Tuesday, September 30, 2014

☯ wishlist: American Apparel


I used to be absolutely obsessed with American apparel and never wore anything else, however I had a mad 5 minutes and sold loads of my stuff, cry! Here’s a list, though, of things I’m now absolutely dying for!

Stripe Cotton Spandex Jersey Crop Tee
£23.00
Color:Black Natural Stripe
Size:XS

Riding Pant
£64.00
Color:Taupe
Size:S

Unisex Fisherman's Pullover
£66.00
Color:Nude
Size:S

Unisex Flex Fleece Zip Hoodie
£42.00
Color:Truffle
Size:S

Lightweight Crop Sweater
£50.00
Color:Soft Peach
Size:S

Medium Wash High-Waist Jean Cuff Short
£56.00
Color:Medium Stone Wash Indigo
Size:27




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Monday, September 29, 2014

☼ review: Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette





This has been my most luxurious beauty buy for a while, and I’m so excited to be able to review it. It’s my first Too Faced product, and I think it’ll be the first of many. I adore this palette, and even though I was going in blind and ordering it from America without being able to swatch the shades first, I’m pleased with it and I’ve had such a lot of use out of it since I got it!

I’ll start with the gorgeous packaging; I love tin style makeup palettes because they remind me of those retro pencil tins I had at primary school, only the Too Faced Boudoir Eyes tin is so much more elegant and beautiful. The palette has it’s own built in mirror (praise jesus because I get annoyed that other palettes don’t have mirrors) and didn’t come with any annoying unwanted little brush. The palette is pretty little and so it’s easy to slip into my travel makeup bag and I can take it to and from work without too much hassle, plus it’s so easy to wipe clean any foundation and lipstick marks which I somehow always get all over everything.

Onto the shades; there’s a variety of matte and shimmer shades in the palette, and there’s 9 eyeshadows in total. They’ve got pretty risqué names (don’t worry, they’re not quite as bad as NARS’s) and all have a sexy bedroom theme going on. The design behind the palette is to be able to create a range of smouldering, sexy looks and to help us girls perfect that ‘come hither’ look. I’m not sure if I’ll be using it to seduce men, but the shades are really pretty and I couldn’t resist this palette for a second.

In The Buff, Fuzzy Handcuffs and Voulez Vous are the day shades, and are a nicely versatile bunch. In The Buff is a great brightening and waking up shade for day time, and Voulez Vous is the perfect daytime crease colour, just to subtly smoulder up the eyes. Fuzzy Handcuffs is a shimmering, sheer peachy shade which looks really pretty blended out, however I find it is a little ott for my go-to day time look so I usually incorporate it into my evening looks.

The Classic shades have probably taken the cake for my favourite three shades. Satin Sheets is a gloriously pigmented peachy-pink shimmer and Sugar Walls is slightly more golden in comparison. Garter Belt is a really pretty matte grey; a colour I’d never think to pick, but I’ve ended up adoring it.

The Fashion shades are the most dramatic, but I’ve found I can dust them on lightly to make sure I get a good amount of wear out of them and not look too over the top. Birthday Suit is gorgeous, and makes a great base for an eyeshadow look when I’m going out in the evening. Lapdance is an intensely pigmented mauvey-grey disco-ball like shimmering shade, and French Tickler is jet black and jam packed with really chunky bits of glitter.

I’m loving this palette and I’m reaching for it so much lately. I picked this up on Beauty Bay for £25 which is a steal considering the quality of the shadows and range of colours. Have you tried this palette? 



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Saturday, September 20, 2014

DIY Home Spa Essentials





I’m quite a busy bee lately, and so I always try to find time to pamper myself and really detox from a hectic working week. There’s no better way, I find, than to give myself a little home spa session! I’ve got a list of old faithfuls that I always bring out when I need some extra TLC, so I decided I’d review them here for you lovelies!

Aussie Beach Mate Shampoo and Conditioner
Purely for the smell, this one is so luxurious and decadent. As well as this, it’s a gorgeously moisturising duo and doesn’t come in too pricey. It’s the same formula as the Miracle Moist, so it gives my dry ends a good dousing with nourishing oils and when you lather it up it smells incredible.

Alpha H Microcleanse and Balancing Cleanser
These two babies are really good cleansers and get rid of all the makeup and dirt and dead skin that might have built up, leaving me feeling very fresh and very clean. The Alpha H lot are pretty pricey, so I do tend to save it for 'special occasions', that being when I feel I need a deep cleanse, and it really works for me. The microcleanser is hands down my favourite exfoliator by the way, it's got really really tiny grains so they get in all the nooks and crannies around your nose and it makes me skin feel incredible.

Babescrub No.2 Coffee
If you want a look at the entire range, then I did a massive long post on all three scrubs (link) but this one is definitely the favourite of the lot. It's a dry scrub and feels amazing, smells amazing, and leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft. You can also leave it on your body for 5 minutes before rinsing, which acts like a huge body mask which I do sometimes and it is gorgeous. 

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque
Again, just because I'm beyond in love with this hair masque, I did a full review of it which you can read here (link) but seriously, when I'm feeling a little bit worse for ware, and my hair is looking tatty and dry, this little beauty fixes absolutely all my issues. My only qualm is that the tub really isn't big enough for me! I smooth this on after shampooing and conditioner-ing and leave it for about an hour, and when I rinse it off my hair feels so unbelievably nourished, smooth and silky.

Skinfood Mud Masque
A full review is available here (link). This is a wonderful face mask and I really feel pampered after I use it. I love clay masks because they get right deep into your pores and cool and soothe while they dry. The Skinfood one in particular is great, because it darkens in the areas that it draws lots of oil and dirt out of, so you can really see it working, making you feel extra pretty once it comes off.

Clarisonic Mia 2
There's a long full review here (link) but this has genuinely saved my life and stopped my spots from ruining my confidence. This is a cleansing brush which feels like a really nice facial, and exfoliates deep down to brighten the skin and keep it bacteria and grease free. Over time, this has reduced the size of the spots I get, and I only really suffer with them on my chin now. Top marks!

Original Source Shower Gel in Vanilla and Raspberry

My beautiful friend Emily (blog and youtube) put this baby in her Drugstore Favourites video last week and I loved the look of it. I didn't realise it would smell quite so amazing! I don't even believe it's real! This is perfect for a pamper session because it fills the entire room with such a delicious smell and it lathers up beautifully, and leaves the skin smooth and soft and smelling gorgeous. 




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Friday, September 19, 2014

review: Garnier Micellar Water





I am so so so late on this bandwagon. The Garnier Micellar Water is a current cult beauty favourite and for some reason it’s taken me such a long time to get my hands on it! I ran out of my previous Micellar Water by B. so I knew I needed to get a new one, and then while I was watching my lovely friend Emily’s Drugstore Favourites video (link) I saw the Garnier one and decided I really really wanted it.

Aside from the goooorgeous packaging (I can’t get enough of the hot pink and clean, crisp transparent bottle) and the generous size, this micellar water goes above and beyond what I’m used to from a makeup remover. I still can’t believe how fresh and clean my skin looks after I’ve used this to remove my makeup, and in all honesty, if I gave it a really good going over with this product, I wouldn’t have to wash my face at all. This water isn’t drying or tightening or sticky, but leaves my skin feeling gentle and soothed. When it comes to eye makeup, this baby gets rid of it so easily and quickly. I generally do need to do a little bit of rubbing in order to get the mascara off my lashes, but it doesn’t smudge around anywhere and it’s taken off immediately and looks really clean and fresh. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention that this doesn’t sting your eyes at all! How?!

This is suuuuch an easy cleansing product to use and is ideal for festivals or sleepovers when you can’t fit in your evening skincare routine in full. I adore Garnier’s micellar water and I can see why so many of us in the blogging community have fallen head over heels in love with it. I’ve only used a little bit but this will definitely be one for repurchase, and at only £3.99 for a huge bottle, you can’t go wrong. 




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Monday, September 15, 2014

review: Rimmel Match Perfection Liquid Foundation






Foundations can be extraordinarily hit and miss sometimes, and there are so many occasions I can remember I’ve dashed into Superdrug in a rushed frenzy and grabbed the nearest one, got it home and absolutely hated it. I was seriously pushed for time last week when I realised I needed to pick up a new drugstore foundation (to stop me from blitzing through my beloved MAC and NARS ones), BUT my bus was coming in 5 minutes. Cue the mad dash. I ran into Superdrug and saw that Rimmel were having a sale on their cosmetics, so I grabbed two of the Match Perfection foundations in Vanilla (very lucky guess) and caught my bus up home. I decided I’d better try it out asap, and these pictures are from my first application.

As you can see, it’s quite a thick liquid when applied to the back of the hand. It doesn’t tend to run anywhere and feels quite weighty. I used my trusty Ecotools buffing brush to blend just one layer into my skin, and checked out the results. Now, this really isn't a bad foundation at all! It's not quite as favourable as my dear L'Oreal True Match, but it's close. I like the coolness of this shade of Vanilla, and I can see myself picking this up during the winter months when I'm pale and freezing cold. It gives quite a light, but even coverage, and I loved the way the thickness of the liquid eventually spread out into a natural looking, fresh coating of foundation on my skin. 

I've worn this a couple of times now, and I've needed more than one layer, just to really cover up that redness of my spotty chin. I'm happy with the way it stays, and I really really adore the cool shade of vanilla. As drugstore foundations go, this ones a firm winner with me, and I've got two bottles to work through. I still prefer L'Oreal True Match as my ultimate drugstore foundation, but for the winter months, I'm definitely going to love Rimmel's great offering.




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Thursday, September 11, 2014

update: pastel pink hair!


Hair updates are always fabulous, especially when they cover pastel pink hair! I gave the pink a rest for a bit, but I ended up really missing it. Once I’d had my roots touched up I slapped a load of pink back on top. I love it! It makes me feel like such a mermaid, especially when I style it with loose beachy curls and salt spray.

I did a review of the Bleach London Rose hair dye, but I’ve since switched it up and now I use the Crazy Colour dye in Candyfloss and Lavender. I’ve swapped because 1, Crazy Colour is cheaper and there’s WAY more info on it online, so you can do your research well before you commit to buying and dying your hair. 2, the colours are prettier (in my opinion!) and there’s a huge range that I do plan on trying out.

I use Candyfloss all over my hair, and then use Lavender just on the ends. This is because my ends are sort of brassy and orangey and the pink just doesn’t cover up the colour of my ends. Purple shampoos tone down this brassiness, so I figured a pastel purple dye (diluted with conditioner) would work, and you can’t see the difference between the shades and it blends well.






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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

review: Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick shade 01 with swatches





Most of us girls are just suckers for red lipsticks. I hold my hands up now and admit that I really truly am! I've got an ever growing collection of reds that I simply never touch (admittedly, this is probably due to my pink hair at the moment, and not wanting to clash those colours!) but I can't stop adding to my collection and searching for that perfect red. 

Kate Moss 01 is Kate's signature red lip, and it's a gorgeous vampy matte shade which I feel brings out my lips' natural fullness really well. I also love how it contrasts with my pale skin and blonde hair in these swatch pictures; I really feel like snow white! It applies smoothly and evenly, even though it's a matte it is still creamy and doesn't dry out your lips at all. I found that it got stuck on my teeth a fair bit though! And I had to reapply it a couple of times throughout the day when I wore it out to Plymouth. Other than that though, I've been impressed by this sexy red. 

At about £5.50, it's fairly mid-range for a drugstore lipstick, but it has gathered quite a following since it's release because it's such a universally flattering shade. I was first drawn into it when I saw Katie Snooks' swatches of the Kate Moss range; they are all gorgeous! But this one just seems like the staple red lippy that every girl should own. 




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haul: Superdrug




Well, this looks like just about the most mundane haul the world has ever seen! I'm gutted to look at these pictures and see I didn't really get anything too exciting. I guess we can call this an 'Essentials' haul! I ran out of basically EVERYTHING recently and had a mad dash round Superdrug in town to restock my bathroom cupboards with all things necessary. I've had a chance to give these all a good go, so if you're nosy and are interested in my essential bits and bobs, then keep scrolling!

Makeup:

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in Vanilla £9.99 (2 for 1)
I've really been impressed by these babies! They're a great alternative to my ultimate favourite L'Oreal True Match, and the shade vanilla is just beautifully cool and flattering. It's quite a light coverage, but is buildable and stays pretty well. Overall I'm impressed, and I got these on offer, result!

Gosh Natural Blush in Rose Whisper £6.99
An absolutely beautiful 'barely there' peachy shade which works for me most days. It's one of those really understated blushes that you can stick on just to add a bit of colour and warmth to your face, but doesn't make you look ridiculously caked with slap. GOSH always impresses me with their stuff, and while it seems a bit pricey for Superdrug's own brand, the quality and staying power of this blush is brilliant.

Collection 2000 24hr Extreme Felt Tip Liner £2.99
I'm constantly constantly buying these things, I'm on about my 5th or 6th. This one is probably the best I've tried, which is wonderful because the price tag is miniature! The tip is skinny and easy to control, and comes out beautifully opaque. It smudges quite a bit if you mess up whilst applying, but once you've mastered the shaky-hands, it's not too much of an issue. These run out a bit soon, but for how cheap they are, it's not a huge issue to keep repurchasing.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19
I've heard so many amazing reviews of this concealer among the blogging community that I stuck this straight in my basket without a second thought. I don't know if I picked up a dodgy one, but while I like the product inside the tube, the tube itself has utterly exploded in my makeup drawers spilling thick concealer everywhere! The concealer itself does the job it claims to do, and I'm happy with it, however I'm annoyed about the tube breaking. Though, for £4.19, what can a girl expect?

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 01 £5.49
This is a beautiful shade and I've got a full length review coming up soon. It's a great formula for a drugstore lippy, and the shade is a Kate Moss's signature gorgeous dark vampy red. I love the way it looks alongside my pale skin and blonde hair (though I'm struggling to rock it recently given that my hair is pastel pink and god forbid I clash those colours!) I've loved this shade for a while and I'm so glad I picked it up!


Skincare/Body:

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes £3.25
Most of these are going to be pretty self explanatory, but I ran out of my makeup wipes and these are probably the best wipes around. They're soft and gentle and not smelly and get off a decent amount of makeup.

Simple Pure Soap £1.35
Everybody needs soap!

Dove Deodorants in Cucumber and Pomegranate £3.69
I'm a sweaty person; I'm a nervous sweater and an excited sweater and most of all, a walking up the many hills in Teignmouth sweater. These guys smell absolutely divine and I'm pleased to report that they work very well indeed!

Impulse Body Spray in Sweet Smile and True Love £0.99
Sweet smile is pretty much my signature Impulse scent, and I looooove it. It smells like Pear and Jasmine, and it's a really fresh and girly one. Unfortunately, they only had one left so I grabbed True love too, and it's quite nice too.

Dove Go Fresh Nourishing Body Wash £2.39
Heaven in a body wash! I'm so pleased with this little baby, I'll definitely be repurchasing this one! It's like a thick and creamy yoghurt but lathers up an absolute treat on my loofah and smells divine. It leaves my skin beautifully soft, and it's almost like an in-shower moisturiser. It's great for after I've shaved my legs too, because it calms down any razor rash and dryness by moisturising the skin deep down. A massive love of mine.






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