Tuesday 30 September 2014

*Sponsored Post - How to Transform your Day Make-Up into Night Make-Up*

I know that in an ideal world we would all have the time to go home 
after a hard day, take a nice soothing bath and start afresh with 
dazzling make-up ready to dance the night away. Unfortunately not many 
people actually live in the ideal world, well, not many that I know anyhow.
Here are a few tips to transform your subtle day make-up into sparkling 
night make-up without going right back to square one.
The Face
You need a clean canvas before you can paint any kind of professional 
picture – and if you want your make-up to stand the test of time and 
look as fresh and fabulous as it did when you applied it then pay 
special attention to the skin. Your foundation is not going to be great 
after 8 hours work so it is going to need a bit of touching up to say 
the least but – you can’t apply fresh foundation to oily skin because 
that will affect the color of the foundation (which you have naturally 
taken great care to match to your complexion). If you carry a little 
blotting paper with you to blot any excess oil from your skin it will 
make a heap of difference. Foundation sticks are great for applying your 
make-up on the go because they can double up as foundation and 
concealer. Pat in the places you need to pat (particularly beneath the 
eyes) and then seal it with another clean piece of blotting paper for a 
smooth, silky finish.
Face - The Salon Outlet
The Eyes
This is one area which can make an enormous difference when you are 
transforming your subtle day look into a dazzling night time beauty. One 
fabulous idea is to start off the day with a light, smoky make-up for 
the office and simply darken it up a bit for the night time. You can use 
almost any color for this so have a play and go with whatever suits you 
the best. Darken up the smoky color then place the highlighter in the 
center of the eyelid and blend it gently towards the corners to create a 
layered look which draws light and shimmer to the eyes.
It’s also a great idea to thicken up your eye liner or even transform 
your daytime line to a dramatic cats eye – sweeping slightly upwards at 
the outer corners. This not only makes you look fabulous but also more 
awake.
Eyes - The Salon Outlet
The Lips
The lips are the other important features which need to be transformed 
from day to night. Whatever colour you choose be sure to apply gently 
during the daytime and blot it for a subtle effect but as soon as you 
are in the mood to party saturate the lips with your chosen colour before 
blotting. It’s all about depth of colour really – the more lipstick you 
apply the deeper your colour will be.
In order to prevent this saturated lipstick from bleeding around the 
edges of the lips, always use a lip liner to seal the edges and never 
apply the lipstick straight from the stick – use a lip brush (there are 
plenty of which will do just fine) and dab the colour into the centre 
of the lips before drawing out towards the edges. This will help your 
lipstick to stay bright and bold for the night ahead.
Lips - The Salon Outlet
There’s a good selection of makeup brushes available at http://thesalonoutlet.com which are 
perfect to carry around in your makeup bag for when you are ready to 
make the transformation.
*This is a sponsored blog post for The Salon Outlet*
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Monday 29 September 2014

Product Empties #14


Product Empties #14

This product empties has been a long time coming. With moving it was a bit awkward trying to keep up with them! I had to collect a massive amount before moving then collecting more as usual once I was at my new home! So this product empties is a pretty big one to say the least!

Haircare

Batiste XXL Dry Shampoo and Batiste Dry Shampoo in Fresh
Batiste XXL Dry Shampoo and Batiste Dry Shampoo in Fresh

First off haircare. By now you guys know that dry shampoo always makes an appearance in my product empties - particularly the XXL volume variety! I won't sing its praises anymore as I feel I may be boring my regular readers but it truly is amazing. I also finished up an older can of the Batiste dry shampoo in fresh. Since I've been packing stuff away I have dug out and used up some remaining products! The fresh version is okay however I much prefer the XXL volume version!

L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Conditioning Protect Spray
L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Conditioning Protect Spray

I have mentioned the Elvive Colour Protect conditioning spray a few times in my empties. I will admit I haven't repurchased it since the move however I do plan on doing so. It really does leave your hair feeling smooth especially between deep conditioning.

Skincare

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution
L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution

Now we're on to skincare. The L'oreal Micellar solution took the beauty and blogging world by storm initially. Since then a lot of people, including myself, have noticed it can be drying on the eyes. Personally I won't be picking this up again as I love my Garnier one far too much now however it is a great one to pick up to experiment with if you are beginning to explore micellar waters.

Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner
Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner

I occasionally like to use a toner just to get a slightly deeper clean. Lets face it sometimes when we use make-up remover it doesn't feel like it's done the job! The Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner is the perfect toner for those of you that don't want anything too abrasive and harsh on the skin but are after a deeper clean that leaves the skin feeling fresh. Personally I will be repurchasing this after finishing up my Olay toner!

Soap & Glory The Scrub Of  Your Life
Soap & Glory The Scrub Of  Your Life 

I own far too much Soap & Glory... lets get that out there! So I have been working on using up some of the bits and bobs I have! The first of those being the Soap & Glory Scrub of Your Life. I love this scrub for travel. It perfectly exfoliates whilst leaving a lovely lather behind. After using this my skin feels fresh and fully cleaned. I have tons of this stuff left but if ever I get through my many other containers yes I will be repurchasing it!

Soap & Glory Hand Food
Soap & Glory Hand Food

I also managed to use up a tub of Hand Food by Soap & Glory. Anyone that knows me knows just how much I use hand cream and Hand Food by Soap & Glory has to be a beauty blogging cult favourite. Don't get me wrong it isn't an intense treatment for your hands but as far as moisturising goes it gets the job done fast with long lasting results.

Scents

Soft & Gentle Deodorant
Soft & Gentle Deodorant 

Oh the usual boring items. Deodorant yes. I finished another... Should we just move on? You all must know by now Soft & Gentle is my go to!

Make-up

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Anti-Shine Mattifying Primer
L'Oreal Studio Secrets Anti-Shine Mattifying Primer

It's very rare that I manage to get through make-up. A lot of you out there would agree it is the hardest thing to let go of! This L'Oreal Studio Secrets primer was my first ever primer and I really did love it. It is pretty much the same as the Smashbox Photo Finish primer. I'm not sure if they still make this but if they do I would totally pick it up as a cheaper alternative.

Nails

Nail Polish
Nail Polish

Before I moved out I decided I needed to have a massive clear out of nail polishes. My collection was topping 70 and I was about to go back to work. I rarely paint my nails during term time so I knew now was the time to down size. A lot of these are colours that are either used up or are going off! If any of you are interested in seeing a blog post on my nail polish collection as it is today do let me know!

Other

Johnson's Baby Shampoo
Johnson's Baby Shampoo

I could have put this in hair care however I don't use this to wash hair so it would be a tad misleading! Like many others out there I use Johnsons baby shampoo to clean my brushes. It gets your brushes lovely and clean and isn't too harsh. As you can imagine I have already bought this again and will continue to do so! For those that are new to make-up and using brushes I would totally recommend good old baby shampoo!

Cotton Pads
Cotton Pads

Of course I couldn't finish off this blog post without including the usual cotton pads - a beauty must have! Good for removing make-up, nail polish and applying skincare. Always a good buy!

Well there you have it. Another product empties is out of the way! What products have you used up lately? Let me know in the comments below!

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Friday 26 September 2014

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in shade 410 Fleur Tatious

Woah throw back from the past! This blog post has been sat in my drafts section for far too long! So long ago that in fact these photos are from my Iphone which I started blogging from! Forgive the lower quality photos however I thought for those lipstick junkies that read my blog this might be a useful blog post!

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in shade 410 Fleur Tatious
Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in shade 410 Fleur Tatious

I actually picked up this Rimmel London Moisture Renew lipstick from Poundland so it was an amazing bargain. You can pick these up at Boots for £6.49 here. If you have been following me on Twitter you will know that I am trying to wear more lipstick. It is something that I always stay clear of mostly because I like wearing make-up that I don't have to touch up throughout the day. However I am slowly coming round!

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in shade 410 Fleur Tatious

As you can tell this lipstick is a deep red colour with an almost pink undertone. The pink undertones to this lipstick make it very wearable for both day and night time despite it being a deep colour. I really love this lipstick as a go to night out lipstick. If ever I am in a rush and need to choose a colour quickly this is always the colour I gravitate towards.

Lipsticks can often put me off as sometimes they can be very drying and I hate having dry lips! These lipsticks however are 'infused with creamy moisture' which do help keep the moisture in your lips! The lasting power of this lipstick is pretty good. It can last about 3/4 hours without touch ups however you will need to top up after eating.

Have you tried any of the Rimmel London Moisture Renew lipsticks? What is your favourite lipstick brand? Let me know in the comments!

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Monday 22 September 2014

Poundland Beauty: Creightons Squeeky Clean Scrubaholic Face Scrub - Review

Hello everyone! Now that I am settled from the move I am making it my personal blogging goal to finally work on and publish the numerous blog posts I have waiting in my drafts section before reviewing some newer things! Let me tell you guys I have upped my photography game and I have been experimenting with backgrounds! Fingers crossed you will all like it!

Anyway! Today I am going to be sharing my thoughts on another Poundland beauty bargain from their Squeeky Clean range... a dupe for Soap & Glory wouldn't you say? Today it is their facial scrub - the Scrubaholic.

Creightons Squeeky Clean Scrubaholic Face Scrub

Firstly I love the packaging of this range. Girly, sleek and most importantly for shower and bath products it is easy to wipe off water! I have loved this face scrub to take away as a travel scrub. It does the job as a soft, less abrasive face scrub and leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed however since it is only £1 I am never too worried about leaving it behind, breaking it etc. 

The scent is the same as the rest of the Squeeky Clean range which for those of you who have yet to give it a smell is a mix between strawberries and raspberries. As you can probably guess it doesn't do anything particularly magical for your skin but it exfoliates and that's all you really need it to do! It is perfect for travel, those experimenting with exfoliators or those of a younger age. Also it looks pretty cute in your bathroom and you can't really argue with that!

Have you tried the Squeeky Clean range from Poundland? What were your thoughts? What is your favourite exfoliator? Let me know in the comments below!

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Friday 19 September 2014

Lifestyle: Family Wedding - Being a Bridesmaid at The Merchant Adventurerers' Hall in York

For those of you that follow my various social networks you will know that these past two weeks have been very hectic for me. I have been in the process of my very first move with my other half. I also had my cousins wedding on the 6th where I was acting as bridesmaid! Her wedding was up in York at The Merchant Adventurers' Hall. Myself, my mum, dad and Gaz left at Half 5 in the morning to travel up for the big day!

Myself and Gaz - Bridesmaid and Fiancé

As you can tell myself and Gaz clean up pretty good! This is just after the service. I thought you guys would like a full length photo of our 'outfit of the day' before I begin blabbing! Gaz's suit is from Next whilst my bridesmaid dress is from Debenhams. 

Bridesmaid

This was a little photo Gaz took whilst we were waiting to head to the venue. I was less than amused, as you can probably tell by the photo, as he randomly took this when I looked up! No time to pose!

Bridesmaid - Walking down the isle

Here is me nervously walking down the isle. This makes me really exited for my own wedding! It's been a while since I was a bridesmaid so I forgot the exiting feeling of walking down the isle! Next time I will be walking down one it will be to Gaz to be getting married myself!

Myself and Gaz - Bridesmaid and Fiancé

The day was truly wonderful. It was really nice for Gaz to meet my extended family and also really nice for the two of us to dress up for the day!

Myself and Gaz - Bridesmaid and Fiancé

As you can tell we are both masters at taking silly faced selfies!

Colourful corsage

When I got home I took this beautiful photo of the corsage that my cousin, Leanne, had made for all three bridesmaids. The combination of bright flowers is absolutely gorgeous and yet they are all real flowers!

Myself and Gaz - Bridesmaid and Fiancé

But to end the post here is a more flattering selfie of the pair of us! The day was wonderful and attending a wedding really highlighted to me the importance of marriage, love and having that person for you that you can rely on. Gaz is truly my rock and I don't know what I would do without me. He did my proud helping out so much on the day too! The wedding has also inspired me to beginning planning my own once our house is fully settled!

Have you recently gotten married? What are your tips to planning a wedding? When was the last time you were a bridesmaid... if ever?! Let me know in the comments below!

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Monday 15 September 2014

Lifestyle: Moving out!


Hello everyone! If you follow my twitter you will know that for the past two weeks myself and my other half have been going through the process of moving out together! My other half has moved a good few times however this was my very first move! EVER! So I was worried about a few things. I was worried about how on earth I was going to pack away 22 years of my life. I was worried about the transition between moving out, starting back at work and resuming my QTS. Most importantly... I was worried I was going to miss my parents, my pet dog and chinchillas!

Two weeks down the line and it's safe to say things are going well. Myself and Gaz have gotten in to a routine as far as work and chores are concerned. We have become very organised with everything in such a short period of time! Over the past few weeks our house has gone from looking plain to looking like IKEA exploded everywhere... but we're getting there!

I plan on doing a few more blog posts about moving out. If any of you have any questions I may do a Q&A post so please do leave comments with questions if you have any! I also plan on doing a few décor posts when things settle down!

Have any of you been through the process of a move? How was your experience? Any nightmare stories? Do let me know in the comments!
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Friday 12 September 2014

Let's Take a Look See: Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color - 903 Silver Elements

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Colour - 903 Silver Elements

Hello everyone! If you have been reading my blog for a while you will know how much of a nail art/polish/varnish addict I am... My collection spans well oner 60 polishes currently. Far, FAR too many! When I saw some Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color in Poundland I had to pick it up! My obsession was calling!

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Colour - 903 Silver Elements

As you can see after removing the foil packaging from the polish the pattern of the magnet is still clearly shown on the lid so, if like me you have a few magnetic polishes, you can tell each magnet apart! 

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Colour - 903 Silver Elements

The polish itself is a beautiful metallic silver and the magnet does a fantastic job at producing a strong and clearly defined chevron pattern. Overall I can't fault Sally Hansen for this magnetic polish in the colour 903 Silver Elements! I have a few more colours and patters to try so fingers crossed that those live up to this fantastic standard!

Have you tried a magnetic polish by Sally Hansen or any other brand? What is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

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Monday 8 September 2014

Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter - Review

Hello everyone! First off a blog announcement! This week I will be going back to posting every Monday and Friday. Sadly no more midweek posts on Wednesdays anymore! This is due to the fact that I will be returning back to my QTS training soon and I will be back to work. Also for those of you that may not follow me on Twitter or Instagram I have recently moved out with my other half! This has meant that I will need just that extra bit of time a week to get my house ready and I will also need to wait for my internet to be connected! I've really enjoyed posting 3 times a week throughout the summer with the extra time I had!

Anyway enough updates on the blog! If you have any questions feel free to tweet or e-mail me! For now lets get on with reviewing the MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter!

Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter

I'm sure, like myself, you have heard and read the amazing reviews on this product before. It;s a cult favourite both for its beautiful iridescence as a highlighter and for its affordability. You can pick up this highlighter at Superdrug here for just £3! If you have been following my blog lately you will know that I have been experimenting with contouring and highlighting. £3 is the perfect amount to start off with as it doesn't break the bank if I'm not the biggest fan!

Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter

Firstly let me start off by saying the beautiful iridescent shimmer of this highlighter is so difficult to catch on camera. Although it looks beautiful photographed it looks even more stunning in person. If you're in Superdrug I suggest you swatch it or take a close up look at it! As far as the product itself? It's amazing! The powder is slightly grainy in touch, probably due to the embossed pattern, however it applies so smoothly to the skin both with the use of fingertips and brushes. I particularly like to apply this down the centre of my nose and across my cheekbones. It really does leave a stunning natural glow.

There is only one problem I have with this product and that is the packaging. Before the move I kept all my make-up in my small vanity in my room. This highlighter didn't leave my daily make-up bag in my vanity however within a few weeks the lid snapped off. Upon closer inspection the hinges of the lid had snapped the plastic. Now I'm not going to moan a lot as the product is only £3 and it still lives in my make-up bag so it isn't too much of an issue -  I can just pop the lid back on! However it is something to consider if you are considering carrying this around, chucking it in your bag etc.

Have you tried the MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter? What is your favourite highlighter? Let me know in the comments below!

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Friday 5 September 2014

Poundland Beauty: Argan Oil Hair Treatment with Moroccan Argan Oil Extract - Review

Hello everyone! This post has been sitting in my drafts section for a while (hence the Iphone photos) so I thought it was about time I finally review it! Argan Oil seems to have taken the beauty world by storm. It's the 'it' ingredient as it were... Personally I love using it for my hair, particularly after it has been dyed, as it keeps my hair soft and hydrated. However it can get expensive to use on a regular basis. On one of my many Poundland explorations I came across their Argan Oil Hair Treatment so I thought I would give it a go as an affordable alternative!

Argan Oil Hair Treatment with Moroccan Argan Oil Extract

The product itself comes in a little cardboard box detailing all about the product and what it can do. It claims to leave the hair feeling 'shiny, smooth & healthy'.

Argan Oil Hair Treatment with Moroccan Argan Oil Extract

The product itself comes in a little plastic bottle which I must say is pretty cute! The bottle itself is pretty durable as I have used it as my travel hair oil on more than one occasion now and it is still standing! To get the product out you simply pour it from the bottle which gives great control of how little or much you want to use. So how does the product perform? Pretty darn well if you ask me. It always leaves my hair feeling lovely and soft and leaves a glossy finish to my hair. You get 50ml of product for a £1. It's not the biggest of products however since it's an oil you don't tend to go through that amount quickly anyway! The smell... well the smell is nice to me! It smells of Oilatum which only those of you with sensitive skin or eczema like me may be aware of! You may have to take my word for it! In any case the smell isn't too overbearing and doesn't linger.

Overall I think it is a fantastic cheaper alternative. I have pretty thick and long hair so I'm pretty amazed that it managed to leave my hair feeling smooth and fresh, particularly after being dyed. It is also perfect for travel as it is a lovely compact size and the world won't end if you someone manage to damage it! 

I hope you guys enjoyed another Poundland beauty post! I have had some great feedback from a lot of you on how much you love this affordable little series! Have you tried the Argan Oil range from Poundland? What is your favourite Argan Oil product? Or are you not a fan? Let me know in the comments!

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Wednesday 3 September 2014

Makeup Revolution Vivid Blush Lacquer - Desire - Review

Once again I am reviewing another Makeup Revolution product! I must say this brand has done nothing but impress me so far with both their value for money and the pigmentation you get from their products for such an affordable price.

Makeup Revolution Vivid Blush Lacquer - Desire

Today I will be reviewing their Blush Lacquer or liquid blush. I purchased their liquid blush in the shade Desire as it looked like a lovely natural and autumnal shade to use. I tend to go for autumnal blush shades by default as my every day blush when I am feeling unadventurous so its usually a good investment to make for me!

Makeup Revolution Vivid Blush Lacquer - Desire

One thing you need to know about this product... a little goes a hell of a long way! This was literally a swatch from a dot of product. A dot! This can be both fantastic as you know you are getting the most out of your product but also a pain as sometimes you can press out too much product for how pigmented it is! I would totally recommend having cotton pads nearby whilst you get used to just how much you need of this product.

The lasting power is pretty incredible too. I find this tends to last around 3-4 hours. It lasts even longer if you top it off with a correlating powder blush. Makeup Revolution offer 6 shades of blush here on their website for the cost of £3. I totally plan on picking up some more shades! I have my heart on Rush and O'Boy!

Have you tried Makeup Revolution yet? Are you more of a liquid, cream or powder blush person? Let me know in the comments!

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Monday 1 September 2014

MAC Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage - Review

Hello everyone! For those of you that have been following my blog for a while you will know that this year I delved in to the world of MAC for the first time. Through the various orders I have made I have often received a little sample of MAC's Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage. Today I thought I would let you guys know what I think about it!

MAC Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage

The little samples come in these adorable little black shimmery tubes. They are perfect for travel! You can check out the full sized version of this product here on the MAC website where it is available for £21. MAC describe this product as:

'An ultra-fluid lotion formulated with special-effect silicones. Calms and soothes the skin, blots away excess oil, and evens out skin redness. Improves the laydown and application of foundation or powder'

I have to agree with MAC. The product itself is both fluid but also moisturising at the same time. If you're not too fond of the 'silicone feel' of some primers then this is perfect. It honestly feels just like a moisturiser which is why I love it for travel. This primer definitely helps my skin when it is feeling a bit red and tender or sensitive. Although I wouldn't agree that it necessarily helps control oil to a massive extent I would say that it gives a flawless finish to any foundation.

If ever I run out of my mini samples of this product I will totally be picking up the £21 full sized version! Although it could be a while off yet! Have you tried MAC's Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

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