My Current Beauty Wishlist: November!

This is seriously a month for super girly, sparkly, frivolous make-up things. I go through phases with skincare, make-up and body care, and at the moment it's most definitely make-up. So for this one post, I will undulge my utterly girly side; no holds barred, superfluous frivolity.

Topshop Nails in Panther - Topshop, £6.50; Lipstick in Whimsical - Topshop, £8; REN F10 Smooth and Renew Face Mask - REN, £20; Revlon Nail Enamel in Sparkling - Superdrug, £6.49; Rimmel Match Perfection in Ivory - Superdrug, £6.99; Lipstick in Beguiled - Topshop, £8.

My recent dabbling with sparkly nail varnish has got me hooked, and I absolutely LOVE this glitter polish from Topshop's Dark Side of Nude collection. I saw it on Lily Pebbles' nails, on Instagram I think, and just fell in love with it. It looks seriously good on top of black nail varnish and I want to utilise my recent Barry M discovery as much as I can! This is definitely going to be gracing my fingernails this festive season!

I'm basically just a massive copycat, so it's the same with the two Topshop lipsticks. I've seen them both on various blogs and gracing the lips of my friends too, and they both look so wearable. Whimsical is perfect for everyday and Beguiled is just perfect for what I'm looking for when I want something a bit extra. On Guy Fawkes night I really wanted to wear a dark Autumny lip, but do I own anything darker than a very pale nude? No.

I've heard a lot about the Rimmel Match Perfection foundation and I definitely want to try it. I'm a bit out of love with Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua at the moment, I have weird dry skin at the moment and I'm finding it just seems to sit on my skin and look a bit chalky. I just want to shake it up a bit and give myself a bit of choice in the base department!

The Revlon nail varnish is possibly the most frivolous. It's just so pink and sparkly and just, amazing.

A couple of posts ago I talked about the little REN tester set I purchased. I've since fallen completely, head over heels in love with the F10 Smooth and Renew Face Mask. After using it my skin is very noticeably clearer and feels so clean and refreshed. It basically does exactly what it says it's going to do, with absolutely no disappointments. It really feels like it's doing my skin some good and I think it's going to become my go-to face mask.

I'm on a big money saving drive at the moment so I can eventually move in with the boy, so this is really all in a fantasy world.. A girl can dream, hey?

♥

Sparkly Nails!

PS. Please ignore my hideous cuticles.

I've finally found a way I like to wear Models Own Disco Heaven. I bought this polish back in May and I've tried it in so many combinations and just haven't loved it. What with it being Halloween, firework night and almost a little bit festive, I decided to pair it with black. I thought that was seasonally appropriate! I used Barry M Black, which is basically just black. I really like Barry M nail varnish; they are SO affordable and I really don't think that is reflected in the formulation. I only had to use a regular two coats before this was completely opaque. 

Annoyingly, the sheer sparkliness of this combo just doesn't show up pictures! It looks the best under the spotlights in my bathroom, but even then it just doesn't do it justice. I even thought about making a tiny video clip of me waving my fingernails around, but I came to my senses and realised that would be totally ridiculous. 

The Models Own glitter wears so well too, I've had this on for about five days now and there's not a single chip. I've also seriously reawakened my love for sparkly nails. It's so perfect for this festive time of year and I can see myself rocking many a sparkly fingernail in the run up to Christmas and New Year!

Any recommendations for lovely sparkle?

♥

Can you do dry shampoo wrong?

I was all ready and fired up to sit down and write a damning review of this dry shampoo, but about half an hour has now passed since I gave it an ultimatum, and I'm starting to change my mind. I shall begin.

I bought this a good few months ago, because I love LUSH and I love dry shampoo. Who doesn't? A whole extra day without the laborious task of hair washing?! Don't mind if I do. I've used it about 3 times before today and have been hideously disappointed with it each time. It's like shaking talcum powder onto your head.

When you first apply it, it is literally powder, then you rub it in and use a shampooing motion to make it work. It makes my hair feel really heavy, whereas when I use Batiste it immediately lightens the hair and any trace of grease is gone. I usually like to spray dry shampoo into my roots surrounding my face, particularly down the sides. That's my problem area that gives my dirty hair away first! Trouble with this is, it makes my hair SO white. And my face. It drops everywhere, so it's preferable to do this outside, in the buff. It's just not practical at all. When I shake it onto my roots near my hairline, it stains my scalp and my face white and even when I try to brush off the excess it doesn't budge. It also takes ages to brush out all the powder and even now my hair is looking ever so slightly grey. Ash brown if you will. It's one redeeming feature is its smell. Typical of any LUSH product, it does smell really nice.

However. As I sit and write this, I am aware that my hair looks pretty damn good. I'm on Day 3 hair now, and you wouldn't be able to tell. As long as I don't touch my hair, I'm pretty happy with it. As soon as I touch my hair, my hand is dry and powdery and I realise that my hair feels matted and weirdly dusty.

I really think this is one that you need to try yourself. For some people, this might be the dry shampoo of dreams, but for me it's just not. I can't remember exactly how much this was, but I do know it wasn't what you might call budget. When I can use a brand I much prefer for a fraction of the price, I'm going to pass on this one.

Blimey, what a negative nelly. Has anyone tried this and loved it? Maybe I'm just doing it wrong...

♥

My Current Beauty Wishlist: October!

This is my absolute favourite time of year. I used to be such a summer girl, but I can't deal with the changeable weather. I like that with autumn and winter you know exactly what you're going to get. It will be cold, you will need a coat, you will need boots, and you might need wellies. I've felt super inspired on the beauty front this month, with all the autumny colours flying around, along with lots of Sunday evening wintery pampering products! I've thrown a few fashion items in too just for a bit of variation, I feel like I might branch out a bit on the blog! Let me know what you think :-)

MAC Hue lipstick - £14; Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - £33; Aubergine Cloche Bow Hat - Marks & Spencer, £25; Autograph Lace Up Ankle Boots - Marks and Spencer, £75; Essie Bahama Mama - Boots/Superdrug, £7.99; Dachshund Notebook - Anthropologie, £10.

I'm ready to make the transition to lipstick. I've got my lipcare down pat now and they're smooth enough for lipsticks. I started off with the Revlon Lip Butters because they weren't as scary. Now I'm ready! I'm going to start off with Hue because it's a relatively unscary shade that will ease me in gently!

Now that WINTER IS COMING, I'm looking for a foundation with a bit more coverage, I don't know why, I just really like that look in winter. I've wanted to try Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation for yonks and I think I'll finally get round to it this winter.

Now. This hat. It's so Downton Abbey it hurts me. If you'll now look to the right hand side of this post, you will see that my Twitter feed is full of my professed love for Downton. I love cloche hats anyway and the colour of this one is just spot on. I really think that Marks & Spencer are on top form at the moment. With their new beauty destination it's quickly becoming one of my favourite places to shop.

More M&S! I tried these boots when I was in Cornwall, under the demand of my boyfriend. I reluctantly pulled them on, thinking they might be a bit dominatrix-y. But oh my, they are just so classy and lovely. I was wearing my Zara tweed fitted blazer at the time and they just went to perfectly. I'm waiting and waiting now until women's boots are the M&S Deal of the Day!

The obligatory Essie shade. Bahama Mama, aside from the name, is just so autumnal and lovely. And it matches the hat. Done deal.

Lastly, this dachshund notebook from Anthropologie. It's excessively long and highly impractical, but it would just look so good wherever you decided to put it. It's definitely a decorative notebook! 

Eventually, you will come to realise the extent of my love for dachshunds. Oh my.

♥

REN Skincare Test Run

I'd heard a lot about REN skincare before I finally got round to trying it. Let alone hearing about it on every blog I read, my boyfriend always used to rave about their Moroccan Rose range. So when I saw Lily Pebbles' video about her sample box, I popped to my local apothecary (oo-er, apothecary), and purchased the selection for sensitive skin. I've never thought of myself as having sensitive skin before, but the gentlemen who owns the shop immediately had me down as sensitive skinned. Apparently if you experience a lot of redness, it's sensitivity. Shows how much I know, I thought that was just the colour of my skin!

For starters, this kit is just so cute. It just really appeals to me. It's such a fantastic way of trying lots of new products without having to spend an absolute fortune; you can pick up these kits for different skin types for only £13. The deluxe samples have lasted me so long and I've really been able to get an idea of whether the products suit me. 

To begin with, rather negatively, the cleanser. I hate to be a negative nelly, but I really don't like this cleanser. You apply it to dry skin, add a little water to emulsify it and then rinse it off. I found it really drying on my skin; after using it my skin felt incredibly tight and shiny. I actually think this is the product that prompted a resurgence in the eczema around my eyes. It also didn't remove any leftover makeup that well. I just found it really ineffective. Thumbs down!

The night serum is absolutely lovely, since using it I've really noticed that the redness on my skin has lessened and everything is generally clearer. It is an incredibly oily serum and when I first used it I thought it would really play havoc with my skin, but its actually a really light oil and soaks in very quickly. The only downside is, it does have a rather suspect scent to it - a sort of rotten fish smell. It's quite faint so I can just about get over it.

The stand out product for me is the day cream. It smells clean and fresh, it's light, absorbs well and is the perfect base for make up. It keeps my face hydrated for the whole day, without it feeling oily by the afternoon. I can honestly say I've noticed an improvement since using the two products together. I love it so much, I purchased full size only yesterday. I can't quite justify the serum yet though...

I'm still on the fence about the face mask, I'm not keen on the texture. It's incredibly shiny and sticky and I'm never quite sure if I've managed to remove it all! It also smells very strongly of orange, overwhelmingly so! 

Overall, I think these little sample sets are such a good idea. It's such an affordably way of trying a relatively high end skincare brand.

Are there any REN products that stand out for you?

♥

The Sunday Night Pamper Sesh!

So, it's Sunday night. Back to eleven hour days tomorrow! Sunday nights just feel perfect for pampering; a nice face mask followed by a glass of wine and Downton Abbey is just unbeatable. I've had flu followed by a really bad cold this week, so I feel more in need of it than ever.

I started with a hair mask. Now, I'm pretty new to the world of hair masks. This James Brown one is the first I've ever tried and I won't lie, I mostly bought it for the smell. Not that I can smell it at the moment with my cold, but I know its there. I honestly notice a difference when I use this. My hair feels so much lighter and softer after using this, even after a couple of washes. I just need to get myself into using it weekly and stop being lazy! I was worried that I would notice my hair getting greasier quickly when I use this, but there's absolutely nothing of the sort. It's so lovely. After washing my hair I use Moroccanoil, but I always use that, so it technically doesn't deserve to be in this post...

At the same time, I whack on a face mask. I love Mask of Magnaminty, it just sets my skin back to normal again, it's like a magic face-yuk eraser! My skin feels particularly gross at the moment from blowing my nose all the time and just generally dry from the change in weather, so this was definitely needed. It's my magic cure-all and Sunday nights wouldn't be the same without it.

As soon as I hop out of the shower I slather on a small bucketful of Biotherm anti-drying body milk. I swear this stuff is the best body moisturiser I've ever used. It feels very sheer to apply and soaks in really easily, but at the same time it is incredibly moisturising. It smells delightfully fresh and light too.

This is the gross bit, so I'm going to gloss over it quickly! Foot scrub and moisturiser! I hardly ever take the time to scrub my feet; it's that extra step in the shower that I can just never be bothered to do. It's awkward, you end up hopping around on one leg and invariably slip over. But I'm always really glad when I do manage to do it. I then rub in some of the Sanctuary foot moisturiser and pop on some moisture socks (sexy) until the next morning. Et voila, smooth tootsies!

Happy Sunday Pamper Sesh!

♥

My Current Beauty Wishlist: September!

Can you believe it's September already? The lack of time I've spent on the beach this summer is frightening; I haven't used half the beachy, summer beauty products I wanted to! I'm seriously making the most of the sun that we're having now, who knows how much longer it'll be around?!

All of that said, here's what I've got my eye on this September...

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in Bare - Liz Earle, £21; Vaseline Pink Bubbly - Selfridges, £3.49; Essie Bikini So Teeny - Boots, £7.99; Hydraluron - Boots, £24.99; Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Prince's Trust Limited Edition - Liz Earle, £19.75.

 I made my first Liz Earle purchase a few weeks back, with the iconic Cleanse and Polish, and I was absolutely blown away. The speed at which it arrived was incredible, the packaging was beautiful and the customer service was second to none. A lot of brands could take a leaf out of Liz Earle's book, for sure. There was a lovely personalised letter, which I know everyone receives, but it just made it all the more special. And my parcel was FULL of free samples. I received a travel size Instant Boost Skin Tonic, which I love and a little envelope with a sample of every shade of Sheer Skin Tint. Which I LOVE. It's not as sheer as I had expected it to feel, and does feel quite heavy on your skin to begin with, but for the rest of the day I barely noticed it was there. It didn't come off on my fingers when I inadvertantly touched my face, which I often do, and it stuck around and gave me great coverage all day. On a day when I was stonking round a country show on a slightly wet and most definitely windy day. I can't get enough of this and have even moved onto the shades that don't actually suit my skin tone. Intervention required!

That leads me onto the Prince's Trust Limited Edition Rose and Lavender Cleanse and Polish. I love the original so so much and have really noticed an improvement in my skin since I started using it. Seeing as I am sucker for anything that purports to be relaxing, I'm drawn to this like a moth to a flame. I think it would be just lovely to use at night just before bed. The limited edition aspect makes me want it even more too. I should definitely get it now in case it runs out... right?!

I've seen Caroline Hirons raving madly about Hydraluron, and I go in for anything that claims to magically hydrate your skin. My skin isn't dry, but it always feels a little papery, in a dehydrated kind of way. I'm hoping this would help me on the way to the super smooth skin that I so badly desire! That and a hundred glasses of water a day.

The obligatory Essie has to be in there. I love this shade so much, it just looks so striking on the nails! However, everytime I pop into my local seaside Superdrug, there aren't any! Come on Weymouth, what are you playing at..

And last but not least, Vaseline's limited edition Pink Bubbly. It's all about the limited editions this month isn't it? It's hard to understand, unless you know me, quite how much I love champagne. So I was more than a little excited when I read about this. I can't justify spending more on the p+p than on the actual product, so I think I'll have to wait until it migrates from Selfridges to Boots and Superdrug on the 12th of the month. Hurry please, Vaseline!

♥

A sale bargain and a sneaky OOTD...

I saw this dress weeks and weeks ago in Warehouse and snapped these pictures when I tried it on. It's totally weird, but I hate coming out of the fitting room to show whoever I'm with what things look like - there are too many people looking, the lights are unforgiving, I don't have the right shoes on - basically a multitude of things are just. not. right. So I always take a few snaps for a second opinion.

The dress was initially £75 and I really could not justify paying that, it was just a little too out of my price range for another dress that I probably didn't need. But oh, did I want it. I absolutely LOVE this dress, it's a grown-up floral pattern that doesn't make me look like a ten year old and it is the most classic, beautiful fit. I just think it's the most classy thing I've ever laid eyes on! When I imagine how I want to look, this is the dress I see. So you can imagine my utter glee when I saw it in the sale yesterday; there was only one left and as I approached everything went into slow motion, as I turned the tag around to reveal my size! Wahoo!

As my Mother says, 'fart-arsing around'

It was £35 in the sale, but I got my sister to buy it for me with her student discount, 20% at the moment, so it was only £28! I think it was most definitely meant to be.

I wore it today in the absolute blistering heat for a very sophisticated trip to a posh garden centre (is there such a thing?!) with my boyfriend. I will admit it was absolutely too hot for a dress of this fit and fabric and I swiftly changed when I got home. 

I think I might make a thing of these outfit posts and maybe I'll graduate to proper photos in my garden or something one day soon!

♥

NOTD #4

It's a new day. The Olmypics have fled my little seaside town, it's raining, and I've got earache. So to cheer myself up I've painted my nails with a shade I haven't used for yonks. I love doing this, I use a nail varnish that I've sort of fallen out of love with and remind myself all over again why I liked it in the first place.
 

Revlon Nail Enamel in 211 Charming

I love this colour! I really like having pastel nails, but think they can look a bit cheap sometimes, so I really like that this isn't an in-your-face shade of lilac, but slightly more subtle. It's another one of those colours that renders me stupid and makes me stare at my nails for prolonged amounts of time. I don't think this nail varnish gets the recognition it deserves either, due to other rather more famous shades of lilac hogging the limelight!

A little glittery accent from Topshop's Razzmatazz - £6

To begin with I thought it would be really difficult to apply because it has a really thin brush, but it goes on an absolute dream and only takes two coats to reach opacity. It's just so summery, I can't get enough of it. At the last minute I decided to add a glittery accent, but didn't want to go overboard and ruin everything, so just painted half of one nail with Topshop's Razzmatazz. I also didn't want to use too much because I credit this with ruining my nails last time I used it! Hardest nail varnish to remove EVER.

On a side note, check out the arm candy! I hardly ever wear jewellery, so this is a big thing for me! I saw it in Topshop at the weekend and loved it. It's little spikes if you can't see it properly.. 

Happy Monday!

♥

Real Techniques Blusher Brush

There are a zillion posts on this already, but I love it so much I wanted to do a post on it anyway. I picked this up in Boots yesterday with my hard saved Boots points, which felt so good! Although it took SO long to collect them and now they're all gone! Just like that. Better get saving again!

Real Techniques Blusher Brush - Boots, £9.99.

 Now, this is coming from the biggest makeup brush cynic around. I just never understood why people would put makeup on with brushes when they had perfectly good fingers that did exactly the same job? It just seemed completely superfluous to me. I completely take it all back! I purchased the Real Techniques Core Collection after reading and hearing so much about the brushes and I will never look back.

I noticed the difference the first time I used the brushes; my foundation looked flawless and everything just looked generally better applied. I also noticed that my makeup stayed on for so much longer. Pre-brush, my makeup would have all but disappeared by lunchtime, but applying my makeup with the buffing brush was so much better; I now get home from work and my makeup still looks fresh(ish) and dewy! If you keep on top of washing your brushes too, then it's far more hygienic than rubbing your fingers all over your face. I can honestly I've noticed an improvement in breakouts since I started using makeup brushes.

I absolutely LOVE this brush. All of them in fact. It's so soft and makes my blusher look super natural. Who knew that a decent brush could make makeup look that much better?! I do think these brushes are rather on the pricey side, but so worth it. And if looked after properly, I can't see myself needing to buy anymore for quite a while!

♥

My Current Beauty Wishlist: August!

REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream, £27.00; Fekkai Glossing Cream, £25ish; Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua - Debenhams £32; Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum - Debenhams, £49 for 60ml;  This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle - £21.60; Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - £14.25 for 100ml Pump Starter Kit.

I first tried this REN day cream when it came free with Red magazine and absolutely loved it. I've never actually used a day cream as such before, and I wasn't used to the texture and consistency to begin with, but it definitely grows on you. It absorbs quickly and smells really fresh and clean. I have very sensitive skin and I can definitely see I've seen a reduction in redness since using this. I've since bought a REN starter pack with four little deluxe samples in which contains another sample of this, so we'll see how it goes.

I first heard of this Fekkai fellow when FleurdeForce bought this glossing cream in LA. I don't even know the girl, obvs, but from watching her videos I trust her tastes implicitly. I've just seen this in TKMaxx for around £7, so I'm definitely going to pop back today to get one. I think they're around £25 at full price. I don't tend to do anything to my hair, apart from a bit of cheap shampoo and conditioner every other day, so I'm excited to see if I see a difference.

The Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is a really boring one; mine has run out and in the week that I've been without it, I've decided I just can't be without it for much longer. I just love, love, love it. I've been using the YSL Touche Eclat foundation and for me, it just doesn't come close to Vitalumiere Aqua. Ooh, controversial.

The Jimmy Choo perfume is a totally random one. I walked past it in Debenhams, spritzed it onto me and LOVED it. It's just so unlike any other perfume I've ever used. In reality, I definitely won't be buying this, but it's right up there on the wishlist.

It wouldn't be a monthly wishlist without a leg product of some description. My legs still aren't looking their best and the promise that this product will fade imperfections, scars and bruising has got me hook, line and sinker. It's usually £36, but for some reason at the moment is only £21.60?! I'm not sure if this is a sale or just a limited offer, so hot foot it over to the 'this works' website if you fancy some.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. Not much else to say! I'm just replacing something I've used up.

♥

NOTD #3; Go Team GB!

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I am absolutely gripped by the Olympics. I can't stop watching it. I'm really lucky to live in an Olympic host town, so we have HUGE screens up on the beach that are showing the Olympic coverage non stop. The atmosphere down there is amazing - it feels like you're really there. Of course when it's a sailing event you are, in fact, really there. I think the 'Inspire a Generation' thing is totally on point too, I absolutely want to be the next Helen Glover.

So, with all the patriotism floating about, I decided to get in on the nail art game. Thankfully, my sister has the steadiest hand in all the land, so I got her involved on this one. Union Flag nails!

Excuse the gin picture, I had to include it because it just looked SO British.

This is just my favourite ever. I love my nails like this, I just can't stop staring at them. I end up looking like a total moron at work because I just sit at my desk smiling down at my nails. So many people have asked me if they're nail wraps or stickers or whatever, because my sister has just done such a wonderful job. Props to her. It's extra amounts of fun to cheer on Team GB with nails like this, supporting from the sofa!

L to R: Rimmel, 030 Double Decker Red; Barry M, 66 Matt White; Essie, 92 Aruba Blue.

We decided that the best approach was to use a higher quality base so that it lasted longer and then just use cheaper colours over the top. I'm really glad we chose the Essie polish because I actually really like it on it's own, which is bizarre because I've always disliked blue nail varnish. It might not actually be called Aruba Blue, sorry about that, but the writing has rubbed off the top! If you want Union flag nails, these are definitely the exact shades to choose, the colours and the vibrancy of them are all perfect. Apart from the white, obviously. White is just white.

♥

Lush Mask of Magnaminty

Holy moly. I've found my miracle cure! My skin has been going a little crazy lately; I think I've been switching around too many skincare products. Disappointingly too, I think my skin might disagree with my new YSL Touche Eclat foundation. It seems to make my skin really oily and has made me break out quite badly over the last few days. I'm going to persevere and see if it's just using something different after SO long with the same foundation that's done it but, either way, my skin has become a LOT oilier in the past few days and I have more than a few angry, red blighters on my face!

Enter Mask of Magnaminty! I initially bought this for my sister, but a couple of weeks back when she wasn't looking I sneakily plastered a layer over my face. I can honestly say I don't think I've ever used a face mask I like this much. I love, love, love it. It balances my skin out so well; I put it on last night when my little spotty friends were really angry, and this morning they are practically gone. They're totally dried up now and can barely even be seen. My face feels really deeply cleansed after washing it off and so plumped up. (In a non-fat way, obviously.) In my head, this is a miracle start-again magic potion; my face is a totally clean slate again the day after using it, it just brings everything back to where it should be.

The mask claims to "fight eruptions", and that is exactly what it does; the spot above my eyebrow last night could only be described as an eruption. Today? Almost gone. The mask is incredibly cooling and soothing too. Last night, the hottest night's sleep of my life I swear, was the optimum time to use this mask. I was all hot and bothered and this cooled my face down a treat. Rinsing it off with cool water felt incredible too. Polished off with a refrigerated gel eye mask and it was heavenly.

♥

NOTD #2; two of my favourite things!

Essie Mint Candy Apple

I snapped this photo the other night when I went down to the harbour with my sisters for fish and chips. It was such a gorgeous evening so we decided to go down and make a proper summer evening of it! My town is hosting the Olympic sailing events so everything is just exploding with Olympic-ness at the moment. For a small seaside town that gets it's fair share of bad press, it feels incredibly exciting and actually worth being here at the moment. There's a really amazing atmosphere. Being surrounded by all the festivities has got me properly into the Olympic spirit and I'm crazy excited for it all to kick off now.

And the fingernails! I'm wearing Essie Mint Candy Apple, which I've completely fallen back in love with. I always overlook this nail varnish, I have no idea why, I seem to have a love/hate relationship with it. It's not until it's painted and dried that I remember how much I love it. It's one of those nail varnishes that makes me stare non-stop at my nails! I love the clashy pastel colour with the brights of the Coca-Cola can. I'm definitely going to try and remember to wear this shade more often.

If anyone has become as obsessed with the union jack as I have, keep your eyes peeled for more flag themed posts! A piece of trivia for you, did anyone know it's only called a union jack if it's on a boat? Apparently, on land it's just called a union flag. Can anyone confirm or deny this shocking piece of news?!

♥

Neom hand cream free with Harper's Bazaar!

I'm a sucker for a hand cream. As I have mentioned countless times before, I despise having dry hands! The sort of dry skin where your hands catch on certain fabrics? My actual nightmare. So when I saw that Harper's Bazaar magazine were giving away a free Neom hand cream in their August issue, I snapped one straight up. I love reading Harper's Bazaar anyway so it was no great hardship.

I've read and heard so much about Neom recently, it's definitely doing the blog circuit. Their Happiness candle is definitely on my lust list! I've never tried any Neom products before so was super excited to give this a go.

I didn't actually realise there were two options until after I'd purchased this. I think I would have preferred to have picked up the Moroccan Rose alternative, because I'm not honestly loving the cedarwoody scent to this. The hand cream itself though is lovely. It's instantly hydrating, which I love, and isn't at all greasy. Some hand creams tend to just sit on the surface and rub off on everything before they've had a chance to work, but this one gets on in there and does what it came here to do. It's actually a fairly generous sized sample too - I thought it would have a tiny amount of product in, but it's full to the brim. To the point where I managed to use about five times too much the first time I used it! 

If I liked the scent of this it would absolutely be my new favourite hand cream, but I'll be totally honest, it makes me feel a bit queasy! I just love the smell of The Sanctuary hand cream too much. It definitely has a luxurious scent to it, but it would seem that my immature nostrils just aren't ready for that yet!

I'd definitely recommend picking up Harper's Bazaar this month, but go for the Moroccan Rose if you can!

♥

Nail of the Day #1

 

M&S Limited Collection, Pale Peach - £3.99; Models Own Hed Kandi Ibiza Mix - Boots, £5.

I have LOVED the Models Own Hed Kandi range sinec I first saw it. I am truly smitten with glitter nail varnishes. They're just so much more interesting than a plain polish. I think I like that they're a bit tacky, but because it's only a teeny part of one's attire, it doesn't really matter.

Please everyone excuse my hideous fingernails in this picture; I swear no matter how hard I try, I always have horribly dry, crispy cuticles! I bought this M&S nail varnish for my sister when she came home from uni for the summer. I thought it was loving, sisterly thing to do, and she hasn't used it once! Hadn't even taken it out of the bag. So I thought in that case she probably wouldn't mind if I used it! I've never used M&S nail varnish before, and was a bit dubious, because if I'm being honest, M&S wouldn't be my first port of call for a nail varnish. I absolutely loved this though. The consistency is perfect - a lot of light colours look very streaky and need lots of coats for even coverage, but I think I could have got away with just one coat of this. In the picture I'm wearing two coats. I really liked the brush too. This is going to sound ever so odd, but I have very wide fingernails, so am always really glad when nail varnish has a nice wide brush!

A very bad habit of mine is to get bored very quickly with my fingernails. After less than a day of wearing just Pale Peach (how originally named!), I decided I needed to paint some glitter over it. I always do this; get really bored and end up doing it purely for the sake of doing something. And then usually regretting it. I decided to add Ibiza Mix on just the one finger, which I actually love. Even though my boyfriend says I look like I have a weird nail fungus. I just don't care. I've tried this over brighter polishes and it just doesn't look as good. You can really see the colour of the glitter when you paint it over a lighter colour. Success!

I really didn't think I could write this much about nail varnish, so I'm sure lots of this is very waffley. In the future I will endeavour to keep these posts to just a picture and the name. Job done.

PS. Check the rain in the photos, EUGH!

My Current Beauty Wishlist: July!

I'm going to make this a regular post, because it seems that every month comes a host of different beauty products that I want to try! I'm going to do a post later in the week with some mini reviews of the things I purchased from last month's wishlist, so look out for that. But for now, July!

YSL Touche Eclat Foundation - Debenhams, £28; Seche Vite Fastdry Top Coat - feelunique.com, £9.85; Nars Laguna - £25; Essie Fiji - Boots, £7.99; Real Techniques Blush Brush - Boots, £9.99; Nars Blush Duo, Albatross and Orgasm, £29; Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs - Boots, £10.29.

Are you sensing a theme here? Everything looks decidedly pink. This definitely wasn't intentional, but I do like a good theme.

I think the YSL Touche Eclat foundation is probably at the top of everyone's wishlist this month. As soon as I heard it was in the making I knew that I would buy it, probably on the day it launched. I'm a staunch user of Touche Eclat under-eye concealer, so I absolutely cannot wait to get using this! I'm planning to pop in one day this week to ask for a little sample pot. I want to wear it for a few days to make sure I'm definitely getting the right colour.

I've read so much about Seche Vite, I really just need to try it for myself. I'm an impatient nail painter, so if this really does make them dry faster, I'm there! Essie Fiji looks absolutely gorgeous. I'm a big fan of the neutral fingernail, but for the summer I fancy something a bit more than nude. I love that it's baby pink, but isn't horrendously tacky.

There's quite a bit of Nars this month. I must confess, I own absolutely no Nars at all. And I think it's time. I've wanted Nars Laguna for ages and Orgasm is such a talked about blush, that I definitely want to try it. My friend Arwen then recommended Albatross to me, and oh my, I love the sound of it. I think it's brilliant that Nars do these blush duos, it saves a bit of money! There's no way I'll be getting either of these this month, and definitely not at the same time; that would be SO much money! They'll be on the longterm wishlist I think.

I really need a blush brush. I'm using some shabby thing I've had since I was about 16, pretty sure it might have come free with a magazine. I've only recently realised how much better makeup looks when it's properly applied. I know, heathen! I absolutely love the Real Techniques buffing brush and the contouring brush, so I'm going to go for their blush brush too!


And finally, Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs. I really want to be able to wear dresses and heels this summer and not feel horribly self conscious. I'm going to give this a try and see if it covers up any of the marks on my legs! If it does, I might buy shares in Sally Hansen and would urge you all to do the same.

What are you lusting over this month? :-)

Getting my legs ready to bare..

I feel very strange divulging this on the internet, when I can't even wear a skirt to walk down the street. I suffer really badly from ingrown hairs all over my lower legs. And when I say really badly, I mean it's very bad and very unsightly - not just something I have a personal hang up about. It's not just the odd raised bump here or there, it's me entire leg. It's a dot to dot. And they are angry! I've done a lot of Googling and research and there doesn't really seem to be a lot of information about ingrown hairs on legs, more so on faces. My boyfriend and I have done a lot of research and I've used a lot of products and tried lots of things, so this post is about all the products I'm using on my legs and everything I'm doing! Hopefully if anyone else suffers from the same problem, this might help.

I don't shave my legs, always wax, so that can't be the reason. I can't really pinpoint a time when it started, I do remember a time when my legs just looked normal. It got really bad just after I got back from gap year travelling, about four years ago, and it's just got worse as time goes on. It really does get me down, mostly because I have so many gorgeous dresses and shorts and I can never wear them! I really don't like to expose my legs. So, I decided that this was the summer for some intensive leg care.

Let's start with exfoliation. I use the olive shower gel from The Body Shop on a puffy net thing (not really sure on its technical term). I really like the olive range, I think it's a lot less harsh than some of their other fruitier scents. I know I should probably be using something other than the netty-puffy thing on my legs. It's tied together with string in the centre, so stays pretty damp between uses. I've been told that this is an absolute breeding ground for bacteria, so if there is broken skin on my legs, I'm just constantly re-infecting them from the sponge. Sorry if that's too graphic. I don't want to use anything too harsh on my skin, and have no idea what I could replace it with! Recommendations anyone? For a deeper exfoliation twice a week, I use Molton Brown's Warming Eucalyptus and Ginger Body Scrub, which I absolutely LOVE. It smells so good, and makes the angry patches on my legs feel really soothed. I won't show you a picture of mine, the lettering rubs off the tub really easily and it looks fairly shoddy!

Molton Brown - £29

I've been using TendSkin intermittently for about a year now, not twice a day as it should be used and with long periods of no use. I soak some into a cotton pad and then just wipe it all over my legs. It does sting a bit if you've got any broken skin, but I think if it's hurting then it's probably working. I've realised that for this product to really work, it needs to be used religiously. After a few weeks of use, I would notice a definite improvement, get complacent and stop using it. I've accepted the fact that this is probably going to be something I have to use for the rest of my life! You definitely need to get into a routine with this, or leave yourself enough time for it to dry on your skin. It's incredibly drying so you need a generous lashing of moisturiser after this. Hence the drying time! It really is a fantastic product though, and so unexpected. I would never have thought that something that looked so unassuming and, dare I say, cheap, could work so well. Ever the snob! It's sort of aimed at men for their faces, but it works just as well on legs. It does smell of pure alcohol though, so one has to question what it does to the face! I order mine from Mankind, who often send out 20% discount vouchers to lure you back in if you haven't shopped recently! I think you can get it for about £8 and it does last quite a while. I wouldn't put a price on clear legs though, I'd buy this stuff if it was £100.

TendSkin - mankind.co.uk, £9.95; Malin+Goetz - Liberty, £27

 In the mornings, I slather on the moisturiser after TendSkin, but in the evenings I shake it up a bit. I've started using Malin+Goetz Ingrown Hair Cream. It was the first cream I'd heard of that targeted that specific problem. I picked mine up from Ministry of Waxing in Covent Garden, their partner for this product. You can also find it in Liberty and Brummell's of London, but they were sold out for an absolute eternity due to it being so popular. For £27, I was surprised at how small the tube was, but you only need a very concentrated amount on the particularly problematic areas. A little really does go a long way. I've noticed a difference in the few short weeks I've been using this; there is still redness, but so much less. I've definitely noticed less new ingrown hairs cropping up, it's all about getting rid of the existing stubborn ones now. I thought this product might have a Savlon-y smell to it, and it does smell a bit medicinal, but in a really nice, tangy, fresh way.

I really think these two products together might be a winning combination. I definitely like to see instant results but I'm having to learn to be a bit more patient with this. It's going to take a long time for the skin around the really bad areas to regenerate. I've taken some 'Before' pictures, and when I think I'm finally there, I'll take some 'After' pictures. But I'm definitely not going to share until I have a nice clear leg to show off! I'm optimistic. Finding a combination of products that seems to be working has made me more positive and convinced that before Winter is here, I WILL wear a skirt! Until then, I try to disguise the marks a bit with Garnier Summerbody. I find that I can't use this too often though and especially not if I plan to leave the house that day! It smells really vile, but does give my legs a lovely natural colour.

Does anyone else suffer from this problem? I would genuinely be really interested to hear about anyone else's experiences, are there any other products that have really worked for you?

Here's to smooth legs. <3

A very good eye makeup remover. With an even more agreeable price tag.

I'm a huge fan of oil based eye makeup removers. I don't know if they are actually oil based, in the technical sense of the term, or if they just feel oily? I have a paranoia that if I rub my eyes too much when removing my makeup that I'll get really wrinkly before my time. I love that with these oily eye makeup removers you only have to swipe your eyelids a few times to remove your makeup, even pesky waterproof mascara!

It all started off with Clinique,  then I moved onto Dior, and I'm currently in love with Lancome Bi-facil. The fact that it's £20 doesn't sit well with me though, particularly when I'm supposed to be saving! I'm still suffering the fall out from my student days, so spending that much on an eye makeup remover is an unaffordable luxury! I have found before that I have a very sensitive eye area; I've woken up with unsightly eye eczema one too many times now! For that reason I tend to spend a little more on eye products.

So imagine my unadulterated glee when I found No7's Beautiful Skin Eye Make-Up Remover. It caught my eye immediately because, aside from the packaging, it looks exactly like Bi-facil. 

No7 has always been on the periphery for me; it's generally not a brand that I go for at all. It reminds me all too much of stage makeup; caked on and with a definite makeup-y smell! But when I saw this was priced at only £7.75 I had to try it. I will add at this point that I did have a £5 No7 voucher which did considerably aid my decision.. £2.75!

And like it I do. It's easily comparable to any other eye makeup remover I have ever used. It removes every scrap of makeup, no fuss. There are no apres-cleansing panda eyes either, like with other makeup removers that only appear to have done the job! It does leave an oily residue on the skin, obviously, but there is absolutely no trace of this after cleansing. I'm sure it's probably all in my mind, but my general eye area seems to be brighter after having used this for a couple of days!

If you have a penchant for pricey makeup removers, I would seriously recommend this if you start to feel the pinch! I cannot even begin to explain how impressed I am with this little bottle, without sounding like a walking, talking advertisement. It's literally amazing! This is definitely going to become a facial staple. And with a No7 voucher, which Boots seem to be giving away these days, this is hard to say no to. I think you have to spend £5 in order to get one - deodorant and razors, BAM.

Are there any other holy grail eye makeup removers I should know about?

My First Batch of Empties!

It's not often that I have the patience, or even like a product enough, to use the whole thing. I find that nine times out of ten, I end up throwing away a lot because I've had it longer than you're supposed to, it's started to smell weird, or it's gone a strange colour! Particularly with skin care. I feel now that my tastes are beginning to settle down a bit and I'm becoming a little less fickle with my purchases.

So here are a few things that I've used up recently, with a little review and whether or not I'll repurchase!

Sanctuary Mandelular Sensuous Body Souffle; Yves Saint Laurent Top Secrets Eye Make-up Remover; Clinique Clarifying Lotion, Skin Type 2; ckIN2U her.

I love Sanctuary products, mostly because of the smell. My local Boots started selling the Sanctuary scented candle recently, so I've moved onto that as well now! I loved this moisturiser, it's so, so rich and creamy. I get a bit impatient if moisturisers don't soak in quickly enough, because I don't like feeling greasy, but this absorbs like a dream. It's around £10 for a huge tub, so it lasts ages; I think it's super good value. I'm holding off buying this at the moment because I'm going to try something different, I'm thinking Kiehls, but I know it won't be long before I buy a pot of this, even if it's a travel size!

The YSL makeup remover came in some kind of gift with purchase, I can't even remember when; there's a strong chance I snaffled this from my Mum's bathroom. I really like oily eye makeup removers, you know the ones that you have to shake to mix the two layers? I'm sure there's probably a technical term for this, but I don't know it. I think they're really gentle on the eyes and you don't have to rub too much to remove even waterproof makeup. This one is particularly gentle and works really well. I do prefer the Lancome one over this, and I've got a feeling this one is ever so slightly more expensive.

The first skincare I ever used, way back when, was the Clinique 3-Step Skincare system. I bought all three steps, but over time I've tried new things and found a better combination of things that work. It's probably psychological, but I think that using everything from the same brand means nothing works as well as it should. Totally all in my mind! The Clarifying Lotion is the one thing I have stuck with. It feels so fresh after cleansing my face and it takes off any last little bit of makeup that might have been left. I love the tingly feeling; it feels like it's really doing something! I've started to have little niggly doubts that maybe it's too strong for my skin, because it does smell like paint stripper. It was probably alright for my teenage skin, but what now? I have no idea what I could replace it with. I know I'll repurchase it because it's been such a constant for me!

The Calvin Klein perfume was something that I bought on a whim in the sale in Debenhams. I bought my boyfriend the men's version and the romantic in me thought it would be too cute if we had matching smells! Turns out I like the girl's version wayyy less. This has been the sort of scent that I'll use on a day that I'm not going out of the house, or just at work for a few hours. I can almost certainly say I won't repurchase this, not because it's not nice, because it is, but just because there's so many others I want to try!

RIP Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. My boyfriend bought me this for Christmas two years ago, and it's finally all gone! I knew this day would come, and now it has. Now I must not be a hoarder, and I should throw the bottle away! This was the first proper 'luxury' perfume I owned and I loved, loved, loved it. However, I will say I'm a little bit over the smell of it now. On other people it always smells very light and fresh, and just delicious, but on me I find it smells almost, hot? I don't know how to properly describe it, but it smells quite cloying on me and tends to get up my nose a bit. So for that reason, and the fact that it costs a million pounds, I probably won't buy it for myself again. It's been a good two years!

So now I'm on the hunt for a new perfume, any recommendations?

My Current Beauty Wishlist; June!

There are so many products I'm coveting at the moment, and I've managed to convince myself that I absolutely need them! Although some I actually do need; what's a girl to do with no make-up remover?!

Kiehl's Creme de Corps 500ml - £44; Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover - £4.99; Origins Super Spot Remover - £12; Lancome Bi-facil - £21; Malin+Goetz Ingrown Hair Cream - £27; Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum 30ml - £26.10; YSL Volum Effet Faux Cils Luxurious Mascara - £23.

I'm seriously in the market for a new body moisturiser. I usually use The Sanctuary, but I just fancy a bit of variety at the moment! It's not going to freak my arms or legs out if I change product, so why not?! I used to use the Kiehl's Acai berry serum and loved it, so definitely want to branch out and try this.

OK. So the Bourjois pot of wonder. I cannot for the life of me find this anywhere! I don't want it badly enough to order it online, but I may find myself near a larger Boots store this weekend, so may sniff it out!

This Origins Spot Remover sounds too good to miss. Spot remover?! Why was this not invented when I was in Year 10? Could have solved all my teenage angst-y problems!

I got given a sample of Bi-facil when I bought my Lancome Visionnaire serum and loved it. Definitely purchasing a full size when the sample runs out. It is hands down the best eye makeup remover I have ever used. I have a crazy paranoia that I'm going to rub my eyes too much and have wrinkles in the morning, but this removes all my eye makeup with just a few gentle swipes.

I would love to know if anyone has used this Malin+Goetz Ingrown Hair Cream. I suffer really badly from ingrown hairs all over my legs and have hyped this up in my head to be the miracle cure! I'm definitely going to be trying this come payday. 

I tried the Caudalie serum when I received it in my Glossybox and love to use it in the morning. Visionnaire is much thicker and richer, so is better at night. It really hydrates my face and leaves it super smooth!

And last but not least, YSL Volum Effet Faux Cils. This is more of a shopping list than a wishlist actually - mine has recently dried up beyond use, so I need a replacement, STAT! This weekend poor eyelashes, I promise.

Has anyone used any of these products? I'd love to hear what you think! Any other recommendations?

What's in my make-up bag?

As a new blogger, I thought the best way to introduce myself was to show you what's in my make-up bag. Seeing as I'm going to be posting all about beauty, it's probably the best way to get to know me and my tastes!

I keep all the make-up I'm currently using in this nice, compact Cath Kidston bag. I didn't actually have a dedicated make-up bag until a few months ago, I just used to scatter everything I was using on my dressing table, or shove everything in a bag together. Keeping everything in this little bag makes things a lot easier and appeals more to my OCD ways.

1. Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream. I LOVE this stuff. I think I've just about stopped wearing foundation for the summer now and moved onto this. I started using it last summer when it first came out, and loved it so much. It smooths the complexion so well and gives really good coverage. If I had a really bad breakout, I might think twice about wearing it though. It makes the skin look super dewy without looking oily. Winner.

2. YSL Flash Radiance Skincare Brush. I only use this with my foundation, and then not all the time. I know I should use a primer, but I tend to skip it out through sheer laziness. I also think this makes my make-up look very slightly cakey, like it can't get through to my skin. I don't really notice it doing a lot to the large pores on my cheeks either.. Might give this to my sister, she swears by it. 

3. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, in 10 Beige. I bought this after seeing so many bloggers raving about it. My, my I have not been disappointed. I don't like my make-up to be too obvious, so this is perfect. It's really light and is such a good match for my skin tone. At £31, I did think to begin with it was a little pricey for such a small bottle, but it has lasted me so long. And it smells AMAZING.

4. I haven't really properly entered the blusher world yet. For years and years I've used Benefit Dallas, until I woke up one morning and thought, wow, this really doesn't suit me. I popped to Superdrug and just picked up something cheaper to try a different shade. I absolutely love it. It's very much a 'your cheeks but better' blusher and doesn't leave you looking like you've smeared your Nan's pink lipstick all over your cheeks. Love it.

5. Benefit Lemon Aid. I actually rather cheekily commandeered this from my Mum's make-up bag about six months ago, and it's never gone back! To begin with, I thought it was just covering up the discolouration on my eyelids, but when I stopped wearing it for a period, I noticed that my eye make-up just wasn't staying on as long. This keeps the stuff where it should be!

6. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner, in Birthday Suit. I tend to just wear a sweep of one colour on my eyelids for everyday, and this is the colour of choice! It's a very beigey, champagne-like colour which is very subtle and flattering. And they're right, it doesn't crease! 

7. Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 Hour, in 05-Eternal Gold. I'm not sold on this yet. I think the gold is far too bright and garish for my skin tone, it makes me look like I've stuck a ton of cheap gold sequins above my eyes! I think I'll definitely try it out when I'm a bit more sunkissed though! This stuff really does live up to it's name, there is no way this is coming off without a fight!

8. Inika pencil eyeliner in 06 Coco. I got this in the all-natural Glossybox, I want to say that was the April one? I just use this on my waterline. It doesn't seem to fall down my entire face like other eyeliners tend to do, I like it a lot.

9. L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim. This is my first ever liquid liner! My sister is amazing at her eyeliner, me, not so much. The felt tip pen style brush makes this so easy to apply, for even the shakiest of hands! It doesn't smudge at all and stays on aaaaall day. Why did no one tell me about this before now?!

10. Lancome Hypnose Drama, in Excessive Black. I usually use YSL Faux Cils mascara, but it's run out! Nooooo! I'm using this at the moment until I convince myself to spend the money on a new YSL. I got it in the special edition Harrods Glossybox and need to use this opportunity to use it all up! I find it really difficult to apply, one swipe too many and there's no going back. It really is a fine art to keep this on the right side of clumpy. 

11. Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter, in Strawberry Shortcake. I love these! I'm a bit scared of lipstick, I have a lip chewing habit, so find it looks awful in all the cracks! The Revlon lip butters smooth all of this out and are a brilliant pop of colour. I've noticed that Strawberry Shortcake looks better when I'm paler; I have a bit of a tan at the moment and it looks a bit tacky! I'm getting more use out of Creme Brulee shade in this weather! 

12. Benefit 10 Bronzing and Highlighting Powder Duo. I've had this little bashed up box for years and have only recently started getting use out of it again. I don't use the bronzing side anymore, I just use the highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones and on my browbone. This is seriously running out now, and I badly need recommendations for a new highlighter! Answers on a postcard please! 

I really hope this wasn't too long or boring! This is my make-up bag at it's absolute, post-student emptiness. It's a sad thing. I've used YSL Touche Eclat since I was about 16, so that would ordinarily be in here, but I find in the summer I can get away without wearing it. My bank balance agrees.

Obviously, being a new blogger, I would love to hear your thoughts! Are there any amazing products out there that could replace any of these well-loved old faithfuls? Any posts anyone would particularly like to see? I have so many ideas and so much inspiration, I would just love a nudge in the right direction! Thanks for reading!

Famous Dave's Tanning Mousse - Gold Edition

This happens to me every year; the sun comes out and I absolutely panic at the state of my body. Wax, scrub, tan, STAT! I have a love/hate relationship with fake tanning. I love being tanned and glowy, but I can't deal with prancing about in a state of undress waiting for it to dry, and essentially losing a whole evening. Does anyone remember the St Tropez ad campaign from a few years back, of the naked lady doing 'the John Wayne'? Well that sums up fake tanning for me.

Or it did, before I discovered Famous Dave's! I saw this a few times in Superdrug and absolutely baulked at the £28 price tag, but when I saw a box set in the Debenhams sale for only £11.33, I snapped it up. And £10 on my beauty reward card? Don't mind if I do.

Contained within said box set, was the Gold Edition Tanning Mouse, Famous Dave's Body Buffer and a run of the mill tanning mitt. Didn't think you needed to see that, you've seen one, you've seen 'em all. I'll start with the Body Buffer. I'm not usually a fan of coconut scented products, but oh my, this stuff is summer in a bottle. It smells absolutely incredible - not even slightly artificial. I like my exfoliants to actually feel like they're doing something, and this hits just the right note. It's not too aggressive, but it does have some bite. I find that not only does it pave the way for a smooth application of the tan, but it also helps it to fade evenly. Concentrate on your knees and elbows and it really does banish those pesky darker bits. Coming from Mrs Dry-Elbows.

The mousse itself is just, oh my. It applies like an absolute dream; a little bit goes a long way, in terms of both distance and colour. It smells really pleasant to begin with but, like all other fake tan, does develop a biscuity smell. I find that when I wake up in the morning, I smell like an actual packet of Digestives.

I'm always disappointed with a lot of fake tans in that the guide colour is way more impressive than the actual results, so I was nervous to wash this off. There was absolutely no reason to be, it leaves the most beautiful dark golden brown colour, something I could only achieve with two or more applications of other products. Someone at work told me I looked like I'd had a week in the Caribbean. Yes, success! The colour stays for about 3-4 days, depending on what you use in the shower, and fades really evenly.

The amazing thing for me about this mousse is it's drying time. It dries so quickly! Pretty much while I'm still applying it, which in my eyes can only be a good thing. I haven't even felt the need to sleep on a towel. I can't abide lying in bed at night feeling all fake tan-tacky and unable to move too much. This dries in record time and I can throw my pajamas on five minutes after and watch Made in Chelsea. The convenience of this wholly justifies the price for me. 

While the price tag might put people off, I will most definitely be re-purchasing this, on sale or not. I'll never use another fake tan again! Famous Dave, keep on doing what yo' doing. 

And cue instant hilarity, my boyfriend is called Dave.