'm back :)

Today I wanted to do a little post about the Easter range now in stores at Lush! I love Lush, and am always a huge fan of the Christmas range, but I've never really paid any attention to the Easter range. So, when my spending ban finished on Saturday, I popped in and treated myself to a few bits.

How cute are they?! I fell in love with the little Bunny bubble bar as soon as I saw it, and then had to get the Bunch Of Carrots to go with it. The carrots are also bubble bars. Then, near the checkout, I spotted the bright pink Fluffy Egg bath bomb, and it smells amazing... Just like Snow Fairy!! That immediately had to be added to my basket too, as I can't resist that smell. 

I haven't used the Bunny or the Fluffy Egg yet (the bunny is too amazingly cute) but I have tried one of the carrots, and loved it. I always have high expectations from any Lush product, and they certainly didn't disappoint. 

There are a couple more things in the Easter range that I want to try out as well, so may have to make a sneaky online purchase one night when the other half isn't looking. Oops! :) 

Have any of you tried the Easter range, and if so what are your favorite products? 

Thank you for reading, and I'm so glad to be back!

Love to you all x

Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture Cream* and Exfoliating Cleanser*

Hello everyone :)

Hope you're all ok and not getting too down with all the crazy weather! Today I have a little review post for you of some lovely products I was lucky enough to receive from the people at Murad.

I've posted before (here) about a few Murad products and raved about how much I loved them, so I was excited to try these out. I was sent some information about the brand with these, going in to the science behind the products and how the ingredients work well to not only look after the skin and improve it's appearance, but also look after it. But it wouldn't be like me to go into all the sciencey stuff, so instead, I'm just going to talk about how I found them to use. 

I've been using them for around 2 weeks now, and couldn't be happier. The Exfoliating cleanser is something I've been using around 3 times a week to give my skin a little pick me up. The product is thin like a serum, but contains tiny exfoliating beads to get rid of dead skin in a gentle way. This is perfect for me, as I tend to get dry patches in winter, and struggle to find products gentle enough for my sensitive skin. This works really well. I haven't had a problem with dry skin since I started using it, and it doesn't leave my skin red and sore afterwards. It just feels really clean. 

The only downside for me personally is the consistency. The fact that it is quite runny means its hard to get a small amount of product out without wasting some, and it can be a bit messy. This didn't bother me too much, and is more a matter of personal preference. 

The moisturiser on the other hand, I can't fault. Both products are fragrance free, and feel kind and gentle when used. This makes it perfect for use around the delicate eye area and nose, which is where I mostly suffer from dry skin. This cream completely soothes my skin without feeling greasy, leaves my skin hydrated and soft, and as its quite thick, a little really does go a long way. The 7.5ml pot they sent me has lasted 2 weeks and I still have some left! I really don't want it to run out, so have already placed my order for the full sized version! 

The full sized version cost me around £64, but you can probably get it a bit cheaper if you shop around. This is a lot more than I would normally want to pay, but I really do think it's worth every penny! If the tiny pot lasts more than 2 weeks (I will probably get just over 3 weeks out of it) then I think it is worth the money. 

I am so happy I got to try these products out, and they were just as good as I expected!  

Thank you for reading, and as always all comments appreciated! 

Love to you all x

Illamasqua Cream Foundation Review

Hello everyone!

Hope you're all having a good week. The weather has been crazy, so I've been lucky enough to be at home the last two days, dog sitting for my sister and catching up on studying. Although my water did get cut off due to the flooding (not sure how that works?!) but all is good now :)

Anyway, on to the post. Today, I am doing a review of the Illamasqua Cream Foundation that I purchased a couple of weeks ago in the sale. For only £5, I couldn't resist! Normally, this is £23, which is more than I'd normally spend, although saying that I have tried their liquid foundation in the past and loved it, so I had high hopes for this!

To start with, I was pleased with the amount of product you get. You get 8g, which I have found to be plenty. As you can see from the picture, I wasn't smart enough to take a picture before I used it, but this does at least show how long it lasts. I have used this about 10 times since buying it, and as you can see, there is not much missing. I can see this lasting a long time! 

It is a full coverage foundation, which I like, as I get red marks on my cheeks from burst blood vessels, and it covers these completely without the need for concealer. In terms of the wear, it lasts quite a long time, around 8 hours without needing a touch up, and that is good for me. The product blends well, and has a lovely smooth finish. It manages to make my skin look fully covered without it looking fake... This is a bonus from a full coverage foundation! 

I have mainly been applying this with my Real Techniques sponge, and much prefer the finish I get with this than I do when I use the sponge provided, however the sponge that comes with it is perfect for little touch ups if you're out and about, and is better than I would have expected. 

I like the packaging, which is pretty much the same throughout their whole range, with the sleek lines, shiny black finish and a little mirror included. 

The main thing I was worried about with this foundation was the consistency. I tend to get dry patches around my nose in winter, and I was worried that a thick foundation applied with a sponge would enhance these rather than cover them. However, I've actually found this foundation to be quite moisturising. It doesn't dry my skin out at all, and the product glides on so easily that it doesn't drag over dry patches. 

Over all, I have been very impressed with this product. I can't think of any faults for it. I can't see me needing to replace this any time soon, and I am also still loving using my Rimmel Stay Matte Mouse Liquid foundation, but when I do run out, I would be happy to pay the £23 to replace it. 

Have any of you tried this, and if so what did you think? 

Love to you all x