New Hair Envy

I've been a red head for about 3 months now and feel like a change!!

I'm thinking something like this...







Honey blonde/light brown! I'm not after highlights as such as I will want to go darker as the year goes on.

My next hair appointment is the end of the month right before I fly to Vegas!!

What do you think?

xoxo

K by Beverley Knight

One of my fav singers of all time (if you get to see her live...go!) is launching her own make up line!

After a struggle to find the correct shade for her skin tone, her new line will include 78 different shades!

The collection will be available in Selfridges from 17th September and then in other retailers (tba) and online after that.





xoxo

The Body Shop & ECPAT Soft Hands, Kind Heart

The Body Shop to me has always been a brand that campaign to get voices heard and do everything they can to raise awareness. Even if the subjects seem taboo and not something 'society' talk about. Even though we may close our eye to it, child trafficking is happening and its right on our doorstep.

As you may have seen from other blogs, they have recently joined forces and released a hand cream that supports ECPAT UK. There are all sorts of reasons that children are trafficked and it breaks my heart to know that out there right now maybe a child who is just waiting for someone to come and help them. ECPAT in conjunction with The Body Shop are trying to change laws to stop this happening and give every child a life away from this, which lets face it, is just basic human rights.

The hand cream itself is fresh, creamy, non greasy and sinks in to leave your hand smooth and clean feeling.

The Body Shop has sold over 25,000 of these since its release about 2 weeks ago. Globally there is one being sold every 4 seconds!

For £5 you can have this hand cream in your life! Around £3.50 goes directly to the charity which is a huge chunk. I have already commandeered some friends and family to go out and buy one too (Sir Alan Sugar would be proud of me!).

If you haven't managed to get one of these yet, please do next time you are out shopping and help a great cause.

You can also see Chase Aston using some of the Body Shop Make up here. The eye shimmers are actually amazing and no other brand has a product like it!

All my followers can also benefit from 10% The Body Shop online. All you need to do is purchase an item from the new Autumn Trends Collection (more to come on that soon) and you will get 10% of your entire shop. The code also lasts until 28th September so no need to worry that it will run out before pay day!

Enter - FACEOFF10
At the checkout.

p.s there is also a special offer on make up...double whammy!!



xoxo

Share the LOVE

I've been tagged quite a few times recently but I was really traying to think of 10 facts about me that you didn't already know and 5 fav things etc so I thought I would share the love instead!!

I always love finding a new blogger or youtuber and its nice to give people the appreciation they deserve!!

My fav blogs- (If I refer to she/he its because I am not sure if they like to be referred to their real name!)

Let there be shopping - We found out we live down the road from each other! Strange right! I love her and she always makes me want to spend when I see her hauls!

Liparazzi - Such a cutie! She is getting married next year and soooo deserves to be happy! She has amazing taste in fashion too!

The Nail Buff - EVERYTHING you need to know about the latest colours, trends and nail care!

Cupcakes & Cherries - Cute blog! Great FOTD too!

Vex in the City - We share a love and its mutual! Great blog even if I had the wrong URL for a bit! ooops!!

Beauty Scribings of J - Love this girl. Fashion is an understatement and I am always left lusting over her buys! Just as lovely in real life!

Tillyness86 - I get excited when I see a new post pop up! I think i will finally get to meet her at Illamasqua!

You Tube-

Magpie Sparkles - Love her style, love her honesty, love her!

Lucy85Marie - I discovered this girl way too late! Then all of a sudden her account was deleted :( but she's back!!

Kelanjo19 - She's been on an amazing weightloss journey and is so strong! You can expect honest and she keeps it real!

Gossmakeupartist - Its so refreshing to get a guy making videos and I love him. Want inside info? Watch him!

Subscribe and follow...now!



xoxo

Why Shop...

When you can swap!!

I have been reorganising my make up recently and once again I have found some items that I am not getting round to wearing or just aren't me. There are even some that i think to myself 'what was I thinking!'

Instead of leaving them to gather dust. Put them on Swapsies UK and exchange them for something shiny, sparkly and new! Those of you that don't know about Swapsies, its a place where you list all your unwanted items, it doesn't just have to be make up, it can be books, clothes bags, shoes...anything! And the best bit... its free to use! No listing fees like ebay! Even if you dont have aything to swap at the moment, there are forums where you can chat to other swapsies.

One girls trash is another girls treasure!

If you need any help with the site you can contact myself, Laura, Jen or Kelly.

Enjoy

xoxo

Back to school...

Growing up I wanted to be a dancer and I was till I was 20. Sadly I gave it all up thinking it was the right decision which now I know it wasn't. I have always felt like there is a little piece of my life missing somewhere. When I see my friends staring in the west end and in films and travelling the world, it really guts me to think that I am missing out on that. I always knew from a young age that no matter what I ended up doing with my life, I wanted to be the best I could. I guess that's my competitive streak shining through!

Over the past 3 years I have worked within a mega fast paced environment and to be honest my strengths shine through when I'm under pressure. Even though I enjoy my job and I have worked hard to get where I am, it doesn't feel like its the career I was meant to pursue. I know there is something I am passionate about out there.

Second on my list of 'what I want to be when I grow up' was something backstage within the arts and fashion. Hair and beauty. I have always said that if i ever won the lottery I would have a chain of salons over London! One day I aim to have a salon of my own! I have been looking into courses for the last 6 months or so and now it has finally come to enrolment time!

Today I toddled off to one of my local colleges to enrol in some evening classes to pursue the dream! I will be studying make up to start with and then onto skin care and hair. I am so excited and I feel like I can really put myself on track to do something I love. I will keep you up to date and share an 'inside tips' (as if we don't know them already) that I learn along the way. I have learnt soooo much already by watching youtube videos and reading blogs that I am hoping that will put me one step ahead.

It feels weird going back to school as I left so long ago, but I am excited, more than I have been in a very long time!

If any of you are missing that one little thing, go for it! You don't want to look back and think 'what if'.






xoxo

Durex Play Range

Looking for something to do this bank holiday?! Get to your local drugstore and pick up these bad boys!

As we all know, Durex Play is a range of intimate products but their 2 new additions are more 'beauty based'. So when the people at Durex contacted me (I first thought the email was spam!!) I thought why not!

The first is the 2 in 1 massage mousse which has a 'light and smooth' formulation designed to promote the healing, intimate and romantic nature of a massage. It comes out of the packaging like a hair mousse, but be careful how hard you press the nozzle! It breaks down to leave a real silky smooth finish perfect for a massage. It smells clean and fresh and is not overpowering at all. It sinks into the skin really slowly leaving it moisturised and smelling lovely!



The second is a new addition to the lube range in Aloe Vera. Its 'ph neutral and kind and gentle on sensitive skin; the emphasis is much more on its gentle nature rather than explicit sexual gratification'. Light, subtle scent and does the job!!



As with all products from this range they can be used erm...anywhere!! They are both non sticky and ph balanced! woo! It is also user friendly with other products in the range.

Something to keep you entertained as the dark nights draw closer!

Remember kids...play safe!!

xoxo

Herbal Essences 'Hello Hydration' Intensive Mask

I got home from V Fest to find this waiting for me, which was perfect timing for my sun frazzled and dried out hair! I love hair mask and when I find a keeper, I stick to it! I have fine hair which gets dry and I tend to deep condition it every other wash which is just right for my hair. In the past I have used conditioners that were too much and left my hair greasy and feeling coated in product.

The blurb-

This wonderfully indulgent Intensive Mask has been perfectly formulated with conditioning ingredients to ensure maximum shine, and Hello Hydration’s fragrantly rich formula with
exotic orchid and coconut extracts works to indulge the senses (and quite possibly taking you back to your summer holiday destination) while replenishing dry and damaged hair.

Herbal Essences and I have a love/hate relationship. I used their range constantly when i was younger, then stopped for a while and when I went back to it, it seemed like it was a different formulation which didn't like my hair anymore :( I have used it again more recently and it seems to love it again!

My first impression was how much I loved the smell! I read the instructions, which are written as though the product is speaking to you which was cute, and slapped it on. A while later i rinsed it off, it fell out of my hair leaving behind silky smooth locks! I left my hair to dry naturally as i figured it had already been through enough at the weekend. Once my hair was dry I noticed the shine it now had straight away. It smelt lovely and left a bounce to my tresses! Overall I'm impressed, my hair has lasted as well on day 2 as it did when it was first dry. I could get away with using this in every wash as it is a light product which I don't think will build up. Plus its in everyones price bracket!

Thumbs up Herbal!!




xoxo

Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Lipcolor

Another product in the colorstay range. I swear by their foundation so when I was sent this by the lovely people at Revlon, I was looking forward to trying it out. It is marketed as a lipstick and lipgloss in one. The instructions are to apply the product, don't rub your lips together and let the product dry and voila! 'Food proof' lips all day long.

So I applied, which took forever as my normal application consists of slapping on a bit of product and rubbing my lips together to spread it out! You have to be really precise. I felt this was much more of a lip stain than a stick or a gloss. For me the colour was too much which kind of put me off wearing it all day to test out its worth so I did it on a day that I knew I wouldn't be leaving the house.

It lasted well, so much so that after a while I just wanted it off and it didn't budge. It didn't give them the feeling that I had glossy lips, just coloured ones. I definitely would wear a gloss over this. I think if this product was marketed as a lip stain I would be more positive about it as I don't feel it really stands in the stick/gloss category. All in all a good product, if used correctly!! I think a paler colour for me next time! At least I cant say its not pigmented!! If you can find a 'me' colour then this could solve our reapplying problems!




xoxo

V Festival - The Aftermath

As you all know, this weekend was spent at V fest. I thought I would let you all know how it went so you too and throw away those festival L plates!!

We arrived at 2pm on Friday afternoon all excited about our little adventure!! We parked in the field and soaked up our surroundings looking for landmarks for us to be able to find our way back to the car. We decided to take what we could carry and leave some bags to come back to as surely the campsite could only be 20 minutes away? WRONG!!! An hours walk later, we found ourselves in a campsite with tents as far as we could see. They were all squashed up and we were getting frustrated that we couldn't seem to find anywhere to pitch ours! Finally a spot just big enough to squeeze into, I pitched our tent all on my own while my 'friend' looked on and told me how impressed she was! A little help would have been nice!! After a rest and some time to pluck up the courage to walk an hour back to the car and then make the hours return journey with yet more bags, we were so tired from travelling and 4 hours walking that we decided to get an early night ready for the morning.

FYI- nobody sleeps, and when you just about think they are turning in for the night, they decide to make breakfast!! Burgers being served at 6am!! So at about 7.30am we got up to check on our blisters that our Hunters had given us the day before. Ouch! Serious pain! We waddled down to the medical centre for some plasters!

We made our way into the arena at 2pm ready for some music! It was a gorgeous and we sat on the grass relaxing to James Morrison over a cider! Saturday and Sunday were both filled with music, drinks and sun. I did however get sun burnt, which never happens to me. There is no cover so even if it is cloudy, you have no chance. My little nose is peeling which is very attractive!! We tried to catch as many acts as we could and made sure we chose the ones who we hadn't seen before first!

Best of the weekend for me were-
Lily Allen- Love her, so glad I got to see her.
The Script- Yum!
James Morrison- Seen him before but I could never get bored of watching him perform.
Lemar- All his songs bring back so many memories. He also did a version of sex on fire!
The Killers - headliners of Sunday
Oasis- headliners on Saturday and cancelled Chelmsford on Sunday!!
The Specials- reminds me on BBQs in the sun when i was younger.
Taylor Swift- saw her while waiting for the next act and I loved her.
Will Young - Its love and always will be!
Snow Patrol- Chasing cars will always hold so many memories.

One of my favourite things to do is relax in the sunshine with music and a cold drink. V offers something for everyone, if you want to chill out you can, or you can make your way to the front of the crowd or the Bacardi bar for some partying. There were fun fair rides, stalls, so many food places and even movies played through the night!

Tips-
Be prepared to lug your stuff form the car to the campsite. Bring a trolley but be prepared for grass to be caught in the wheels!!
Alcohol hand gel is your best friend.
Always have a toilet roll in your bag.
There were ghds- £1 for 3 mins. Perfect for tidying up your hair after the trek up Kilimanjaro!
So much food to chose from. We only took snack a jacks and special K bars but hardly touched them.
No alcohol allowed in the arena are so drinks in the tent before you go.
Chairs are a defo!
Get up super early on the last day and get out! We spent 7 hours in the field with the car turned off and moved less than a mile! We left the campsite at 7am.
There are police with sniffer dogs on the way in, in case any of you are into that kind of thing!
No glass bottles allowed so save time and put everything into plastic ones. You are allowed cans. You might think warm drinks don't sound appetising but they get old at night ready for the next day!!
Rock the celeb fest look by covering those hungover eyes with over sized sunnies in the toilet queue!
We were lucky to not get any rain till we were queuing to leave but you need sun cream!
A decent sized tent is a must. We had a 4 man for 2 of us but this was small at times!
Get there early and make your way to the top of the hills. If it rains, you'll be glad your tent isn't sliding down it!

If you are thinking of going, do it! As much as I hated the walk, the blisters on the bottom an back of my feet and the lack of sleep, I loved it. I'll see you there next year!!

xoxo

V Festival...What I'm packing...

So I'm off to V festival tomorrow! It will be my first one and I'm am nervous and excited! The only reason I am nervous is because of the cleaning situation! I wouldn't say I'm high maintenance (my friends would) but I like the finer things in life! I will be there for 3 and a bit days and have been thinking about what i need to take for a while!

I thought I would share what I am packing. I need to keep reminding myself that I wont have a lot of room and everything i take needs to be things I don't mind if they get muddy and ruined. I would rather have nice hair and make up than be trying not to get my Kurt Geigers dirty!

So far I have-
2 pairs of leggings
3 t shirt dresses
2 cardigans
1 hoody (so i can snuggle!)
1 very 'kate moss' hat
trackies to sleep in
1 pair of hunters
1 pair of flip flops
and obvs underwear!!

Now onto the stuff that I will treasure!
Make up wipes
Deo wipes
Hand wipes
Baby Wipes
Deodorant
Dry Shampoo(batiste)
Mouth Wash
Tooth Paste
hair bands and kirby grips!
Toilet roll is an obvious one!

Make up wise...

Now before I announce this, please remember, during the day I will have my oversized sunglasses on and at night everyone will be too drunk to see... Take a deep breath ladies, this isn't pretty!!

Revlon Colour Stay Foundation
Benefit Erase Paste
Natural Collection Bronzer (pretty good and for £2 i don't mind it getting ruined/smashed!)
Mascara
Couple of coloured eyeliners and glitter liners to funk it up a bit!

And that's it! I am quite scared that I will have so little! I don't pack light and I hate not having something if I want it! But for 3 days (1 of which I ill be arriving from home with a full face!) I'm just going to have to cope!

I am being sensible and wearing SPF 50 on my face as I am going to be outside constantly the whole time and I will be taking Garnier Clear Protect in SPF 15. Skin damage is not cool ladies!!

As i will be away, there will be limited twitter access and no blog access.

I'll miss you all.

Wish me luck on my toughest challenge yet!! I will report back with my progress.

Have a good weekend girlies. Mine might turn into tents, cider and tantrums!



xoxo

The Body Shop Beauty Bloggers Event

I am so excited to tell you all about the lovely day I had at The Body Shop event!

We arrived at 2pm to a champagne reception and to be greeted by lovely Natalie and her colleagues as well the PR manager and brands people from The Body Shop. As everyone excitedly arrived, we took seats on gorgeous white sofas with colourful heart shaped cushions (which we all wanted to take home!!) The venue in Sketch bar was amazing and if you have never been and you live in London, you need to. There were some gorgeous afternoon tea nibbles including cucumber sandwiches!

Firstly we were introduced official to the brand, learnt about its values and the background of the company. The Body Shop is a brand that for me, I have always known about. This is mainly due to my mum who has always used their products. Every xmas we would buy her 'smellies' from there and at one point they have a recycling scheme where you could take empty bottles back to the store. I remember getting excited about giving them back to the lady behind the till...simple things eh!

Laura also had her make up done by Chase Aston who was so funny!!

Next we went on a store visit and we were all given Love Your Body cards which is The Body Shops reward scheme. Its £5 for a year and you get free gifts at certain points within the year and in your birthday month you can get an extra free gift! A great thing to have if you love their products.

We also learnt that in every store, you can ask for samples of any of the products to try, get free hand massages and free makeovers. So if you are ever feeling a bit down in the dumps, get to your nearest store for a quick pick me up!

Next we were back to the venue to learn all about their new perfume called Love Etc... which smells amazing! We all received mysterious samples in the post a few days before which you may have seen on twitter. They told us all about how a perfume is made, how the concept is thought up and we even saw the image film of what the brand team made to give to the perfumery who developed the scent! Top secret info!! The perfume is all about what love means to you and is aimed at 20-30 year olds. The film was all about the love for friends and family as well as romantic love. You can see the advert for the end result on their website very soon which i am sure you will agree captures that age range perfectly!

One of the body shop ladies (who's name i cant remember :( ) told us that the scent for the body butters is taken from seeds of fruit used to make jam so nothing is wasted! Everyone who works for the company is really passionate about the brand which is great to see!

I have so much more to tell you about new products being released which is will in other posts. There is also a new skin care range being released in October which is totally organic! Most of their ingredients are but the complete range is derived from organic products. I will blog about their new hand cream which is for a charity.

It was so nice seeing a lot of faces again and some for the first time. Again there wasn't enough time to talk to everyone!!

xoxo

Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare

This range has become pretty infamous of late. I have heard so many great things about this line so when it arrived on my doorstep from the lovely people at Liz Earle, i couldn't wait to take my make up off to try it out.

Hot Cloth Cleanser-
I have never used a cleanser like this before, normally I just use wash/gel type products. I found i only needed a small amount of product, I rubbed it over my face, ran the cloth under a hot tap, wrung it over and wiped the product from my face. I felt like a weight has been pulled off my shoulders. Something really relaxing about it. Plus the cloth acts as an exfoliator whilst removing the product. From the very first us I felt as if my skin was the cleanest it had ever been. There wasn't a trace of make up left behind.
I gently pat my face dry and move onto the next stage.

Instant Boost Skin Tonic-
'Pour onto a cotton pad and sweep over face' so I did...unlike most toners this didn't dry out my skin or feel like it was stripping any essential oils away from me. It feels like it is applying a silky smooth layer of goodness!!

Skin Repair Moisturiser-
Hardly any product needed, not really heavy and feels like it is just right for me.
I am left with clean, smooth and hydrated skin.

I have tried to find something bad or even just negative to say about this range and the only thing I could think was that I would like it to have a different scent...yep, that's all I would change about it!

I would definitely purchase this. You hardly need any product so even though it may seen pricey, it more than makes up for it with length of service!! They also do a 'try me' set which I'd say is big enough to last 3 weeks but definitely long enough to travel with and its £19.75 and comes with everything you need in its own little bag.

If you have been wondering about whether this is for you, click onto the website here to try it for yourself.

Amazing results, its my new love.



xoxo

The Sanctuary Spa- Anti Ageing Intensive Hand Mask

As much as I would like my hands to look 5 years younger, I don't think I'm the best person to test this product....bring in the mother!!

The website says-

This intensive anti-ageing mask is packed with rich moisturisers which immediately plump and firm the skin, while powerful plant extracts work over time to lighten age-spots and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.Hands appear up to 5 years younger within 4 weeks*7 out of 10 women noticed instant firming & plumping**

Did it work?

Firstly the smell was strong again. I was worried that with the cream and the gloves, i would get all hot and bothered but the cream actually gave a cooling effect which was strangely relaxing. I haven't been using it for 4 weeks yet so I haven't yet seen the full extent of what it can do but already my hands feel smoother, and my skin feels firmer.

I'm hoping my hands look like they've had a face lift when i go back to work in September! (She's a teacher!) So far so good, no complaints here!!




xoxo

Sanctuary Spa Luxury Eye Mask

I was sent this by the lovely Sanctuary people to review. As soon as I opened, it was pulled out of my hands by the mother saying 'oh sanctuary, that must be for me!' So i let her try it out (after a lot of persuasion from her side!!).

The website says-

With soothing lavender, this sumptuously cushioned eye mask blocks out the light and gently fragrances the air around you to aid relaxation and sleep.

So did it work?
'When i first put it on, it smelt a bit like gingerbread(??) and quite strong, however I am sure this will fade over time. The mask felt really smooth and comforting which helped me to switch off. The instructions say to keep it on all night, but once I had fallen asleep, I seemed to have taken it off.

The biggest benefit about wearing this was that i could wind down before going to sleep and forget about everything I had to do the next day. It comes with a lovely little bag to store it in which is now placed on my bedside table! I am waiting for the day that is disappears!! Plus i look like a celebrity when I go to bed!'

Bless her!!

All round a good reception from the mother! This was review was written while she was lying down wearing the mask!




xoxo

Its that time again...

Monday Poll!!

Mood: Quite happy, im on a 3 day week so not long till my weekend starts!
First words out of my mouth this morning: Urgh! Monday! I actually said this out loud lol, was funny.
What I’m looking forward to this week: The Body Shop event!! eeee! Then V festival!
What are some words you try to live by? If you stand for anything, you'll fall for everything.
Eyes/lips/cheeks: Groundwork paint pot, creme cup and barry m bronzer
One thing I’d like to improve about myself: Get rid of the totally exhausted feeling I have right now!
On my makeup lust list: Illamasqua liquid metals.
What I ate: Pasta salad for luncho!
What’s your current favorite fragrance? Today was B Spot by Benefit.
Weekly goals: Have as much fun as possible!

xoxo

How long...

Does it take you to get ready?

This is a question I am asked quite a lot.

I love taking time to get ready, and looking like I have made an effort rather than going for the 'bed head' look with 'natural' make up! I love it even more when my friends are round and we can all chat and get ready together and maybe a glass of wine or two! (note to self- ensure make up complete before finishing that first glass, we don't want another 'xmas eve gate' again! Not even making it out of the house is not cool!!)

What girl doesnt like investing time in looking nice. Believe me, it is an investment!

If I don't have a deadline then I can take a while as I get distracted playing with my make up or styling my hair. Last weekend it took me 3 hours from getting in the bath to leaving the house!! I hate rushing though when I don't need to! If i had to leave the house almost immediately, I can make it out the door in 30 minutes, but where is the fun in that?!



xoxo

The Beauty Blender

I've used sponges, brushes and fingers to apply my war paint, but I'm always looking for one better. A few months ago, these were talked about loads on blogs and you tube videos. As far as I was aware, they were only available in the US, so I added it to my wishlist and carried on with my day.

I was browsing ASOS, as I do most days when I spotted it! It went straight in my basket and the next day I ripped out of the delivery guys hands!

Later that day I watched the cheesy demo video on their website and the next morning I applied my foundation used the weird shaped sponge. Its unique shaped means it can fit the contours on the face, unlike some sponges.

I was impressed with how nicely it applied and the finish it gave It is said to give an airbrushed look and for me it did. My foundation felt light and flawless but still gave me the coverage I wanted. Because it felt so light i was intrigued to see if at the end of the day I still had any foundation on, luckily for me, when 5.30 rolled round, my skin looked better than it normally did!

I am really impressed with the Beauty Blender and I'm keen to see how long it is before I need a new one. You need to clean these after each use which can be a pain if you need to rush out the door but if it added some lifetime to it, I don't mind! It comes with a sachet of cleaner but you can also buy a bottle. I think baby shampoo would do the trick though!

To 'Modernize the Way You Make Up' get onto ASOS now. For videos on how to use your Beauty Blender click here.



xoxo

Garnier Fructis Style Hairspray

Hairspray is a product I don’t use much. I prefer a more natural look and if I style my hair, I'm lucky enough for it to stay in place. The only time I really need to use it is when I curl/wave my hair. If I do style my hair, I like it to stay all day and not have completely dropped out by the end of the day. I also don’t really want to stink of that recognisable smell!!

So when this was in my goodie bag from Garnier (yes I'm still working my way through) I thought I’d give it a go.

I love having time to get ready at the weekends, it means I can put my extensions in and style them which is more than I do on a weekday!

On Saturday I was off to a BBQ so before I (finally) left the house, I spritzed this baby and ran out the door. It didn’t smell like hairspray at all, infact it smelt quite fresh! This had to put up a good fight, hot weather, BBQ fumes, gladiator dual and alcohol and I was surprised that it lasted all night and it didn’t make my hard go hard! Yay! I also brushed it out when I got home to test if it flaked off in white bits and it didn’t.

If it can last all this, it can last a stuffy tube journey to work!

So a mega hold spray, that doesn’t smell, doesn’t go hard and lasts!




xoxo

St Ives - Microdermabrasion Face Scrub

My sister is a beauty junkie just like me. She tried out the St Ives Microdermabrasion scrub, here's what she thought;

I've been using St Ives Scrubs for... well forever but lately my skin hasn't been loving them so much, and the effect has been more scratched and abraded than fresh and dewy after. I'm 28 now and over the last couple of years I've noticed my skin getting less tolerant to harsher treatment and my skincare needs are leaning towards moisture and simplicity and generally being kind to my skin rather than using what basically amounts to paint stripper and sandpaper to keep it under control!

Luckily St Ives have launched a new range called "Elements" which includes a "microdermabrasion" scrub that aims to "reveal younger looking and refined skin". The scrub uses "micro-fine mineral crystals" (hydrated silica) which are a lot gentler than the apricot kernels in the regular range. Better still they are densely packed so,while the product feels really gentle on the skin, they really do exfoliate and give a nice even texture to the skin. After my skin looked smooth and fresh and felt squeaky clean, not red and sore.

I think I may even be slightly addicted to this as I've used it every night since I bought it, but it's so gentle my skin shows no sign of being irritated. It would be great before and after a fake tan too as it has such an even distribution of scrubby bits (yep, that is the technical term).

Definitely recommended for anyone who wants a good facial scrub, but doesn't necessarily want to look like they've been attacked with a scourer afterwards!

This retails for around £4 and can be found in the usual places!!

The picture may look slightly different to the bottle on drug store shelves!!


xoxo

Monday Post

Mood: Exhausted, could hardly get out of bed.
First words out of my mouth this morning: morning baby, to my dog!!
What I’m looking forward to this week: Edinburgh!!!
One thing I’d like to improve about myself: Get everything sorted at work ready for 2 days off!
On my makeup lust list: I have actually come to a blank...this cant be right! Oh actually, Li-Lash would be nice please. Thanks
What i ate: Well its nearly bed time for me so I've had some pasta and a cookie at work. Nutritious!
Cheeks: Barry M bronzer and Blonde MSF
Lips: Just Carmex
Outfit: Work clothes, dull dull dull.
Fragrance: B Spot
Weekly goals: Read another book this week. So impressed that I finished one last week! Geek!! lol.

xoxo

A/W 09/10 The New Black...

According to Glamour magazine, Purple is the new Black!

Get your berry fix now!



xoxo

Sun Labs Self Tanning System

About a month ago I noticed my St Tropez just wasn't lasting as long as it used it and I would often end up patchy. It just wasn't cutting the mustard. I decided to take a fake tan break and to get back to my 'normal' skin before I would apply anymore. It took me over a week to get rid of it completely. Well, just as I thought of applying again, I was sent some products from the Sun Labs range to try!

I normally use the St Tropez lotion or spray over the mousse.

I tried the Sun Labs lotion and roped my sister in to try the mousse. Theses seemed a lot easier and smoother to apply along with a nicer smell!! The box of the lotion I used said 'very dark' on the front and to be honest I was very dubious but when I woke up on Saturday morning and had a shower, I was amazed at the results. I had a flawless tan that made me look as though I had been on holiday! Just what I needed to perk me up while I sat inside and watched the rain pour down! The bottle even says that used in conjunction with moisturiser, your tan an last up to 3 weeks. That's a long time compared with St Tropez which I need to top up after 5-7 days. Well its a week and counting. Both of us still have flawless results. Yay!!

To be honest I don't have anything bad to say about this stuff! I also have a liquid self tan to try out, so i will give that a go next! Sun Labs can be found on QVC or online here for around the same price range as St Tropez, however there is a sale on their website at the moment! They also offer Professional Tanning equipment. St Tropez's biggest contender has entered the ring!!




xoxo

How young is too young?

Perfection is something we see everyday, on TV, in magazines, billboards, everywhere!

As beauty lovers, we strive to be picture perfect and are led to believe that age is nothing but a number when we see celebs with zero wrinkles and no signs of aging! We lust over flawless skin and are drawn into believing that just one mascara can change your life and give you the full thick lashes which is turn will lead to a gorgeous guy falling in love with you!

One thing over the past few years that has been playing on my mind is preventing the signs of aging.

My mum has always looked younger than her years and that is mainly due to her lifestyle, she doesn’t drink (maybe the odd glass of wine at xmas!), doesn’t smoke and has always used vitamin E face products as has my Grandma who also looks easily 10 years younger!

About 18 months ago, I was really looking at my own lifestyle and the effects it would have on me in later years. So, I quit smoking, and cut down on drinking massively. I wouldn’t say I was an alcoholic, I just didn’t say no to a night out on the town! I also haven’t been on a sunbed for nearly 3 years which I would about 2 times per week. Still, the signs of aging play on my mind. I am convinced I have wrinkles and I don’t want to look older than my years. I know I am only in my early 20’s but even now, there seems to be pressure to stay looking young!! Companies even make anti aging products for my age range! But how far can a face cream go to fighting those ‘expression’ lines? Which brings me to cosmetic surgery.

I personally know someone who at the age of 20 has had Botox and collagen injections in his lips. Yes a bloke! I myself have always said, in my old age, if I want something done, I’ll go for it. But should I change my own appearance for the sake of society’s perception which is based on airbrushed and digitally enhanced pictures. In the UK, it is legal to have cosmetic surgery at the age of 18 and in some case 16 with parental permission.

‘In 2005, 346,000 teenagers below the age of eighteen had cosmetic plastic surgery. This is not counting peels, dermabrasions, scar removal, and laser hair removal which together constitute more patients under eighteen than all the surgical procedures.’ This was taken from beveryhillsbody.com relating to teens in the US.

So my question to you is…

How young is too young?

xoxo

Car Shopping

So its time for me to wave the love bug (my car hehe) off to car heaven and get behind the wheel of a brand spanking new car!

I am after one of these in black...




I would love one of these...



And would be in heaven if I could have one of these...



A girl can dream...

xoxo

Lumiere Minerals

Sarah from Lumiere Cosmetics sent me a cute little package all the way from America with some goodies in for me to try! I was gobsmacked at the shipping time, it was literally 2 days before it was waiting for me when I got home from work.

I did't use mineral make up before Lumiere, but I have always been interested to find out more, and this was my perfect opportunity!



In the picture is-

A foundation sample-

My naive thoughts on mineral make up was that I wouldn't get enough coverage. How wrong I was. Just the tiniest amount managed to cover my whole face and even out my skin tone. I did however choose the wrong shade which was a bit of a bummer but would defo work in winter for me.

Sheer finishing powder-
I have seen a brand with a product similar to this and I was really keen to try it. On day one I put this all over my face, which was a mistake for me. Towards lunchtime, the minerals hadn't mixed well with my concealer and my under eye circles looked like they had major wrinkles. The next day, I used it in areas I thought needed a boost, basically the usual places you would highlight and I love the effect it has. I cant stop wearing it! It really lights up my face.

Eye pigment-
I love this colour. Its much more 'rounded' and offers a bigger spectrum of colour compared to standards shadows.

Lipgloss-
This reminded me of a dazzleglass with the effect it gave, super shimmery to a point where my lips looked holographic. The gloss part isn't sticky and super shiny, the minerals do all the work!

Pressed pigment - (not pictured)
Comes with a mini applicator too! This is a lovely champagne type colour which looked great on my lower lashes and inner corner AND stayed all day long!

Long handle kabuki-
Sometimes my normal kabukis go flying out of my hand so this is perfect for extra control. The bristles feel just like the body shop ones.

My views on mineral make up have completely changed and I will definitely be reaching for this type of make up more often.
Check out Lumiere's Skin & Beauty Bar I love the thought of a beauty bar!! They also have a myspace page here

If like me you've never tried mineral make up before, get to the beauty bar now and pick up some cheap samples, they deliver quicker than some companies based in the UK and with the £ working its way back up, its like getting a discount!

xoxo

Hot & Not...

Hot-
This week has flown by!
Toffee crisp clusters...the dogs!
Making lists
Car shopping...not long now!
New Friends
Being 3/4 of the way though my book from reading before bed this week! yay!

Not-
So little time
Being scared of the toilet facilities at V festival!!
Feeling ill, all shaky and faint?!

xoxo

The Sanctuary - Age Repair Hydrating Body Serum

Whenever I get sent products aged at 'mature' women, they are handed straight to mum to test for me! She loves it! She has just got back from her cruise so anything that will show off her tan and 'just back from holiday, i looked totally relaxed' look, is so in right now!

Here's what she thought on the above....

It smells so nice! I love how the sanctuary products smell. I pumped a little bit out first and I was surprised that with just one pump I managed to cover both arms, shoulders and decolletage. After just 2 days of using this, I can really notice my skin looks and feels tighter and younger. I really like this and even though the bottle seems quite small, it will last me ages! I only need 3 pumps maximum to cover my whole body for a deep moisturising effect. I would be happy to receive this as a present (Is that a hint?!) but I would buy this myself.



xoxo

New Inspiration...

I love smokey eyes! And Allie from the City suits them so well!






There is one particular episode where she has what I think might be Mac's blackground paint pot all over and I love it. Has anyone seen this and knows what product it is?!!





Do you ever get that thing where you cant work out if you think someone is really pretty or not...Allie is one of those people!!

One of my friends has the same facial features as Allie (am i jealous much?!)....maybe she shouldn't be my friend anymore!!

xoxo

The Body Shop - Brilliance Powder

This is a long overdue review of this product! Its not something i would wear on a day to day basis, hence the delay!! My sister took this on holiday with her, with strict instructions on what she had to note!!

I see this product as adding a bit of shimmer or a glow to the shoulders and decolletage. It can also be used on the face but personally a would use an MSF type product on my face rather than this.

It took us a while to get the product working to swatch before she went away and it got quite messy which was a bit of a put off but none the less she loved it. This comes in 3 different shades and can be bought here.

'I felt like it finished off my outfit and really accentuated my tan. It lasted well and was still on my skin the next morning. I would use this again and would defo recommend this to my friends too as they would love this for their holidays too. My photos at night time look great as my skin is tanned and glowing! I love any kind of bronzing product!'

So there you have it, an essential or those hot summer nights out. You might need to go abroad to get one of those though!!



xoxo

Wax, Pluck Thread?

My obsession with eyebrows continues...

Are you a waxer, plucker or threader?

Personally I'm a waxer. It seems to be the happy medium between self inflicting pain and what can feel like the shredding of your face!!

xoxo

Blogger Giveaway...

Fancy getting your mitts on some Italian products?!

Lyd @ Alice In Wonderland is having a giveaway...check it out

xoxo

Monday Poll

I kind of, might have stolen this from Sarah @ The Polished but anywho...

Mood: Unknown....a bit inbetween and nothing to report.
Mascara: Lash Stiletto, second one of these. Its totally grown on me and i love the light feathered look it gives my lashes but it totally buildable too!
Breakfast: I cant eat in the mornings.
Love (makeup related): The mac order i placed today!
Love (non-makeup related): The exciting plans i have!
Outfit: Work clothes...boring!
Fragrance: Calvin Klein Euphoria, trying to use it up!
Quote of the day: 'I'm gong to be a terrible mother, 2 out of my 4 fish have died'
Goals of the week: Read before bed every night this week. I'm trying to get back into reading and hoping it will help me switch off at night!

xoxo

International Swap with Rocaille

I arranged a swap with the lovely Monika @ Rocaille we discussed how much we should spend and what products we might like!

I got all of the below!! Monika had put some thought into the products that I would like and she got everything spot on!! There was also a little card which is so cute!



I have already tried some of the bits out! I couldn't wait. The lipgloss is by Astor and reminds me of L'oreal's glam shines but this is lot smoother than those. The colour is nicely pigmented but not too over powering, a good balance. It also has a brush applicator which is a nice change from most of my glosses. The Inglot blush is a gorgeous coral colour and has lasted all day. The packaging reminds me of MAC. Monika also got me a palette from Inglot with 3 colours that are perfect for me and I will be including this set on my travels!! Sadly one of the shadows didn't make the journey but I'm hoping to fix that!

She also got me some earrings which are a lovely green colour which really suits my hair and eye colour and I cant wait to wear!

Thank you Monika! I cant wait for you to receive my package!

If you don't already follow Monika, you should!! Check her out here.

xoxo

Lancome Juicy Tubes - PURE

Juicy Tubes were the first lipglosses I had. The girls in our group at school all went mad over them and we all had different colours. We are going back a very long time but at the time I loved them. I like a sticky lipgloss that has a wet look and smell good!

Lipgloss is my obsession. For my birthday my friend got me one from the PURE range called Just Tofu. PURE stands for Premium Unique Raw Elements. They contain products like Shea Butter for a more natural product. I couldn't wait to try it out so i ripped open the box there and then and put some on. The white iridescent gloss is gorgeous and perfect for me. These aren't as sticky as the original tubes which makes them just right for me. Just Tofu smells like the cupcake dolls which some of you might remember!! Ahhh nostalgia!






I gave it the stamina test this week at work. I applied it at 8am thinking by half past it would be gone, midday rolled round and it was still there!! For lipgloss, that is some staying power. Plus my lips actually felt nourished and moisturised unlike a lot of glosses out there. They have some nice colours in the range too which you don't see very often, I think ill go for the purple one next! If you thought your days of juicy tubes were over, think again!



xoxo

Soap & Glory Glad Pits

This is a new addition to the range. I love this range, it reminds me of Benefit. I spotted this last week and have been testing it ever since. I normally swear by the Dove range which smells great and defo does the job. For me anti-perspirant and deodorant really needs to put up a fight. I'm not a 'sweaty' person but i don't want to feel sticky and i want to smell of roses(not literally)!!

This smells exactly like Sure and I'm convinced its the same product in different packaging! It gave me the same results as Sure which were sticky! I like to be able to still smell my anti perspirant of choice at the end of the day. Sadly the results weren't great. I am super fussy about hygiene and smells, i have a super sensitive nose and sniff out my fav perfume at 400ft but I don't think I'm asking too much from a product that promises so much more.

For me, I'll be giving this to my little sister but this hasn't quashed my views of this range, i still love it, I will just be sticking to my Dove!



xoxo