Procrastination.

Quickly edited on paint as a way of procrastination. 

xxx

Monthly Favourites: April

I don't normally do monthly favourite posts but this month I've discovered (and rediscovered) some really lovely products so I thought I'd show you all.

Xen-Tan Perfect Blend Custom Self-Tan* - £34.99

My and fake tan don't usually get on but this month I've been loving this fake tan. Before this, I'd never tried Xen-Tan before but it's really amazing and fool proof. You can see my full review of this product and find my fake tanning routine here.

AEOS Refreshing Hydrating Mist* - $89.00

This is becoming my favourite toner and I'm so sad that this is only a small sample as I'm unsure as to whether or not I'll be able to repurchase it as it is expensive (it converts to around £55). You can see my full review of this product here.

Skin79 Supper Beblesh Balm BB Triple Function - £16.00

I absolutely love this and it's become my favourite foundation recently. It's provides perfect coverage and leaves a lovely finish on the skin. You can see my full review of this BB cream and see how it applies here.

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover* - £4.99

I've been seeing this making its rounds on the blogosphere and I didn't quite believe how good it was until I tried it myself. It really is so quick and easy and it also smells quite nice compared to the usual nail polish remover smell.

17 Shine Control Loose Powder - £5.49

I bought this for just £2 thanks to the Advantage Card machines in Boots and I love it so much. I've used it every day but it just doesn't seem to go down as there's so much product inside it. It doesn't cake the skin and melts away to keep shine at bay throughout the day. My favourite powder ever.

Britney Spears Cosmic Radiance - £29.00

I have all of the Britney perfumes and I always change which one I use on a day-to-day basis. But this month, I can't stop wearing the Cosmic Radiance perfume. It reminds me of freshers week as it's all I wore throughout it which of course, is a happy smell! You can see my full Britney perfume collection here.

Renouve Anti-Aging Every Day Defense* - £22.00

I think I've become addicted to this product. It's a hand cream/anti-ager/sanitiser in one and I just can't stop using it. I have two of them (a gold and a pink one) and one sits on my desk and the other goes everywhere with me. Perfection in a bottle. You can see my full review of this product here.

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Belle - £4.59

I've been wearing this lipstick every single day without fail. It's the perfect nude colour that makes lips look super glossy! You can see my full review of this lipstick and a swatch here.

Collection 2000 All Day Colour Mascara in clear - £2.99

I use this as a brow set and I can't believe I've gone my entire life without them. It keeps my eyebrows in place all day long and it's super cheap. I'm a convert!
What products have you been loving this month?

xxx
*PR Sample

IKEA Candles

I recently went to Ikea to pick up some Antonius drawer separators to store my make up in and of course, I couldn't resist their candles (and a few other bits and pieces)

At university, you aren't actually allowed candles. But seeing as whenever I light them I'm always in the room, I don't see the problem. So I picked up a pack of Tindra Ljuv Scented Candles which retail for just £2.99 per 3 pack as I couldn't resist them after smelling them. One of them smells like chocolate fudge cake, another like creme brulee and the other one like sugary pastry. They are so beautiful and the smell is pretty strong too to say that they're so cheap. I'm absolutely loving them at the moment! And I also picked up a Flardfull Scented Candle which retails at £2.29 which is really cheap considering the price. This smells like lemons and it reminds me of the Yankee Candle lemon scented candle but for a tiny amount of the price. I love all things citrusy so I just had to pick it up.

Have you ever bought candles from Ikea?

xxx

Free Benefit Products in Glamour!

Not this month unfortunately! But on May 31st Benefit products will be coming back to Glamour magazine.

They're not full size but they're still pretty decent sample sizes. I must admit, I'm not too bothered about the Bad Gal mascara; I've tried it before and it's not really anything that special. However, I'm very interested in the primers and I'll be picking up a few copies. Especially of the Porefessional as I've heard rave reviews about this product.

Will you be picking up any of the samples when this issue is on sale?

xxx

Active Energised Organic Skincare Review

I was invited to the launch of Active Energised Organic Skincare's (AEOS) brand new launch called the 3 phase system which promises to renew, rebalance and replenish the skin in just 3 easy steps. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend but the brand were kind enough to send me over some samples of their products and I've been using them for a few weeks now.

L-R

Phase 1 - Gentle Cleansing Lotion

I generally prefer using face washes when cleansing my face as I find that when I'm using lotions, I use a lot more than necessary. And it's the same with this cleansing lotion. It's really nice and luxurious but my own personal preference is just to use a face wash. But I have been using this in the morning when I don't have any make up on my face and if I am wearing make up, I'll use this and then use a face wash afterwards to double cleanse. When writing this post I also realised that this lotion is supposed to be applied to damp skin like a face wash and it's all entirely my fault for using it incorrectly..

Phase 2 - Refreshing Hydrating Mist

This is definitely my favourite product in this range. I've been using it daily ever since I received it and I jsut can't get enough of it. It's very refreshing and my skin has broken out in dryness recently but this has helped a lot. It's just so lovely to use and makes the skin look refreshed, hydrated and more awake and alive. I'm also a big fan of the smell - it's gorgeous.

Phase 4 - Enriching Moisturiser

This also smells like this hydrating mist which I love and this is a nice moisturiser. It's good on my dry patches and it's good on my oily patches. It balances them out nicely and makes the skin look brighter and clearer. It's also a perfect base for make up and helps to make it last longer.

Phase 2 - Energizing Conditioner

This is to be used as a serum and it's very running and sort of a watery consistency which I find hard to work with but it's a nice serum and really just awakens the skin and makes it appear more well, awake! It's also very soothing and helps to calm down the redness in my skin.
As you can tell, there are 4 items that I've been using and it's supposed to be a 3 step system so I've added the phases in front of the product. I just generally prefer using a serum as well as a moisturiser as I do have scarring on my skin so I like my products to sink in better and really regenerate my skin. I have nothing bad to say about this routine. It's really nice and it didn't break me out. It also felt very luxurious to use and one item that I'll definitely continue to buy is the Refreshing Hydrating Mist. My skin literally drinks it up and it can't get enough of it!
Have you tried anything from this range before?
xxx 

My New Glasses!

Since starting university it's safe to say that I've noticed a dramatic change in my eyesight. I squint a lot during lectures and it's very rare that I can read what's on the presentations. So I decided it was time to get my eyes tested. And I was right. I'm pretty much blind in my left eye and my right eye is doing all the work - I blame computers and phones entirely as I used to have perfect eyesight! So I ended up getting some glasses which to be honest, I was very excited about as I love glasses.

Boots currently have an offer on whereby you can receive 2 pairs of glasses for just £79 and included in the price are the lenses (unless you choose to have special lenses). I picked up the pair above and the pair below and I really love them. I decided to go for a thick frame and a thin frame so that I can mix and match when necessary. 

I am struggle to get used to them though. Although it feels like I can see in HD it's very strange having something on my face whenever I'm watching TV, driving, reading or on the computer. But I'm sure that within time, I won't even notice that they're there.

So this is the first pair of glasses and these are the thick rimmed ones. You can tell from the picture above that it's taking a while for me to get used to them as they're half way down my face - haha!

And this is the second pair. I think I'm warming more towards the thin rimmed glasses as they're really delicate and a bit more 'me.' They're a rose gold colour and are just beautiful!

Which pair do you prefer? Do you have to wear glasses?

xxx

Jan Christie Nails - Cats on my Nails!

After seeing this post on Gem's blog. I knew I couldn't resist picking up some feline nail art for myself.

 I absolutely love cats and my cat is ginger so I couldn't say no when I saw these beautiful nail art stickers. In fact, I didn't think twice about buying them. They arrived very quickly and they're very easy to apply. All you do is cut the cat down to size, peel off the sticker and apply to the nail. Then you apply a top coat and tadaaa, the cat is there!

And you can tell from the picture above, mine were a bit messy. This is because it was my first time applying them and I used a pale nail colour. Next time, I won't be using any nail colour on my nails and the nail polish itself chipped within a few hours and the cats are still intact so it didn't really work out well! But I've had these on my nails for over 4 days now and they're still going strong and looking beautiful. I'm definitely going to get some more. You can see the cat ones here and the rest of the designs here.

xxx

How I Store My Make Up

I absolutely love storage posts and it's been a while since I've done one. Infact, I don't think I've ever shown you guys how I store my make up at university. So here we go!

I keep most of my make up in two drawers next to where I sit at my desk. They're the top two drawers and the things that are most used in my university bedroom. I store my make up inside some drawer separators which were from B&M and you can find these here for just £1.99 each or you can get 2 for £3.

 Whilst they're useful and very cheap, they're not the greatest out there. They bend a lot and often I'll find mascaras in my lipglosses and they definitely need to be tidied up every fortnight to keep them looking clean. I also keep things either side of the drawers - the top draw I keep hair care products that I reach for often and the second draw houses my palettes next to the separators.

 More recently I've had to move my foundations as I've just got too many now. So I decided to use my Champneys gift set box. It's very pretty and it was on show anyway so now it's just more practical. And it's the perfect size - unless I buy more foundations which I probably will do.

How do you store your make up? If you've wrote a post about it (or filmed a YouTube video) please leave the link below as like I said, I love them! I'd love to get myself some MUJI storage but they're so expensive. So if you have any other ideas for drawer separators, let me know!

xxx

Catwalk TIGI Series: Retro Volume

The third in the series is here! And this week, it's all about creating that retro volume. 

Whilst I personally wouldn't wear this look as I don't believe I can pull off that retro look, this video has definitely taught me one thing.. and that's how to blow dry. I always blowdry my hair unless I'm in a rush and my technique isn't exactly perfect. But I attempted this technique and my hair was full of life throughout the day! I'm a convert.

Do you like this look?

xxx

Help & Update!

Hey guys!

So just a random post today. I was just wondering if you'd all be able to complete this survey for me please. It's regarding beauty boxes and your preferences for what you'd like to receive in them. My friend's sister is hoping to start her own beauty box company so it's just a little bit of market research to find out what us beauty addicts would prefer to receive!

A big thank you to all who take part.

And another little update - to everyone who took part in my BB cream giveaway, please hold tight! I'm trying to get a hold of 2 more vouchers so that you can all receive one.

xxx

Vichy Normaderm & Cosmopolitan

Every single month I read every word of both Cosmopolitan and Glamour magazine without fail. I've been subscribed with Glamour for around 3 years but for some reason, I never got round to subscribing to Cosmopolitan. That was until I saw this months offer and quite frankly, couldn't say no.

This month you can subscribe to Cosmopolitan for £18 a year which considering each magazine itself is £3.50, it's an incredible offer. Alongside this, you also get free full sized Purifying Cleansing Gel Anti-Ageing  and Anti-Imperfection Anti-Wrinkle Resurfacing Care from brand Vichy with themselves are worth over £20. I've only been using this range for a few days now but I'm really enjoying using them. The face wash is lovely; very refreshing and removes every trace of make up and the moisturiser provides just the right levels of moisture without making the skin look oily. The moisturiser also resurfaces the skin which is great for me as I suffer with pigmentation and dark scarring spots. If I continue to use this range then I'll definitely do an updated skin care routine and let you know how I get on with it.
You can subscribe to Cosmopolitan here. Do you subscribe to any magazines?
xxx

My Skin Saviour - Pan Oxyl

If you read my skin care posts then you'll know how much I rave about the wonder that is Pan Oxyl. I've been using this spot cream for about 2 years now and I don't know what I did before it. It's an over the counter cream so you know that it's very concentrated and it gets straight to the problem. There are different strengths and I recommend starting off quite low and working your way up. This cream isn't for those who get a spot a month.. This is for those who suffer with breakouts and have acne as it's very, very strong. When you first start using it, I can guarantee that your skin will be a dry mess. It's exceptionally drying for about 3 days but after your skin has gotten used to it, it's the most wonderful product out there. You have to use it very sparingly and a little bit goes a long way. One of these tubes will usually last me around 6-9 months and this is because it's strong, you only need a tiny amount and you only need to apply it once a day. When I use this on an active spot, I can guarantee that the spot will be gone within the next 2 days maximum. It's absolutely amazing and I can't do without it. Recently, I was given the Aqua Gel (I normally use the Acnegel) and I do prefer the Aqua Gel because it's not as drying and a little bit more moisturising. The formula is just better in general. Do you use Pan Oxyl? 

xxx

Treacle Moon Iced Strawberry Dream Bath & Shower Gel

I definitely have an obsession with shower gels. I don't like using the same one daily and I like a variety of scents in my bathroom. So when this found its way into my post box, I was over the moon (get the pun)?! 

This shower gel was chosen by fans of the brand who submitted fragrance suggestions each month as part of Treacle Moon's regular competition on their website and then voted on on Treacle Moon's Facebook page. This smell is so beautiful. It's almost a shame that you cannot eat it. It's succulent, juice and mouth watering and better yet, the scent lingers beautifully on the skin and wraps the skin up in a delicious moisturising blanket of pure sweetness! I absolutely adore this shower gel and it's definitely found its way permanently in my shower. Treacle Moon are planning on running the amazing vote for your own fragrance process twice yearly from now on so make sure you like them on Facebook so you can create the products that you want. This bath and shower gel is priced at £2.99 for 500ml and it's available in Tesco stores nationwide right now!

What's your favourite Treacle Moon smell?

xxx
*PR Sample

A Champneys Post..

For Christmas, I bought my mum a Champney's giftset and she loved it so much that she wanted to repurchase the Thai Royale Shower Cream. Now, for my mum to buy a shower gel that is priced at £8 is a major achievement so you just know how amazing this one is.

At the moment, Boots have an offer on whereby if you spend £10 or more on Champney's products, you get a free gift. So I also picked her up some Spa Skin Facial Wipes which retail at £4. The giftset is absolutely beautiful and includes minis of the following; Spa Treatments Skin Comforting Shower Cream, Spa Treatments Citrus Blush Body Lotion, Spa Treatments Hand and Nail Cream and Spa Treatments Relaxing Dream Bath. Although these aren't for me being the beauty addict that I am I've had them all out to smell them and they smell so beautiful! I'm considering picking myself a few things up from Champney's too!

Have you tried any Champney's before?

xxx

17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick Review & Swatches

As you probably now by now, I definitely have a 17 obsession. And I when I went back home this week, I couldn't resist picking up a few more bits and pieces from the brand. Especially when I went to the Advantage Card kiosk and saw numerous vouchers! One of these was for a BOGOF Mirror Shine On Lipsticks.

 First of all, a little bit about these lipsticks. These are very moisturising and are more like a very pigmented gloss than a lipstick but minus that nasty sticky feeling. The lipsticks are pretty sheer but they still add a beautiful slick of colour to the lips and the glossy finish makes them look fuller which for me, is great.

 I picked up four. These being from left to right; Peace, Flirtini, Belle and Hollywood. In the tube, they look very, very scary and sort of make you go 'oooh' (just like my mum and mama did when I showed them these lipsticks) however, on the lips they're much more subtle making them great for every day use.

 Swatched from left to right; Hollywood, Flirtini, Belle and Peace. You can see from the swatches that these are very glossy and moisturising.

And finally, I've included a very bad lip swatch because my lips don't really like swatches. This is Flirtini on the lips which is a beautiful baby pink colour.

I really love these lipsticks as they allow me to experiment with colour a lot more than I usually would. These are priced at £4.59 and you can buy them here.

xxx

Collection 2000 Ultimate Fix Foundation Review & Comparison Photos

Whilst looking for and researching into high street foundations to buy for every day use, I came across this one that I was definitely interested in. The concept is that it's full coverage and stays put throughout the day as it is used as a concealer and powder as well as a foundation.

The foundation comes as a compact and it's in solid form but it's very creamy when you touch it. I then dries to a powder finish and leaves skin feeling very smooth, hydrated but matte at the same time. The packaging is good. It's nothing special but it's very good for travel and keeping in your bag for top ups as it comes with both a mirror and a sponge. The sponge is something that I don't use as I never get on with the cheap make up accessories that come with products so I use my Real Techniques Stippling Brush instead.

Once again, I apologise for this nasty image. You might have seen this one before and this is because I did in  fact take both this comparison photo with the BB Cream comparison photo at the same time.

First of all, I must apologise for the nasty brush strokes that are in this picture. It's not the foundations fault it's my fault for being lazy with blending. It does actually blend like a dream and looks very unnoticeable. From this picture, I would say that this foundation is on the high end of medium coverage as there are still some scars peaking through. Of course, if you have near perfect skin or skin that doesn't have scarring, you could easily get away with this one step foundation. But for me, I do use a concealer just because I like my skin to look as flawless as possible.

So what do I think of this foundation overall? I absolutely love it! The thing that I love most about it is the finish. It dries so beautiful on the skin leaving it matte but not powdery and noticeable. It doesn't last throughout the entire day but this is something that I use when going to lectures or doing my shopping so I don't need it to last all day. If I'm going somewhere else though and I do, a primer easily sorts that out. I love the coverage, I love how easy it is to apply and blend and I love the price tag. It's available here for just £4.99!

Have you tried this foundation before?

xxx

Snow White & The Huntsman Palette by Diego Dalla Palma.

To celebrate the launch of Snow White & The Huntsman, Universal Films has selected diego dalla palma as the only official cosmetics partner. 

The brand has created a beautiful, magical palette that contains a collection of 6 easily blendable eyeshadows that have been inspired by the adventurous film. Also included in the palette is a full sized lipstick and an eye pencil. Three of the eyeshadows are shimmers and the other three are complementing matte shades: Snow, Shield, Mirror Mirror, Fairest, Destiny and Battleground. The Wicked Queen Lipstick is in vivid blood red and the Dark Night eye pencil in darkest black. The palette retails for just £25 even though the value is of £105! I'd recommend looking at this post by Fee to see the palette up more closely. 

The palette launches online at Tesco Direct on the 1st of May and it will appear in Tesco stores nationwide from May the 21st.

xxx

Favourite Drug Store Brand.. 17

When I was sorting out my make up collection, I couldn't help but notice that I have quite a lot of 17 make up products. And it got me thinking, I do actually love this brand! Whenever I'm in need of something new, I'll always check out 17 first to see what they have on offer. Also, I must apologise for the first picture, for some reason some 17 products don't like being photographed. And click on the links to see a post that I've wrote about the said product or to find out more information.

17 Va Va Voom Mascara - I'm a big, big fan of this mascara. You can see how volumising it is in my comparison post. It's really lovely and even adds a tiny bit of length. Oh and it doesn't clump up either.

17 Wild Curls Mascara - This mascara is now pretty much gone as I've had it a while but I still keep it because I love the brush for combing through the lashes after I've applied mascara. I remember this mascara being lovely when I used to use it as well, very volumising and curling.

17 Liquid Liner - You only have to see my post and blog posts to know how much I love this eye liner. It's literally changed everything for me and now because of it, I know how to apply eye liner. I cannot recommend it enough. It's easy to work with and lasts throughout the day without the need for a primer.

17 Ultimate Volume Lip Gloss - This is a nice lip gloss that isn't too sticky and lasts pretty well on the lips. It's very glowy and although I'm not a fan of this colour, I definitely want to try some other shades out.

17 Miracle Matte Foundation - My perfect every day foundation. I bought this because I realised that when it comes to every day, I can't keep using expensive high end foundations. And I'm really glad I did. It's medium-buildable coverage that lasts well on the skin and keeps my skin matte all day long.

17 Photo Flawless Skin Primer - The consistency reminds me of GOSH's primer which is lovely and velvety soft. It fills in pores and helps make up to last longer as well. Plus it's one of the cheapest on the market. 

17 Glam Rock Eye Palette - This isn't available any more as it was a limited edition product but it's very nice. The colours work well together and they're easily blendable and pigmented.

17 Pressed Powder - I love this powder! It helps to control shine and it also adds a little bit of extra coverage to the skin. I really want to try out the shine-control one as well but it never seems to be in stock.

17 Falsifeye Gel Eye Liner - This gel eye liner is what I use to fill in any gaps that I may have missed with my liquid liner as it's easy to control and use. The only problem is, the colour is an off-black colour and not very pigmented so you have to go over it a few times.

17 Instant Glow Bronzing Powder - One of the very few matte contour shades on the high street and it works very well. It isn't that pigmented which is great for me as I have light skin so it doesn't apply too much product to the skin. It's also free of any orange tones too.

17 Glitter Eye Shadow & 17 Solo Eye Shadow - Lovely eye shadows that are very pigmented; possibly the most pigmented on the high street. They're also very easy to blend and last well without a primer.

17 Hide Away Concealer - I bought this because Collection 2000 didn't have my shade in their Lasting Perfection concealer. It's not as full coverage as the Collection 2000 one but it is lovely. It's very creamy and doesn't dry up on the skin and it's great for underneath the eyes as well.

17 Hide & Chic Eye Brightening Concealer Pen - This concealer is pinky toned which means it's great for underneath the eyes to brighten the eye area up. I also love using it to counteract the redness around my nose.

17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish - The formula of these isn't that great. You do need about 3-4 coats and sometimes, it can apply streaky but the colours are absolutely beautiful.

I also took to the 17 stand when buying my mum's birthday present! What's your favourite high street make up brand? Do you love 17 as much as me?

xxx

Guest Post at Megan's Blog!

Today I have a guest post up over at Megan's blog where I'm talking about my favourite rediscovered products!

So make sure you check it out and show Megan your love!

xxx

Catwalk TIGI Series: Sport Chic

You may or may not know but currently I'm doing a Catwalk TIGI Series on my blog. You can find out more information and also view the first in the series (the Soft Knot) here.

So this week we have the Sport Chic style that has been seen at the Gianfranco Ferre MFW A/W 2012 show. It's a very sophisticated look and a strong trend for summer. It's all about creating frizz-free, smooth hair and you can do this by using the Sleek Mystique Haute Iron Spray which bans flyaways and gives hair a lovely, lustrous shine.What do you think of this look? It's personally one that I wouldn't dare attempt as I'm not that confident but I believe with the right bone structure, it looks beautiful!

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway here which ends on Sunday!

xxx

Skin79 Super Plus Triple Function (Hot Pink) BB Cream Review & Comparison Photos & Giveaway

As you all probably know right now. BB creams are massive in the make up industry. I've seen no end of blog posts about ones that have been popping up lately but to be honest, none of them have taken my fancy. Most reviews claim that they're just tinted moisturisers and if you read my blog then you'll know that I like my coverage. I love medium coverage and I love full coverage even more so for me, BB creams never caught my eye. That was until I was offered one of the original BB creams that I first saw back in 2011 on Ingrid's channel. After seeing Ingrid rave about it, I couldn't say no.

Although Ingrid raved about this BB cream, I wasn't expecting much. I wasn't expecting a lot of coverage and I was expecting it to be super shiny and make me look greasy just like tinted moisturisers. So you can imagine my shock when I first applied this and got this result..

So this is my bare skin. I must apologise for how disgusting it is and yes, I have enlarged pores, spots, acne scarring and redness. It's awful and this is the reason why I love my coverage.

And this is my skin after I had applied just one coat of the BB cream. I was in complete and utter shock. It's very blendable, suits my skin tone lovely, it's definitely full coverage yet it's extremely lightweight and I can't feel that it's on. Not a lot covers my scarring but this does. It even makes my pores look smaller which foundations don't tend to do. I don't know how it's done it but it has. I've also wore it all day for work and it's lasted without budging at all and also stayed matte. I actually shed a few tears when I first saw the finished result - my skin quite frankly looked as perfect as it could get. As soon as I get my student loan, I'm buying this in full sized. I have so many foundations but I have to say, I think this is better than them all!

So a bit more information on this product; it's a triple function blemish balm cream that helps shield the skin from premature ageing as it contains SPF 25. It whitens the skin and reduces any existing lines and wrinkles. The formula is very creamy and covers up skin imperfections so that a perfect base can be created for make up. The finish is matte and it stays matte all day long without even needing powder.

I also have four £5 off vouchers to give away to you guys that you can spend on the BB Cosmetics website until the 31st of May. Please do not enter though unless you 100% plan on spending the £5 vouchers as it means someone could miss out. All you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this blog post and also leave your email address so that I can contact you. I'll be picking a winner before the 22nd of April (next Sunday) so make sure you get your entries in!

Have you tried this BB cream before? What do you think? Make sure you enter my giveaway!

xxx

*PR Sample

BRITNEY SERIES: Toxic Make Up

Recently I've been attempting to recreate some of my favourite Britney make up looks. They might not be perfect but I've been having lots of fun doing so! I've renamed all of these posts 'Britney Series' and I'm thinking of continuing this on. So next up we have Britney's Toxic make up. When I see this look recreated, I'll normally see the air stewardess make up but I'm a bigger fan of the black haired vixen Britney!

So, this make up look is very smoky, very dark and very glossy! To recreate this, I used 17's Falsifeye eye liner as a base and drew out the shape that I wanted to create using an eyeliner brush. This also helps the colour last and it helps it be more intensified. I then pressed Urban Decay's Creep on top of this to make sure it didn't look too 'done' as this look is pretty messy and also to add a bit of shimmer. After this, I blended Urban Decay's Gunmental above the black liner/shadow to make it more smoky and once again, make it look a bit messier. To finish this look off I applied some false lashes from KISS in 02 and pressed Vaseline over the top to make it more glossy.

L-R 17's Falsifeye eye liner, Urban Decay's Creep, Urban Decay's Gunmetal.

I really like this look. It's very intense but it definitely isn't something that I'd wear on a night out. I think it's a bit too 'out there' for me but it's a look that's fun to recreate as you can afford to be messy with it.

You can view the rest of this series here. And if you have any Britney make up requests please let me know and I'll see what I can do for you!

xxx

Renouve Anti-Ageing Every Day Defense Review

This beautiful product is the world's first anti-ageing hand sanitizing lotion and it's made with collagen stimulating peptides. Now, as a 19 year old I don't really have ageing hands but I really just cannot get enough of this product. Plus there's no harm in starting early right?

The hand cream (can I call it that?) uses Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 which is a deep penetrating ingredient that's developed to stimulate and produce collagen whilst actively diminishing wrinkles, firming and moisturising the skin. Like I said, I don't have wrinkles but the appearance of my skin changes dramatically once I've used this. They look brighter, clearer and if possible, happier! I do get very dry hands but I find some hand creams too thick and they don't end up sinking in. For a mobile phone addict like me, that's never good as my phone always ends up greasy. But this is lovely. It sinks into the skin immediately and leaves hands feeling beautifully soft and clean. This is probably because it contains Bitter Orange Peel Extract which is an organic antibacterial which means that there's an absence of alcohol in the product which prevents the skin from drying out and losing it's own natural protective layer. The formula is also 95% natural and when I first read this, I was worried. I thought it was going to smell horrible but it's not. It's a lovely light and fresh fragrance that's made in Switzerland exclusively for Renouve. And finally, I must mention the bottle. Seriously, how beautiful are they? They're the perfect size to keep in your hand bag and I always have one in there and one at the side of my laptop. The product comes in 6 different designs and the only problem is choosing one as they're all so beautiful. This is available for £22 from Beauty Expert which yes, it isn't cheap. But once pump is enough to cover both hands entirely which I believe will last a while. Plus the effects of this is wonderful. I've found it really hard to come across a hand cream that works for me and it's safe to say that now, I've found it. You can also visit the Renouve website and their very own shop will be made live this weekend - I'll be posting a Twitter link when this happens.

xxx

Liz Earle Energising Body Wash Review

This wash is very revitalising and the smells reminds me of pine. It uses plant extracts and gentle foaming agents to cleanse and refresh the skin whilst sweet orange and 8 pure essential oils delicately fragrance the skin. I personally wasn't a fan of the smell purely because I'm more of a sweet person so I gave it to my stepmum and she loves it. I did try it out however and it left the skin feeling very soft and smooth. I then followed this up with one of my favourite body scrubs and moisturisers from the energising range and my skin just felt wonderful.. even more soft and smooth (you can see my review of these two products here). All 3 of the products definitely worked brilliantly together to create soft, smooth and supple skin.
Prices start from £8.50 on the Liz Earle website. Have you tried this body wash? Or even anything from the energising range?
xxx
*PR Sample

17 Va Va Voom Mascara Review

I bought this mascara on Monday due to having a half price voucher from the Boots Advantage Card machines. In the end (plus staff discount), this mascara ended up costing me a measly £2.43 which is an absolutely bargain. I've used it every day since and I've fallen in love with it.

The packaging of this mascara isn't exactly my favourite. It's a big childish and definitely aimed at teenagers but there's no doubting that it's bright & easy to find. I apologise for the picture of this aswell; due to the silver writing the camera flashed back and ended up making the packaging look worse. But you can see what it looks like (and also purchase it) here.

 I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the brush. It's not plastic and it's very big. It reminds me of Benefit's Bad Gal mascara brush which I love. It's hard to work with though as it's so big so it takes a bit of getting used to. But once you have gotten used to it, it's worth the wait. 

On the left I'm wearing just one coat of mascara and on the right, I'm wearing no mascara. You can see that it not only lengthens the lashes but it also adds volume and separates them well. It can also be easily built up for a night out but for time day, one coat is more than enough for me!

Have you tried this mascara? What is your favourite mascara at the moment?

xxx

Catwalk TIGI Series: The Soft Knot

When it comes to hair styling, I'm definitely not a professional. In fact, I usually just keep my hair straight or tie it in a ponytail when it starts getting in my way. I do sometimes experiment with curls but find that it takes up a lot of my time and they rarely last. 

However, for Spring/Summer 2012 TIGI Session Stylists have collaborated with some of the worlds leading fashion designers. Together, they've created beautiful on-trend hair to complete the runway looks at many international shows. Over the next five weeks, TIGI will be posted videos on how you to can recreate these looks in just a few easy steps using their favourite Catwalk styling products. And first up is the soft knot..

I will also be recreating 3 of my favourite looks so keep an eye out for those posts! And also for the rest of the TIGI series!

xxx

Etat Pur Free Samples!

Etat Pur are offering 2 free samples to you all from their Biomimetic Skincare Texture range. I ordered mine a few days back but just received an email with this widget so I thought I'd share it and let you all know about it!

Let me know if you decide to take advantage of this offer!
xxx

A Small Haul

Yesterday, I spent all day in a classroom editing videos and voice clips for my TV and radio assignments so after I finished, I decided to take a well deserved trip into town. I did need some shoes from Primark for work as I've ruined my other ones but I didn't feel the need to show you as they're just plain and black. I also got some underwear from Primark and if you follow me on Twitter then you'll know that I got a little bit creeped out as 3 grown men were just staring at me the whole time.

Also from Primark I picked up some of their 4 in 1 Deep Facial Cleansing Wipes as a sort of impulse buy at the tills. I got two packets for just £1 and I've used them and they seem pretty nice. Very lovely for around the eyes and they remove a lot of make up as well. I then went on to Holland & Barrett to finally spend my reward scheme voucher and I picked up their Dead Sea Spa Magik Mud Mask which I haven't tried out yet but I'm very excited too. I then also picked up some more of their snacks as they're beautiful. This time I went with some Yogurt Coated Peanuts which are currently sat on my desk staring at me! I also took a little trip into Poundland as I needed to buy some blank CDs & DVDs to burn my work onto as I was walking there I noticed that a little shop had some Lucky Charms in their window so of course, I went it. The box was £8.50 which I managed to resist but I couldn't quite resist picking up a tiny one use box for £2.00.

It's only a small haul but I thought I'd show you what I picked up anyway. What have you been buying recently?

xxx

Currently Lusting Over..

The recent sun (maybe not so much the rain) has really been getting me in the 'dress mood' lately. I don't post about fashion often on this blog and that's mainly because I don't believe I'm a fashionable person. But either way, I do love clothes! These are my pick of the best dresses on the high street at the moment. I also apologise for the quality of some of the images.

Top to bottom, left to right; 

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

xxx

Fake Tanning Routine Featuring Xen-Tan, Dove & He-Shi

Quite frankly, I am pale. And what's worse, I don't tan. If I go on holiday, no matter how much sun tan lotion I put on, I will burn. And after I've burnt, I will go back to being white - it's hard being me you see. So fake tan is a must for me. I haven't had much luck with fake tan in the past; whenever I apply it I normally end up looking like a mess. But now, I'm pretty experienced in tanning and it's something that I've incorporated into a nice routine.

Xen-Tan Perfect Blend - £34.99*

I was a little bit sceptical when I first heard about this.. sceptical but excited. This fake tan self tan for the face and the body on one side and a shimmer bronzer on the other. You turn a dial so you can custom build your own colour. Also I must add, don't be put off by the word 'shimmer..' I've not found any shimmer in the bronze colour but I find it just leaves a healthy, deep glow on the skin. It ranges from 100% light self tan to 100% cosmetic bronzer. You mix them both together and within 3 hours, your tan has developed into a beautiful deep glow. I really cannot recommend this enough. It's very moisturising on the skin and even if I don't exfoliate it applies beautifully and doesn't go streaky. It doesn't smell of biscuits like most fake tan products do but instead leaves a nice, natural smell on this skin. I use this every Sunday night. I'm starting off light and slowly building the colour up to make it look more natural.

Xen-Tan Mousse Intense - £23.99*

I will admit it, before this product I had never used a mousse fake tan before. Crazy right? Especially because there are endless amounts of good reviews about mousse self tanners. This is in the colour medium/dark and it is just that. I don't use this very often as like I said, I'm building my colour up gradually. But I have used this and I can't rave about it enough. It's streak free and once again doesn't smell like fake tan. It's quick drying and gives an instant colour that develops into a beautiful, deep tan that looks natural due to its olive undertone. Once again, this isn't drying on the skin and adds a nice moisture to it. Whilst I don't use this in my routine all the time, I know that when I'm going on big nights out or on holiday this will be the tan that I'll apply beforehand. It lasts a really long time and fades evenly as well. Very beautiful for those who want a quick and easy deep tan.

Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion - £5.69

When I was younger I tried out a lot of the gradual tanners but I ended up being left disappointed. They were patchy, hard to apply and the moisturiser just didn't sink into the skin easily. But when I read this post from The Sunday Girl, I knew I had to invest in the Dove Summer Glow gradual tanner. I use this every other day (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) to up keep my tan and also to moisturise the skin. I have this in the colour fair to normal so it doesn't apply a lot of colour but saves me from using my Xen-Tan all the time as it's pretty expensive (but worth it). I love this but I hate the way it smells. It definitely adds a nasty fake tan smell but when I shower, it does disappear thank god!

He-Shi Facial Tanning Gel - £17.50*

Even though I can use my Xen-Tan on my face I don't like to so I use my He-Shi facial tanning gel. I'm not very sure on this. When I first tried it, I loved it. But since trying Xen-Tan I just don't feel it's as good. It isn't drying on the skin and it doesn't smell bad but it sometimes applies really patchy. So I'm hoping to try out the Xen-Tan Face Tanner (£16.99). If I do, I'll let you know how they both compare.

And to apply all of these products (except the facial tanning gel) I use the Xen-Tan Luxury Tanning Mitt - £3.99*. When I first received this I thought 'how can it be a luxury tanning mitt? Surely it's just like the rest?' But it isn't. It feels really lovely on the skin and whether it's the fake tan or the tanning mitt, I don't get streaks! It's lovely to use and helps to keep my palms clean which is of course, what you want.

What fake tanning products do you use? Have you tried these?

xxx

*PR sample