Origins Super Spot Remover

Origins, £13

I staved off buying this bad boy for SO long. Surely the most blogged about, tiniest little spot treatment there ever was. I don't live anywhere near an Origins counter and I can't imagine I would ever have made an order specifically for this, but I ended up picking it up on a whim in Exeter a few weeks back. 

I threw it in my handbag and because it's so teeny tiny, I actually forgot that I'd even bought it for three or four days. The boyf was the first to roadtest it, (he's into skincare in a big way, dontcha know) and he loved it. He has exceptionally good skin, but when he gets a spot he gets it big and bad. I was absolutely amazed in the morning at how much the spot had diminished. Miracle worker!

Truthfully, I don't use this that often. My skin has calmed down as I've got older and I very rarely get spots now. That said, this is my saving grace around that time of the month. As soon as I start to feel the emergence of one of those really special, shiny, under-the-skin spots, I dab a little bit of this on and let it work it's magic. I'm not sure if everyone gets this, but it does sting a little bit when I first apply it. You really don't need to use much either; I did get carried away the first few times and ended up with an attractive surplus of gloop on my face. 

When I wake up in the morning, the little blighter is practically gone. Call me crazy, but these days I almost look forward to getting a spot just so I can put this to the test!

♥

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

 

This has to be the most superfluous beauty item I own. Who on earth decided that we might need a separate mascara to use on the lashes below our eyes to the ones we use above our eyes? I have no idea, but I'm mighty glad they did. I have exceptionally sparse lower lashes. Nothing wrong up top, but it seems that I didn't stay in the cooker long enough when it comes to bottom lashes. 

I've tried to use normal mascaras on both sets of lashes but find that it just looks SO bizarre on me, doll-like. And not in a good way. My eyes look too big and the scattering of lashes look, well, balding. My lovely boyfriend bought me this for my birthday (I know, applaud) and I am so glad he did. It's only £11, but I don't think I would ever have bought this for myself, it's just seemed to necessary.

Yet, it's not. The brush is teeny tiny, which is what makes this product so great. Because it matches my teeny tiny eyelashes, it makes it really easy to apply. No mascara halfway down my face, and no weird black crumbly dust halfway through the day. In short, it allows me to wear mascara like most normal people do. Not something I expected to love, but I absolutely do and can't foresee it ever not having a home in my makeup bag.

Now, how long before my boyfriend finally relents and lets me try it on his amazing eyelashes?!

♥

Lee Stafford's My Big Fat Lock and Rollers

So, it's common knowledge that I am the greatest sister in the world. I have two younger sisters, who are twins, and I think it's safe to say that they both strive to be just like me in all that they do. Yeah. I bought one of my sisters some heated rollers for Christmas and because she loves them SO much I asked her to write down just why she liked them, so I could put it on the world wide web.

My sister has asked me to write a little something about the AMAZING Christmas present she got me. It’s a well known fact that I strive for that curly, voluminous look when it comes to my hair, yet I never managed to achieve it with just my straighteners and salt spray. So I’ve never been more excited than when I unwrapped a hot pink box containing none other than Lee Stafford’s My Big Fat Lock and Rollers!

Never having used heated rollers before I watched numerous YouTube videos detailing the etiquette required to master the heated roller and I would like to think I’ve finally got the hang of it. It’s fair to say I can now 100% get the volume and curl I so much desire, Lee Stafford I salute you.

  I not only adore the look I get from these rollers, I adore how the rollers look, they come in a hot pink case, with three different sized rollers, all different shades of pink to differentiate size. I LOVE pink and they look beautiful in my room. When turned on, the rollers heat up super fast; and have a dot to indicate when they're warm enough to use, but I always leave them a little bit longer to make sure the curls hold. To prepare my hair I section it out and spray it with Batiste dry shampoo, XXL volume at the roots. When putting the rollers into my hair I start with the biggest rollers at the bottom, this isn’t the conventional way but I much prefer the smaller curls on top for the style I’m trying to create. When all roller’ed up I give them all a quick spray with L’oreal Paris, Elnett Satin extra strength hairspray and wait until the beautiful pink rollers are completely cold on the inside. I always get that glamorous film star feeling when I have them in! How I look is probably a different story altogether. When removing the rollers you have to take extra care not to disturb the curl as you take them out. The fact you don’t need to mess around with pins and grips make this a lot easier.

A teeny tiny downside to these magnificent rollers is the size of them, an additional smaller roller would be nice but not essential. There are also four rollers that don’t fit in the case therefore you have to wait for them to heat up separately which is a little irritating but the end result makes it so worth it.
The rollers are made from tourmaline so your hair remains really soft and shiny, which everyone wants. The end result is gorgeous volume and curl; I get compliments every time I use them, which is always a confidence booster! I genuinely have nothing bad to say about the performance of these rollers! I wouldn’t have thought of buying them
myself so I have a massive thanks to say to my sister Steph and of course to Mr Lee Stafford!

♥

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse

So, after hearing so much about this product, I told Mummy Stephnose that I wouldn't mind some Nuxe goodies for Christmas. She absolutely came through and under the tree I found the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse coffret. Don't ask me what coffret means, I have absolutely no idea. It was what I call, in layman's terms, a gift set.

Included in said gift set, was a full size Huile Prodigieuse, a mini travel size of the gold shimmery version (which I'm yet to use), Anti-fatigue moisturising cream and a 'la bougie' candle. I didn't even know Nuxe made candles, so that was a lovely extra surprise. I absolutely LOVE the oil. The smell is so fresh and light, as is the oil itself. I was so that I wasn't going to enjoy this product, because I really don't like feeling greasy and oily to the touch, but this feels dry from the moment of application, which is a big plus for me. I can get dressed approximately a minute after spritzing this; I have been known to dry body oils with a hairdryer before this came along. What I really like is that the scent lingers in a really subtle way. In the summer, I probably won't need to worry about perfume when I use this.

So this can be used on the body, face and hair, however I only rate it on the body. I have used it on my face twice and really didn't enjoy the sensation. If anything, I felt like it actually dried my skin a little bit. In the hair, for me, this is a definite no-no. I only used a small amount on the ends and when my hair dried there was a definite residue which I don't get with other hair oils. I felt like it just sat on the surface of each hair and it made it very heavy and greasy. Won't be doing that again!

The anti fatigue moisturiser is a delight - it's swiftly become my night time moisturiser. It does say use in the morning but I find it a bit too heavy and oily for the morning. It smells like an absolute dream too, which I think is perfect at bedtime. And at only £19.50, I think it's positively bargainous.

The stand out from this set for me is the candle. It smells exactly like the oil. It burns so evenly and cleanly and has lasted SO long. I only wish it had been bigger. I'm rationing it and using my less luxurious candles unless it's a proper pampering night! Sadly, I don't think you can buy these candles outside of the gift set, which is a pain. All the more reason to ration it!

You can still buy this gift set from a few websites, but at a ridiculously inflated price! My advice would be to keep an eye on whether M&S get it back in stock.

♥

Long time no blog!

Yeah, basically what the title says. I do really enjoy blogging and really want to make it a routine part of my life, and get nicely involved in a little bloggy community, but it seems to have taken a back seat recently. I started a new job a few months back and it was all very stressful. It's what I deem to be a Proper job. It's not a proper job in the sense that it's related to my degree, because it couldn't be further removed from my degree if it tried, but it's a proper grown up job nonetheless. It's mostly just been a bit of a difficult time. No one ever tells you that graduating university is going to be so difficult! You think that when you get to be a 'grown up' you'll know exactly what it is you want to do with your life. Absolutely not the case. I still don't know what I want to do. But I'm going to be more positive about it in 2013 and take every opportunity I can and not be a lazy bum. I have been called that before now. So yes, that's why I haven't blogged all that much.

Secondly, my previous employer paid in advance and my new employer in arrears, like most other normal employers. I ended up not being paid for two months so didn't even want to turn my laptop on for fear it might cost me money! Nightmare.

I plan to blog much more and on a wider range of subjects. I was so worried about posting things that I thought people would enjoy reading or things that a 'beauty blogger' would blog about, that I ended up writing rubbish that I really wasn't enjoying. So I vow to write not just about beauty and nice smelling things, but also about things that I enjoy and find myself getting up to! Lots more lifestyley post. I'm fairly handy with a needle and thread so I might even blog about my crafty exploits from time to time, call me crazy. I'm just going to enjoy this blog more for what it is and not worry so much about what people might think.

I hope you had a lovely christmas and are already having your best year yet!

♥

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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?!

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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!

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