Monday 30 July 2012

Clarins Water Purify One Step Cleanser


I bought the Clarins Water Purify One Step Cleanser a couple of months ago. I really love it because it doesn't require water which is great for those evenings when I am just too tired to wash my face. I just need to soak a couple of cotton pads with this and wipe them over my face to remove my make up. I have used cleansers before that don't require water and they leave my skin feeling horrible and like I need to wash it, however this one leaves my skin feeling amazing - I love using it because my skin feels fresh and really clean. On a daily basis I love using this before I cleanse my face. I just remove all of my make up with this and then cleanse my face with water as usual.


I finished my first bottle of this last week and went straight out to buy another one. I also have a travel size bottle of this which is the one in the photo (you can see the full size one in the background). This removes my make up amazingly well and it is something I think I will carry on repurchasing. It also removes eye make up quite well however I tend to wear waterproof mascara which it doesn't remove. The cleanser I have is the one with mint essential water for combination / oily skin. They also do one with peach essential water for normal / dry skin. I would definitely recommend giving this a look and seeing if you can have a sample to try.


This is available here for £19 for 200ml.


Have you tried this before? Are there any cleansers you would recommend?





Saturday 28 July 2012

YSL Touche Eclat Highlighter Pen


I have heard many, many, many amazing things about this product, however for some reason I never really thought about getting it! I think because I don't have very bad under eye circles I wasn't sure if I really needed this or if it would benefit me too much. This product has so much hype surrounding it and it is one of the best selling make up products so I finally decided to take the plunge and get it and I am honestly so happy I did.


I have been using this everyday for a week now and I think it does deserve all the hype it gets! It is just amazing! I took me about 50 clicks to even get any product out in the first place. I actually thought for a moment it didn't work but then I read the instructions (that sounds bizarre - instructions for a highlighter!) which said it needed around 30 clicks or so when first used. Once I did get some product out I applied it under my eyes and around my nose. I don't get particularly bad under eye circles by any means, however the slight discolouration I do get was covered up easily by this product. This is a highlighter so I wouldn't use it for blemishes or anything that needs a lot of coverage but for under eye circles and slight redness around the nose, this does provide enough coverage. 


It's a very lightweight consistency that effortlessly blends and it is so smooth. I use my fingers to blend this into my skin and it just melts in lovely. It instantly makes my eyes look more awake. I am so happy I purchased it finally because it just brightens up my face and makes me look more radiant and awake.


I cannot say enough good things about this product and I just adore it! It comes in many shades and I have the shade 01 which is the original highlighter shade. 


Have you tried the YSL Touche Eclat? Do you use any highlighter pens?

Thursday 26 July 2012

Look Beauty Loud Lips Lipstick


I popped into Superdrug the other day to have a look at the make up - I don't go into Superdrug that often any more for make up, I tend to go to Debenhams or Boots. I thought I would go in to have a little wander round and I noticed Look Beauty make up. I have heard a couple of things about their lipsticks, so I decided to pick up the shade 02, Tangerine Cream. 


The packaging reminds me of Burberry lipsticks, although obviously not quite as luxurious considering the price difference! The lipstick has a magnetic closure which I really like - oh the little things that can excite me! 


The lipstick itself is a lovely creamy texture. I swatched this on my hand in the shop and I honestly couldn't believe how creamy it was considering the price. It's very very creamy and almost feels slightly moisturising on the lips. My lips were slightly dry and I didn't use a lip balm before this because as soon as I got home I just wanted to try it on. It did cling slightly and sink into any dry bits (lovely) on my lips so I took it off, applied a lip balm and applied this lipstick again and it was so much better! It glided on so smoothly and left a gorgeous finish.


In the bullet this looks more orange than pink and I was slightly disappointed because once on the lips it is definitely more pink than orange. It is however still a gorgeous peachy pink colour with a small hint of orange. (How many times can I say pink and orange! Pink, orange, pink, orange.)


I would say the finish this leaves on the lips is in between being matte and having a very slight glossy sheen to it. I really like this lipstick and it doesn't dry out my lips at all, however if my lips are already dry when I apply it then it does accentuate that. Just apply a lip balm first and everything will be fine and dandy!


I would love to go and purchase more of these lipsticks in other colours because this one is so lovely, however there are only 5 colours altogether and none of the others appealed to me. I really like this lipstick and it's available from Superdrug for £7.

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Seche Vite


This top coat is amazing. Absolutely blooming amazing! As you may have read here, I was having my Shellac removed so I thought as I would be painting my nails for the first time in a couple of months I would treat myself to a new top coat! I don't tend to use a base coat when I paint my nails so I applied my nail polish which was Essie Fiji and then I applied this over the top when my nail polish was starting to dry and was sort of tacky. This applied really nicely over the top and didn't smudge the nail polish at all. It dried almost instantly! I couldn't believe how quickly it actually did dry. I applied it over my nails on one hand and by the time I had applied it to the little finger nail, my thumb nail was dry! It leaves my nails so shiny, like a mirror! Okay, well I can't really see myself in them, but they are shiny!


Seche describe this as a top coat that penetrates through the nail polish to the base coat (does this mean I should have applied a base coat?!) to form a solid coating on the nail. My nail polish lasted for 9 whole days looking perfect and without a single chip! I really love this top coat and the bottle seems massive! It's 14ml which I think is about average for a nail polish but it seems really big. I have used this twice now and the bottle still looks full (as you can see in the photo) so I can imagine this will last a long time.


I would 100% recommend this top coat. I got mine from Boots but I can't find this on their website. You can get it from Asos for £10.50.


What is your favourite top coat? Do you use a base coat? I never have so I don't know if it makes a difference?!

Sunday 22 July 2012

OOTD #3 - Summer Outfit and Thank You!


The sun has finally come out to say hello! 



I bought this dress in the Topshop sale a couple of weeks ago and I love it! It is a really, really bright coral colour which is perfect for the summer. I don't know how to describe the pattern on this dress - it's not even a pattern really, just horizontal stripe detailing. There is a silky coral underskirt so the bottom of the dress is not see through which is great! I have worn a black vest underneath which you can see in the photos. I wore this because the top part of the dress is slightly see through, however because of the open back I do think it would look better without a vest! What a dilemma!

The top part of the dress isn't tight but it's quite fitting. Around the waist it nips in a bit and then the dress flows out into the skirt bottom. I love this dress and definitely think I will be getting a lot of wear out of it over the next couple of summer months (maybe not months, probably weeks! This is England!) 

I can't find this online however I did see it a couple of days ago in Topshop so they still have some in stock! 

I also wanted to say a huge thank you to all of my lovely followers, readers and those of you that comment on my posts! It honestly makes me so happy when I see I have a new follower or a new comment on one of my posts and I absolutely love replying to you all, so thank you!

I hope you have all had a lovely weekend and I have quite a few posts lined up for next week so keep your peepers peeled!

Friday 20 July 2012

Clarins Bronzing Duo


I went to the Clarins counter the other day to look at their bronzing duo after hearing Anna say how lovely it was. I swatched it on my hand and knew straight away I wanted it! I couldn't believe how velvety and soft it felt in the compact and the colour is so lovely. I got shade 01 light because I am so fair. It comes in 3 colours, 01 light, 02 medium and 03 dark. 


The colour on the left is the lightest shade and is a matte colour only slightly darker then my skin. The colour on the right is a slightly shimmery, darker shade which adds a lovely warm glow to the face. There is only a small amount of shimmer in this which means it makes the skin look radiant and glowing. Having the two shades is lovely because I can use the matte shade to contour and the more shimmery shade to add a bronzed glow to my cheeks. I can also just mix both shades together which leaves a gorgeous sun kissed colour on the skin - this is what I tend to do and I love it.


I love the packaging of this product. It comes in a little velvet pouch and the compact is very sturdy and has a lovely big mirror. It doesn't come with a little brush - I like this because usually little brushes aren't very good anyway so this means there is room for more bronzer! I love using my Mac 187 brush with this as it doesn't pick up too much product and I can just dust it across my cheeks. When the sun comes out a bit more I think this will look lovely dusted all over the face to achieve more of a bronzed look. (Hopefully the sun will come out soon!) I love this bronzer - I don't tan easily in the summer so I always like using a bronzer and I think this will be my go to bronzer this summer!


This bronzer is available from Debenhams and other department stores for £26.


What is your favourite bronzer? Which products do you rely on in the summer?

7 Deadly Sins of Beauty Tag!



Greed: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?


My most inexpensive beauty item that I actually use on a daily basis is Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer. I love this concealer - I have a couple of these that I keep in my bag, on my dressing table and in my make up bag. It costs £4.19! 


My most expensive beauty item is my Urban Decay Naked Palette. If I want to wear eye shadow, this is the palette I will reach for. I love wearing neutral matte or shimmery shades so this palette is amazing for me. It costs £36.


Wrath: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get? 


I have a love hate relationship with my Mac Studio Finish Concealer. Sometimes I love using it because it has amazing coverage. It covers up any blemishes, redness and under the eye without a problem. Other times however, I find the coverage is too much and it can look a bit thick. At the moment however, I am absolutely loving it!


My hardest product to get was actually again, my Naked Palette! I had wanted this for a while but never got it. When I decided I wanted to buy it, they were out of stock everywhere! I honestly looked everywhere in store and online and they were all sold out. Then one day in Debenhams there was a table with a few of them on so I grabbed one! I'm so glad I found one because I love it.


Gluttony: What are your most delicious beauty products? 


This is definitely, without a doubt my Burt's Bees Super Shiny Lip Shine in Pucker Berry. This smells absolutely amazing. I ordered this online and when it arrived I honestly could not stop smelling it. It smells so fresh, fruity and just yummy!



Sloth: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?


I definitely neglect highlighter. I like wearing it because I powder my face so it's nice to add some healthy glow with a highlighter to stop my skin looking so matte. I usually just forget or don't bother with it though. My favourite highlihter is Mac Cream Colour Base in Hush.


Pride: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?


Foundation definitely gives me the most confidence. My skin isn't in bad condition and I don't get many blemishes. Foundation just evens out my skin tone and overall makes me feel better. I like light coverage foundations that leave my skin looking natural and radiant. My favourite foundation is Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua.


Lust: What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?


This is such a random question! I go more on personality, however I do like a guy with nice eyes and nice hair. 

Envy: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?


I would love to receive make up gifts from brands such as Chantecaille, By Terry, Chanel and YSL as I love their products! Jo Malone perfumes would also be amazing gifts to receive! They all smell amazing and come in lovely packaging. 


I hope you enjoyed this tag - I haven't done one before. I tag everyone to do this so feel free to say I tagged you! If you do this please let me know in the comments so I can read yours as I love reading tags and seeing what products others include!


Have you tried any of the products I have spoken about in this tag?


P.S. I am almost about to write my 50th blog post! Any requests for that post?

Monday 16 July 2012

Essie Tart Deco



I bought my first Essie nail polish almost 2 months ago now and I absolutely fell in love with it. It was Essie Fiji and you can read all about it here. Last week I went into Boots to buy my second Essie polish. There are so many and they all look pretty so it took me a while to decide which one to buy, but I chose Tart Deco.


This is a gorgeous bright coral which is more orange/peach than it is pink or red, however there definitely is a bit of pink to it. I love the brush and formula of this polish because the brush is wide so I only need a few strokes to cover the nail and it leaves no streaks. The colour really brightens up my hands and I think it will look great with a tan! In the photo I have used two coats of this which is the perfect amount.


Have you tried Essie nail polishes? Which ones would you recommend?

Thursday 12 July 2012

Bourjois 1 Second Magic Nail Polish Remover



If you don't know what Bourjois 1 Second Nail Polish Remover is, you basically put your nail in the little hole in the sponge which is soaked with nail polish remover, wiggle your finger about and when you take it out your polish has disappeared! Magic.


I have heard numerous amazing reviews about this product and read lots of blog posts with people singing it's praises! I have been getting Shellac on my nails for the past 3 - 4 months so I didn't need this at all, however last week I decided I missed painting my nails so on my way to the salon to have my Shellac removed, I went into Boots and bought this (along with a couple of nail polishes! Oops). 


I decided to paint my nails with Essie Tart Deco, which is a lovely colour that I will be writing a blog post on soon! Once I had painted one hand, I decided that in stead I would paint them with Essie Fiji! To remove Tart Deco I literally put my nail in the sponge for no more then 4 seconds, wiggled it about a bit if I remembered and taa daa! All the nail polish had come off and in total it took under one minute to completely remove all of my nail polish.


This product is honestly amazing and I would highly recommend getting it if you paint your nails. I am so happy I bought it because I regularly like to change the colour of my nails and this makes it so easy!


Bourjois 1 Second Magic Nail Polish Remover is available here for £4.99!


I haven't tried this with glitter nail polish yet so please let me know if you have and how well it works! Have you tried the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover? 


P.S. I am almost about to write my 50th blog post! Any requests for that post?

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Asos Blogger Challenge!



This rose gold spike bracelet is gorgeous and has been on my wishlist for quite a while now, along with the sequin vest top. I love the top because it has embellished gold sequins on the front and then the back is a pretty cream chiffon material. The skirt is cream lace which is lovely, especially for the summer. The shoes are pointed white heels which are basic but so pretty. Finally the clutch bag is white with gold edging which went perfectly with the white/cream and gold colour theme! I thought these colours were lovely and summery (even though it's raining in England!) and easily work well together.

This Asos challenge is so fun and to find out more details if you would like to enter yourself click here

This outfit comes to a total of £94. Have you got any of these items? Do you like shopping on Asos?

Monday 9 July 2012

OOTD #2 : Topshop and Newlook!


I have been wearing this outfit a lot lately to work and college as it is smart/casual and so comfy! I love this top from Topshop and I started wanting to wear it so often, I had to go and buy another one. The top in the photo above is the grey one and the second one I bought was the mint green one. These tops are loose fitting and the back is longer than the front so it covers my bum which I like if I'm wearing leggings. I also wear this top tucked into a skirt which I will post an outfit of soon. 

I have paired this top with my Topshop leigh jeans which I absolutely love. I own two pairs of these because I wear them so often. I have a blog post dedicated to these jeans here!

On top of this I wore my Newlook blazer. This is a really casual blazer that has 3/4 length sleeves and is a really nice fit. I wanted this for a long time from Newlook, however they were sold out of my size for ages! Finally they got some more in and I grabbed it! It helps make any outfit look smarter but not too smart because it's a casual blazer. 

I enjoy outfit of the days so I think I will definitely post more! Do you like seeing them?

Sunday 8 July 2012

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler


My old eyelash curler was one that I picked up from Boots or Superdrug for about £5. It created a funny curl that held in my lashes for about one hour (if that)! The Shu Uemura eyelash curler costs £20 and it took me a while to decide if I was going to get it, just because I wasn't sure if it would be worth the money. I finally decided to splash out and buy them and I am so glad I did. My eyelashes have a slight curl to them anyway, which the Shu Uemura curler accentuates and the result is a lovely, natural curl which holds all day!


Shu Uemura describe this curler as a mushroom shape that suits all eye shapes and delivers a perfect curl. They are a smooth curve which is the ideal shape for my eye and the curl they create is perfect and natural. My eyelashes look a lot longer when they have been curled with these and I find my mascara looks better on as well because there is a perfect curl for me to apply it over.


I really love these and I am so happy I finally took the plunge and bought them! 


These eyelash curlers are available here for £20.


Have you tried these eyelash curlers? What are your favourite curlers?

Friday 6 July 2012

YSL Top Secrets Pore Refining Skincare Brush

I love skincare - I love reading reviews on products, trying products out myself and I love it when I find products that are just amazing. I'm only young so I don't need any anti ageing products, I basically want nice skincare that will just generally keep my skin in tip top condition! I get a slightly oily nose and chin and the rest of my skin is normal - so basically, I have combination skin! 


I seem to change up my skincare a lot. I have never found products that I absolutely love and feel are great for my skin. This means when I run out of something, I don't replace it. Instead I go on a search for something new. I ran out of moisturiser a couple of months ago, so I decided to go to my local YSL counter and talk to the lady about the products because I have heard great things about them. I was recommended the Top Secrets range as the best for my skin and my age. The product she recommended for me and I bought was the Pore Refining Skincare Brush.




My first thoughts about the brush was that it was unhygienic, however she told me it was actually more hygienic then using fingers which does make sense. The brush can be washed and they recommend washing it once a week with baby shampoo to keep it soft and clean. If you would prefer to use fingers then you can simply squeeze the product out onto the brush and then wipe it onto your fingers instead of directly on your face. There is a dial to turn on (which means product can come out) and off (so product cannot come out). Simply squeeze the tube to dispense as much of this as you would like on the brush.

The actual cream is fairly thin, almost like a lotion. It sinks into the skin so quickly, I can literally start applying my makeup straight after. This cream leaves my skin with a smooth, almost matte finish whilst also feeling like it has been hydrated and moisturised. I was slightly worried that because it was pore refining and for combination skin it might dry my skin out or make it feel tight, however it really doesn't! My skin just feels soft and lovely. I apply this all over my face as my morning moisturiser, however you can just apply it to targeted areas where you need it.


I have been using this for just under a week now and my skin feels amazing. I feel my skin tone looks more even and my skin looks and feels so soft. I think the main difference in my skin is how smooth it is. I honestly don't think my skin has ever felt so smooth as it does since using this. As for my pores, they haven't dramatically reduced but I do think they are slightly less noticeable.


This product is available here for £38.


YSL also do a Flash Radiance Skincare Brush and a Daily Protective Makeup Base Skincare Brush for different skin types.


I hope you enjoyed reading this post! Have you tried any YSL skincare products? What are your favourite skincare products?

Wednesday 4 July 2012

June Favourites!

I haven't ever done a monthly favourites post before but I realised that over the last month or so I have been using the same products pretty much everyday, so I thought I would tell you about them!


L-R, Tresemme Colour Fade Protection shampoo and conditioner, Moroccan Oil
If you follow me on twitter you may have read that I recently had my hair coloured. My hairdresser recommended I get a shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair to help protect my colour and stop it fading. I chose to get Tresemme Colour Fade Protection. I have used these about four times now and I love them! My colour hasn't faded at all, however I find it hard to tell if that's due to the shampoo and conditioner or not because I don't know how my hair would look if I wasn't using them! I honestly don't think I have used a shampoo and conditioner before that leave my hair so unbelievably soft! I have noticed over the past couple of weeks of using these my hair just seems to be in better condition and is getting softer, looking healthier and is more manageable.

I have had Moroccan oil for a little while now and I have always loved using it, however over the past month I have felt like I need to use it! The weather has been hot one minute and raining the next and this oil just seems to control my hair and stop it going frizzy and fluffy. 
I apply one pump of this to damp hair just before I blow dry and then about half a pump into my hair after I have dried and styled it. I have pretty thick hair and when it rains my hair goes very frizzy and poofy. If I have used this in the morning though, my hair will stay smooth and frizz free! I absolutely love this and I am considering getting a mini 25ml to carry around in my bag.
I have a hair care routine which you can read here.


L-R, No7 Powder Blush Brush, YSL Touche Eclat Foundation, Urban Decay Naked Palette, Mac MSF Natural
I have had this No7 blush brush for a few months now and at first I used it to powder my face. A few weeks ago however, my Mac blush brush broke so I decided to use this instead and I actually really really like it. It is the perfect size and shape for applying blush to the apples of the cheeks and I find it picks up the ideal amount of product on it. It is very soft and not too dense which means the blush doesn't apply too heavy and I end up with clown cheeks!


I picked up a sample of the new YSL Touche Eclat foundation the other week and I really like it. It has even been taking the place of my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqau on a couple of mornings and that is my all time favourite! I am planning to do a whole review on this foundation by the end of this week so I wont ramble on about it now but I love it and it is a definite favourite of mine this month. 


Over the past month I haven't really been wearing much eye shadow, as in a full smokey eye, however I like to have something on my eyelids just to add some definition so I have been enjoying using 'Naked' from the Naked palette.  This is just a matte, light brown and I either sweep it all over my eyelid or focus it into the crease for some definition. It's quick and easy for everyday which I love.


I tend to go through stages of loving Mac msf natural and wearing it everyday and then not wearing it for ages. The past month I have been loving it and wearing it every single day without fail. I get a slightly oily nose so I always powder that, however when using Mac msf I tend to powder all over my skin because I just love the finish it gives. It doesn't look cakey and powdery at all, it just leaves my skin natural and healthy. This powder is really light on the skin but also provides enough coverage if my skin is having a good day and I only need light coverage.


That is all of my favourites for June! I hope you enjoyed this post - I enjoyed writing it and choosing what to put in it so I definitely think I will be doing one next month!


What are your June favourites? Have you tried any of these products?

Tuesday 3 July 2012

YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Shocking Mascara


This is a sample of the mascara - the full size tube is gold not black!


I have had the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils mascara for a while now after hearing amazing reviews about it and I really do love it. It creates so much volume in my lashes it's unbelievable, however it doesn't really add much length.The Volume Effect Faux Cils Shocking mascara is a more dramatic version of the original Effect Faux Cils which sounded great! 


I went to my local YSL counter and asked the lady about the shocking mascara and she kindly gave me a sample to try. The wand is a twisted helix shape and YSL say the formula thickens lashes. I was very excited to try it, so here are the results!



Applying this mascara was really quick and easy. The brush had loads of mascara on it and packed it onto the lashes in only a couple of sweeps without leaving them clumpy. The mascara built up lots of volume and length really quickly and separated my lashes nicely. I also feel my lashes do look thicker.


I love how my lashes look now - full of volume and length. This is definitely more dramatic than the original Effect Faux Cils mascara and I much prefer this one because I don't achieve as much length as I would like with the other mascara. 


It's now the end of the day and my eyelashes still have all the volume and length they had at the beginning of the day in the photo. This mascara hasn't dried out or smudged at all. It makes my eyelashes look similar to when I use my favourite mascara which is L'Oreal telescopic mascara, however the YSL shocking mascara makes them look thicker and definitely longer which I love! 


What is your favourite mascara? Have you tried this YSL one?

Monday 2 July 2012

OOTD #1 : River Island and Topshop!

This is my first outfit of the day! You may have seen my haul post the other day and I actually bought this top around the same time as those items, however because of it's shape (square!) I found it hard to photograph, so I thought I would show it to you on me!


By the way, I don't usually stand like this but I just wanted to show you the shape!

The top is from River Island and it's so comfortable because it's very soft and loose fitting but because of the shape it still manages to look flattering, (unless of course I'm stood with my arms out). The colours are a light grey and a bluey grey with white flecks going through it. I just love how casual it looks and it's easy to throw on with some jeans, shorts, leggings or a skirt as it goes with everything.

I have paired this top with my Topshop Leigh skinny jeans which I love so much. I won't ramble on about them too much now as I have a whole post dedicated just to them which you can read here. Basically they are soft, stretchy, comfortable and amazing. I thought the top and jeans went well together as the top is loose fitting and the skinny jeans are tight. 

I forgot about shoes! I either wear my basic black dolly shoes from Newlook which are great. They are very comfortable and cheap (in price, not quality!) Or I wear my ankle boots, also from Newlook. I can't find a photo of these online but they are basic brown ankle boots with a little chain around the back.

Would you like to see more outfit of the days? Hope you enjoyed this one!