FATHERS DAY: Beauty Products

Fathers Day is just around the corner (17th June) so I thought I'd do a couple of posts recommending gifts for you. I feel that Fathers Day is neglected often and the focus is mainly put onto Mothers Day but remember, your dad is just as important! So here are my recommendations...

Kyoku is a range that is designed specifically for men. It incorporates ancient Japanese knowledge of natural extracts such as Ginseng, Green Tea Leaf, Bamboo, Chamomile and Avocado Oil with up to the minute scientific research.

The Kyoku Oil Control Lotion - £43.00* is for men with oily skin. It contains dual-action micro-particles which reduce shine on the skin whilst also keeping it fully hydrated. It also helps combat spots and contains SPF 15 to protect the skin from harmful UV rays.

The Kyoku Daily Facial Cleanser - £19.00* is powerful enough to clean away dirt and oil that is deep beneath the skin's surface but it's also gentle enough to use every day. It combats the appearance of dark circles, adds moisture and protects your skin from the effects of temperature and pressure whilst also preventing irritation. 

The Kyoku Razor Repair Balm - £29.00* is for those who find that shaving is irritating their skin. It's specially formulated to combat irritation, redness and dryness that shaving causes after every shave. It not only does all of this but it also smooths the skin texture and calms redness.

I love the packaging of these products. You can tell that they're very gender specific but they also look classy and high end (which they are). I love the smells as well.. they're not overpowering, they're just nice and manly.

The Weleda range is free from synthetic additives including fragrance, artificial colour or preservatives and these products are made without raw materials derived from mineral oils. They're also not tested on animals.

The Weleda After Shave Balm - £13.95* is a soothing and calming balm which refreshes the skin whilst moisturising it as well. It helps to sustain the skin's natural oils and Chamomile and Myrrh sooth the skin. It's also cooling and protects the skin from dryness, leaving it soft and supple.

The Weleda Smooth Shave Toner - £13.95* can be using before or after a wet or dry shave. It tightens the skin and makes the hair stand up which results in an easier shave. It also soothes and tones the skin whilst disinfecting any small cuts.

Once again, I love the gender specific packaging and also the scent. I also think that these are a really good price as you get a lot of product.

I truly love the Wilko's shower creams and since attending their event, I've been in to Wilko's to pick a few up for myself. However when it comes to men, I'm sure they don't want sweet, strawberry scents. So I'd recommend the Wilko Minty Shower Cream - £1.00* and the Wilko Tropical Coconut Shower Cream - £1.00* (or two for £1.50). These both smell absolutely beautiful and I've had to keep the coconut one away from my sister as she's obsessed. The scent lingers on the skin and because they're a shower cream, they moisturise the skin as well.

I've tried Pro Activ before and I'm a big fan! You can see my reviews of these products here so I won't go into too much detail but I really love them. They're gentle and are great for combating acne and spots. They also help with acne scarring as well which is wonderful and it's impossible to get spots without them leaving marks. You can buy the Pro Activ set here.

What man doesn't want aftershave? I was instantly attracted to this because of the vintage TV box. I've smelt this before and it's really love. I'm useless as describing scents so I'll just say.. go and smell it! This is the Diesel Fuel for Life gift set - £35.

What are you getting your dad for fathers day/how are you celebrating??

xxx

*PR Sample

QUEEN'S JUBILEE: Elegant Touch LE Pretty Lizzie Union Jack False Nails

The Queen's Jubilee is just around the corner and to celebrate, Elegant Touch have brought out these beautiful limited edition nails!

 Inspired by the Union Jack these nails are more girly as they're pink and sparkly! These nails are in the design Pretty Lizzy and the great thing about the nails is that they come in a wide range of different sizes so there's barely any need to cut them down to size.

 They're also the quickest and easiest nails to apply that I've ever come across. I am not sure how long they last as I've only just applied them in time for the Jubilee but Elegant Touch claim that they last for up to 7 days - and I can definitely see that they will. Once applied you cannot get these babies on, they're very well applied. All you have to do is apply a tiny bit of glue to your nails, press the false nail onto the nail for about 5 seconds and wella! Sorted.

You can see from the image above how beautiful they are. I'm truly in love!

These are available from Tesco for just £7.50 each.

How are you celebrating the Jubilee? Have you tried these nails before?

xxx

*PR Sample

MAC Warm Thunder Dupe for just £8!

Last year, Barbara Daly launched a new range of beautiful eye shadows that were exclusive to Tesco. These were their Satin Swirl eye shadows which were named for their beautiful, swirled design and satin soft texture. To rival these, MAC has just launched their own version named the Extra Dimension eye shadow - these are priced at £16.50 each!

 Here you can see Barbara Daly's Satin Swirl eye shadow in Cinder Shine* applied to my eyes. It's such a beautiful silver that's very easy to apply and blend. I only used a small amount on my eyes above and built up the intensity towards the outer corner as it was for day. It lasted throughout the day perfectly.

I really love the close up picture as you can really see how wonderful this colour is. It's a lovely gunmetal silver that has such beautiful shimmer running through it.

And above are the dupes. Barbara Daly also do 7 shades called Crystal, Oyster, Rose Lace, Whirl, Twilight, Sequins and Taupe Ripple, all priced at just £8.

Have you tried these before?

xxx

*PR Sample

Dresses & End of University

I'm finally free from university! Well the course anyway. I never want to be free from the social side of things. So yes, I've completed my first year of university and damn, it feels good. I'm ready to go out on a spending spree! I'm in need of a new wardrobe but first, I need to buy myself an outfit to wear for our last night out on Thursday. These are the outfits that I love from New Look...

1, 2, 3, 4

And these are the ones I love from Dorothy Perkins...

1, 2, 3, 4

However, I'll also be looking in Primark because it's definitely one of my favourite shops. Which of the above is your favourite?

xxx


EDIT - I went into town and there was none of these in stock and none of the shops had anything that I liked. So annoyed! But I'm going to go back in tomorrow and hopefully, this will be in stock.

How I.. Store My Make Up Brushes

For a long time I'd been using a pencil holder from Home Bargains to hold my brushes in but recently, it just hasn't been cutting it. I'm a YouTube lover and I love Blair and Elle so when I saw their brush holders with no postage, I knew I had to get one.

 The girls do a variety of different coloured brush holders which you can view here and they even give you the option to choose your own colours for just a bit more.

 I went with the Hot Pink and Black brush holder and I love it so much. It's really pretty, practical and it holds all my brushes very well. It's sturdy as well and I definitely don't have to worry about it breaking.

The holder cost me just £9.53 (once converted from US Dollars) because like I said, I had a free postage code. It did take a while to receive but seeing as it's from America, I did expect that. I really love it!

How do you house your brushes?

xxx

Summer Outfits & New Shoes

Once again I have another fashion post for you. I say fashion but yet again I must say that I'm not aware of fashion and I just wear what I feel comfortable in and what I like. If you're from the UK then you probably know about this beautiful weather we've been having recently - it's been gorgeous. But unfortunately, I haven't gone summer shopping yet so I've had to recycle some out clothing and these are a few looks that I've come up with.

L-R: Outfit 1:

Cardigan - Warehouse

Dress - New Look

Shows - New Look

Outfit 2:

Cardigan - Warehouse

Top - Primark

Shorts - Matalan

Shoes - New Look

Outfit 3:

Blazer - New Look

Top - Primark

Skirt - New Look

Shoes - New Look

I also bought some new shoes yesterday. I've been in need of some new heels for a long time and as soon as I saw these, I couldn't say no. As you can see from the outfits above, they go with pretty much anything and I can't wait until next week to wear them out. They're super comfy so far but I guess a proper night out will give them the full test. You can view them here and after student discount they were just £16.19 instead of £17.99 which is a complete bargain!

xxx

SKINCARE: Yves Rocher

I hope you enjoyed the skin care reviews from yesterday! They were more for body skin care whereas today I have some facial skin care reviews. This brand is a French based brand that focuses on natural and botanical beauty. As well as skin care products, they also have a range of cosmetics and beauty products. Whilst they have already established a presence in the US, Canada and mainland Europe, they're not working towards establishing a presence in the UK.

Dermo Soothing Day Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin* - £9.10
I've been using this moisturiser on my chin as recently I've been getting a few spots there and because my Pan Oxyl is pretty new the surrounding area has become very dry. This really hydrates the skin and leaves it feel soft, smooth and protected. It didn't irritate the skin at all and it helped with the dry skin throughout the day.
On-Target Filler Eye Wrinkle Solution* - £10.90

I was in need of a new eye cream for a long time and this is my now favourite. It's quite a rich cream that doesn't settle into any lines and completely smooths over the eyes to make them less puffy and irritated. I don't really have any deep wrinkles but I have a few 'laughter lines' around my eyes and this sort of acts like a pre-concealer to get ride of them. It doesn't irritate my eyes but it does give instant effects. Love it!
Have you tried these products before? Will you?
xxx
*PR Sample

SKINCARE: Syrinx Za Dermatological

Today and tomorrow I have skin care posts for you. I've been loving testing out new skin care recently and even though I have exams next week and I'm very stressed out, my skin is possibly in the best condition it's been in for a long time now. Syrinx Za is a natural skin care brand that has been specially formulated to help combat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and dry skin. Usually, these skin care conditions are only treatable by steroid or chemical based products which we all know isn't necessarily the best ingredients to be plastering your skin with. So for people who suffer from these conditions, it's definitely a big plus that this brand is completely natural. 

Each product is enriched with natural ingredients and these are 100% natural and are key ingredients to aid skin healing and also anti-ageing benefits. Zander removes toxins and allows natural oils to penetrate the skin which leaves it deeply moisturised. It's also full of natural vitamins and minerals which help boost the body's immune system and fights warts, skin tags and other irritable sensitive dry skin issues. Argan Oil helps to heal many skin ailments and it also protects the skin from premature ageing, heals scars and works as a sun-protective and disinfectant. Tumeric is well known as a cooking ingredient but don't be fooled; it's also a key beauty component. It helps to heal skin conditions such as acne and it also speeds up wound healing and re-models damaged skin. And finally, Tea Tree Oil is wonderful for healing the skin and treating various diseases and conditions. 

I was sent the following products:

Ultra Sensitive Therapy Cream* - £18.50

This therapy cream is deeply moisturising but not in a way that is greasy and it definitely doesn't leave nasty residue on the skin. I've been using this on my legs before fake tanning and after shaving and it's done wonders. My skin bruises very easily and the skin on my legs does suffer with pigmentation problems. But since I've used this, my skin has become a lot more even and my legs have felt ultra soft. I've had absolutely no irritation since using this and I really love it. I think it's very well priced as well. You don't need a lot product and I can see it lasting a long time.

Deep Cleansing Therapy Bar* - £13.00

I started off by using this on my face and I liked it but I didn't think it was anything ground breaking. I don't suffer with dry skin or any of the above skin conditions so I'm guessing that's why. It does though remove make up very well and leave the skin feeling smooth. I then looked online and saw that this could be used to combat shaving rash. I do get shaving rash quite a bit. When I'm in a rush, I will dry shave my legs and if you've ever done this you will know how painful this is. This cleansing bar worked wonders and it sped the healing up and also didn't irritate the shaving rash any further. I'm not too sure if I'd repurchase it. But I do think that once this runs out it's something that I'm going to miss.

Hydrating Therapy Balm* - £16.80

Since coming to university the skin on my feet has suffered so badly. Wearing heels once or twice a week is not good and although I do try, my skin has never been able to return to its former glory. Until now. I've been using this balm on my heels and I can't recommend it enough. It's soothing, moisturising and its helped leave my heels feeling beautifully soft and smooth. I also love the smell. I can definitely smell the tea tree oil in there which I love. Although this is mainly for use on the feet, it's also safe for using on the face and body. Once again, I love the price and this is definitely something that I'll be repurchasing.

Have you tried any of these products before? Will you be doing so? 

xxx 

*PR Sample 

My Lip Balm Collection

My lip balm obsession runs as deep as my foundation collection - if not deeper. I'm not too sure why as when it comes to my lips, there's nothing wrong with them. I don't get dry lips and I definitely don't get chapped lips. They're not perfect though and obviously lip balms help with lipstick application so I love using them.

I'm also ashamed to say that this is not my full lip balm collection; this is just my university one and at home, I have quite a few more. 

I absolutely love lip scrubs and I've incorporated them into my daily routine. For me, they're just like a moisturiser.

Lush Lip Scrub in Bubblegum - £4.95

This one tastes as Snow Fairy would taste if it was food. It's absolutely beautiful and it smells just like Snow Fairy too. It works really well at scrubbing away dead skin and as you can see from the pot, it's definitely well used.

Lush Lip Scrub in Pow Wow - Limited Edition

I'll never forget when I first bought this and opened it. I was disgusted at the colour and I almost didn't dare use it but it's so good. It's a lot more abrasive than the Bubblegum scrub and you have to be careful when using it as your lips will turn green. But it's fabulous! The taste is popping candy and as you lick the scrub away from your lips the popping candy pops in your mouth.

I really love Nivea lip balms. The packaging of them is great and they're wonderful for throwing into your handbag throughout the day. The Nivea Pure & Natural in Milk & Honey - £1.99 tastes lovely. It's really milky and very moisturising. The Nivea Essential Care - £1.65 is of the same moisture level of the Milk & Honey but I'd say it penetrates deeper and has a better lasting effect. And finally, the Nivea Hydro Care - £2.03 is the most hydrating of the 3 and it is less sticky.

I must admit that Blistex is my favourite lip balm brand. You also must check out their new website - I had too much fun playing with the new features haha. 
Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner* - £2.59
This is a great lip balm. It adds moisture and it tastes and smells nice - like mint. I don't think it deeply moisturises the lips though. It's more of a nice top up throughout the day.

Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast* 
A great hydrating lip balm that tastes and smells incredible! This always reminds me of last years holiday as I took it away with me.

Blistex MedPlus Cherry Berry* - £2.34
This tastes incredible! It's not like the fake cherry berry scent/taste that is in most lip balms either. It's also very good for the lips and is exceptionally moisturising but not in a way that comes off too waxy on the lips or too thick. I love it!

Blistex Lip Massage* - £1.83
This is amazing. It has a special top that dispenses the lip product and it gently buffs away any dead skin and leaves you with beautiful, soft lips. This is great for in the morning.

Blistex Soothing Splash Liquid Lip Moisturiser* - £2.59
I have been loving this lip balm recently and it's the one that has been coming everywhere with me. It applies via a rollerball which is wonderful for soothing the lips. The balm is quite thin but it's pretty glossy and it's great for adding fullness to this lips. Like I said, it soothes the lips and surprisingly it's very moisturising as well. I love it! My new favourite.

Blistex Lip Brilliance* - £2.49
A really nice lip balm that is similar in consistency and hydration as the Nivea ones. It also adds a lovely hint of pink colour on the lips.

 I love SoftLips! The packaging is so cute and girly and I love how inexpensive they are. The SoftLips French Vanilla* - £1.49 tastes incredible. It sort of tingles on the lips which I love. The SoftLips Vitamin Enriched* - £1.49 is the exact same as the French Vanilla one but it doesn't have any flavour.

'I kissed a girl and I liked it..' Chapsticks were probably my first 'make up item' that I owned. But they're actually very good lip balms. My sister loves the original one but I prefer ones with flavours. They're not the most moisturising but they're a great base for lipstick.

Strawberry Chapstick - £1.05

Cherry Chapstick - £1.05

Boots Essentials Lipsalve in Spearmint - £1.01
My sister bought this at the airport as she had forgotten her lip balm but as soon as she found out the flavour she gave it to me (she doesn't like flavoured lip balms). I like this one. It's not that moisturising but it really smooths the lips and it tastes nice.

Vitamin Water Dragonfruit Flavoured - £9.49
I don't really like this. I can't remember why I had it. It's hydrating but I hate the flavour - dragonfruit, urgh.

Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm - £2.69
I don't like Carmex at all. I don't know why I still have this really. It just tastes disgusting.

Liz Earle Sheer Pink Lip Shimmer* - £5.00
This is really cute! It's great for adding on top of matte lipsticks to hydrate them throughout the day and add a nice sheen to the lips.

Vaseline Sun Protection SPF 15 - £2.25
I use this constantly in the summer. It's just like the original Vaseline but it has SPF 15 in it.

Vaseline Rose and Almond Oil - £2.25
I'd say this is the most hydrating out of all of the Vaseline's and I really love the colour pay off.

Rhodes to Heaven All in One Lip Plumper* - £13.95
This is perfect - the best primer for lips. It plumps the lips up whilst hydrating them and really caring for them. It's just incredible and it's definitely worth the big price tag.

I Love.. Strawberries & Milkshake Glossy Lip Balm - £0.99
This tastes and smells incredible. It's not very travel friendly but it sits lovely on my bed side table. It's also very hydrating.

The Body Shop Born Lippy in Watermelon - £2.00
Tastes lovely and is great for summer. Not the most hydrating of lip balms but does a great job at softening the lips.

I bought a giftset from Boots at Christmas for £10.00 and inside it was a lot of cute lip balms. My favourite are the Boots Bright as a Button Mint Lip Balm and the Boots Bright as a Button Cherry Lip Balm. These ones taste lovely and the mint one also adds a bit of shimmer to the lips.

If you do have very chapped lips then there's only one lip balm that I'd recommend and that's the Blistex Relief Cream. Unfortunately, it's not featured in this post as my sister has stolen it from me as it's her favourite and she does actually have chapped lips. She really loves it and it's improved the condition of her lips so much. I even recommended it to a customer at Boots once.

xxx

*PR Sample

RECREATE: Miley's Billboard 2012 Make Up Look

It was the Billboard Music Awards last night and I couldn't help but notice how beautiful and grown up one of my idols looked; Miley Cyrus. As soon as I saw the look I took to my make up drawers in an attempt to recreate it and here is the finished look.

Eye Lid Shadow Colour - Urban Decay's Virgin £32.40

Crease Shadow Colour - Urban Decay's Buck £32.40

Eye Liner - 17's Liquid Liner £3.99

White Eye Liner - GOSH Kohl Liner in White £4.99

Mascara - Revlon's Double Twist £8.99

Lip Stick - Lancome's Le French Touch in Soft Marshmallow Limited Edition

Lip Gloss - MissGuided's Lip Splash in Caramel £5.00 

I really love this look. It's simple but glamorous at the same time. The eye make up really defines the eyes and makes them stand out and the lips look so stunning and full. I could easily wear this during the day and also for when I go out too if I'm pushed for time as it really doesn't take long to do. If I was doing a full face, I'd use a full coverage foundation like Estee Lauder's Double Wear and I'd contour heavily with Sleek's Contour Kit in Light.

What was your favourite Billboard look of the night? Do you like this look?

xxx

Perfect Nude Lip Combination

It's not very often that I wear a full on nude lip. This is mainly because if I do wear colour, it's usually on my lips and I'm also scared of concealer lips and looking dead. But recently, I've rediscovered a lip product that I used to be a fan of and a lip gloss that I've loved for a very long time. And together, they're the perfect couple.

 This is a much better lip swatch than I usually do isn't it?! I've discovered the perfect angle to take lip swatches with so expect a few more. I'm pretty proud of myself. But yes! This is my perfect nude lip combination. So above I'm wearing the lipstick and lipgloss together and they create a beautiful nude, glossy lip that makes the lips look a lot fuller. The lipstick and gloss in question?...

Top, Bottom - 

MissGuided MissLed Lip Splash in Caramel - £5.00

I've always loved this lipgloss since I received it free in a magazine (Cosmopolitan I think). Although it's nude, it's pretty sheer and alone, creates a lovely wash of colour and shine on the lips. And on top of any other lipgloss, creates a beautiful sheen that makes lips look a lot fuller. It smells divine and isn't sticky at all.

GOSH Velvet Touch Lipstick in Darling - £6.49

I did cave into the hype surrounding this lipstick a few years ago and at first, I hated it. I hated the colour, the formula, everything. But then I found out how to work with it. Don't stroke it on, pat the colour on and it doesn't apply so heavy and concealer like. The formula is very moisturising and it's just a lovely lipstick all round.

L-R Gosh Lipstick, Missguided Lipgloss.

Obviously these swatches were never going to be incredible; they're both very nude like and match the colour of my skin pretty well. But I thought I'd include them anyway.

What lipsticks/glosses/combinations create your favourite nude lip look?

xxx

High Street Intense Purple Make Up Tutorial

Last night, or well, this morning I returned from my sister's flat and decided that I wanted to play around with some coloured eye shadow. I looked in my make up drawers and found this beautiful purple colour and a black colour that I rarely ever used. So I thought I'd try and create a look with it. Next time, I would use a more intense black (possibly one from Urban Decay) to make the eyes stand out more but I wanted to keep this a high street make up tutorial so it's more affordable.

Purple Eye Shadow - 17 Solo Eye Shadow in Punky Purple £3.89

Black Eye Shadow - 17 Solo Eye Shadow in Darkness £3.89

Eye Liner - 17 Liquid Liner £3.99

Mascara - Maybelline The Colossal Volum Express Mascara £7.19

I do really like how this turned out and I was actually a little bit gutted that I wasn't going anywhere to show it off. I'd like to think that I'd wear it on a night out but then again when it comes to colour, I'm not that confident. Although I do think it's pretty subtle! Do you like purple/coloured eye shadows?

xxx

Sleek Storm Palette Tutorial

Since I bought the two Urban Decay Naked Palettes I have abandoned all my other eye colours purely because those two palettes contain every neutral shade I could ever wish for. But when I was looking through my Jemma Kidd Make Up Masterclass Book I saw a beautiful pink eye and I remembered my Sleek Storm palette that I used to love dearly.

Unfortunately, these colours don't have any names but you can see what I mean by the swatches below. The two pink colours are the ones on the top right hand side of the palette and the matte black is the one in the bottom corner. I started by applying the light rose gold colour all over the lid and then blending the dark rose gold colour into the crease. After that, I took a tiny amount of the matte black and blended it into the outer corner of the eye to deepen it a little bit. I then used 17's Liquid Liner to create a flick and Avon's Kajal Stick to blend eye liner onto my waterline and just underneath my eye. I then completed the look with Revlon's Double Twist mascara.

L-R The light rose gold colour, the dark rose gold colour, matte black.

I really love this look and it's definitely one that I'll be recreating on a night out. Especially when I'm wearing just black as this will add a lovely pop of colour to the eyes.

What do you think about this?

xxx

What To Spend Your £5 No7 Vouchers On

Yes! No7 vouchers are back and I couldn't be more excited. I'm nearly running out of my Night Cream but I've been putting off buying it as I expected they'd be back soon. I thought I'd do a little guide on what I hope I'll be buying when I get some vouchers so hopefully you'll find it helpful.

Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser - £9.00

I really love this cleanser. I use it every single morning and it really refreshes and awakens my skin. It removes any dirt on my skin and leaves it looking glowing and lovely.

Beautiful Skin Night Cream for Normal/Oily Skin - £13.50

My favourite night cream. It's a gel consistency which really refreshes the skin and I find that perfect for night-time as throughout the day I've been wearing make up and that really takes it toll on my skin. A little goes a long way and I cannot recommend this enough.

Stay Perfect Nail Colour - £7.00

No7 do some beautiful nail colours and I really like the formula of these polishes. They're not too thick and not too thin and last a decent amount of time on the nails.

Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes - £7.00

I would never buy these without the £5 vouchers but for £2 you can't go wrong. They're more moisturising than other face wipes I do find that they remove more make up than normal ones.

Airbrush Away Primer - £19.50

I've never tried this but I'm in need of a new primer and this one sounds lovely. I think it's expensive - definitely on the high end side but hopefully I'll treat myself to it.

Intelligent Balance Mousse Foundation - £12.50

I've tried this before but unfortunately it was in the wrong colour. It provides great coverage and keeps skin matte all day long. I'd love to repurchase it in the right colour as it was a lovely foundation.

Eye Contour Brush - £7.25

You can't have enough of these brushes! At the moment I have 3 but I've definitely bought more before. They're great at applying eye colour in the crease and blending it out.

Vital Brights Lipstick - £10.00

I'm loving lipsticks at the moment and whilst I was browsing Boots' website this lipstick caught my eye. I really, really want it!

What will you be spending your £5 vouchers on?

xxx

FOTD - Call Me, Maybe

It's been a while since I did a face of the day but the other day I was pretty happy with how I had done my make up so I thought I'd show you. I guess it's not really a face of the day as it was for when I was going out at night. But hey ho, here it is!

Foundation - Skin79 Super Beblesh Balm BB Cream £16.00

Concealer - Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19

Powder - 17 Shine Control Loose Powder £5.49

Bronzer - Liz Earle Colour Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50

Blush - Nars Deepthroat £21.00

Highlight - Avon Colour and Contour in Rose Glow Price Unknown

Eye Shadow - Urban Decay's Side Car and Darkhorse £36.00

Eye Liner - 17's Liquid Liner £3.99

Eye Brows - HD Brow Palette* £24.95 & Collection 2000 Colour Lash in Clear £1.99

Mascara - Revlon Double Twist Mascara £8.99

Lipstick - 17's Mirror Shine Lip Stick in Belle £5.49

Lip Gloss - Liz Earle Colour Sheer Lip Gloss in Quince* - £13.50

You can see my review and before/after comparison images of the BB Cream here. You can see how much I love the 17 Liquid Liner and a swatch of it here. You can see a swatch of my 17 Mirror Shine Lip Stick collection here. You can see a swatch of Nars Deepthroat blush here. You can see a swatch of the Avon Colour and Contour palette in Rose Glow here. You can see swatches and a review of the Liz Earle bronzer and lip gloss here. You can see a swatch of the HD Brow Palette here. 

xxx

*PR Sample

How to Relieve Exam Stress

It's that time of year again, the time that all students dread; exam time. If you're like me then you're one of those people that revise as much as they can but still end up in the exam room nearly in tears as you've forgotten everything. Yes, I panic and worry about exams. More than I should. So this year I'm taking a more 'relaxed' approach and instead of cramming revision in, I'm just doing 1 to 2 hours a day for the next 3 weeks. 

These three are my must haves for revision.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - yes, I caved. I saw this all over my blogging dashboards and I just couldn't resist as everyone has been raving about it. When I first used it I can remember thinking 'oh, is this it?' But then the addiction started. Gem from GemsMaquillage described it this best; 'crack in a bottle.' And that's what it is. I've had it a week now and already you can see how much I've used. Although I don't think it has that much of a big effect on your skin (it just tightens the pores a little bit) it does smell incredible. So incredible. The smell calms me down and puts a smile of my face and I find myself using it so much. I use it as a toner, I use it as a make up refresher, I use it as a drug. It's my drug.

Britney Spears Baby One More Time Album - music means a lot to me, especially music by Britney. When it came to me choosing an album to listen to whilst revising I immediately went to this one. It's Britney's debut album and whilst there are some wonderful, upbeat pop songs, there's also some calming, beautiful ballads. But not only that, just looking at this album puts a smile on my face. It reminds me of my childhood and it shows me how far Britney's come. 14 years on and she's still here making music and regardless of what she's been through, she's stronger than ever. And it inspires me to never give up. The perfect revision album.

Ikea Flardfull Scented Candle - I have a candle obsession! So much so that even though candles are banned in student halls, I break the code and still burn them - I'm bad. This one is wonderful and smells like lemons and citrus which really uplifts me and makes me feel wide awake. It was also very cheap, under £3 and although I've burnt it for many hours, it's barely gone down!

Another thing that's making me revise is the Moddershall Oaks Spa*. I've given myself an incentive; if I pass this year then I will treat myself to something at this spa. It has 10 luxury spa suites and it was award 5 bubbles by the Good Spa Guide. Also perfect for the summertime, the spa has launched their 'British Summertime Spa Treats' which is a package that includes a relaxing Shirodhara Head Massage, Gerard's Green Tea Abdomen Treatment for a flatter bikini tummy, The Bamboo Massage for an A List no effort workout and Lava Shells Full Body Massage for the warmth of the tropics which is the perfect selection of summer time treats. The package helps you to achieve that summer holiday 'lighter' look and feel. This package includes a welcome tour and complimentary drink, use of the spa facilities, robes, lunch with a fresh fruit smoothie and a 55 minute summer treatment. Prices start from just £105 per person. You can also get this as a break package which includes everything in the day package plus extended us of the spa and an overnight stay in a 5 star suite based on 2 people sharing and the use of the outdoor hot tub. Prices start from £145 per person. You can find out more about the spa here. 

Moddershall Oaks Spa Manager, Penny Holland said that; 'All of us will feel the effects of stress at some point in our lives. It's different for all of us and so it's important that we tune in and listen to our bodies. There are many simple, small and effective steps that we can take to significantly reduce our stress levels yet they are often overlooked. I would recommend the following as my fail safe tips to restore your happy self:

1. Commit to a regular practice of yoga, tai chi or mediation. The predominant focus is to life the mind, body and spirit.

2. Enjoy the great outdoors - often getting some fresh air and being surrounded by nature puts things in to perspective.

3. Book in for a treatment with an expert therapist. I am always amazed by the difference many of my clients feel after having a treatment like a head massage.'

How do you relax and relieve your exam stress?

xxx

*I was contacted by a PR company regarding this spa and the Summertime Spa Treats package but they are not offering me the incentive. If I pass my exams and visit this spa I will be paying for it with my own money.

Umberto Giannini Up-Do Hair Styling Kit Review

I'm not a genius when it comes to my hair. I usually either straighten it, put it up in a pony tail or if I have time, curl it. I'd seen these kits by Umberto Giannini in Boots and I'd been interested in them every since I'd noticed them so when I was offered one, I couldn't resist.

I was sent the Up-Do Hair Styling Kit* and I was very excited to try it out. When I go to work I have to tie my hair up and normally, I just quickly shove it up and it ends up looking a mess. So I couldn't wait to recreate this look and wear it to work.

 The back of the kit comes with everything you need to know about recreating the look. The instructions are very detailed and easy to follow. But if you're like me and you prefer to watch things there is a tutorial available on YouTube as well (which I've embedded down below).

 If you purchase this kit you will receive some pins, grips, a pintail comb, some snag-free hair bands (only one is pictured here because stupidly, I couldn't see that there was anything inside the bag so I threw them away, so annoying), a black diamante-encrusted hair band and 3 hair donuts (one big, two small). I have nothing bad to say about everything included in this kit. From what I've seen, they're all very high quality products and work very well together to create a beautiful look. The headband in stunning - the pictures really don't do it justice and even if I don't recreate this look I use this very often as it's lovely on its own. The hair grips are better than my original ones and have now replaced those. The pintail comb is wonderful and is another item that I use on a daily basis. The hair donuts and the pins are very sturdy and keep the style in place all day long and the snag-free bands are stretchy and once again, sturdy.

These photos are from the first time that I tried the look out so it is a little messy. But if you're like me and you don't like your hair to look perfect then you can leave it this way. I really love this kit and now that I've had it a while I can create this up-do in around 5 minutes which is incredible. It's really beautiful, simple and chic and I now feel as though I'm better when it comes to hair.

This kit (and a few others) are available from Boots for £12.00. 

xxx

*PR Sample

Random Revision Day Post - Britney on X Factor

Today is a day filled with revision so this is just a quick post to show how much of a proud fan I am. Yesterday Britney was announced as the new XFactor USA judge (along with Demi Lovato, Simon Cowell and LA Reid). She looked absolutely beautiful, her body was perfect but most of her, that smile and glow that she'd been missing for a while was back. It's been 4 years since she was taken away to hospital in an ambulance and I'm proud of how far she's come. 

Since then, she's had 2 number one album, 2 sell-out world tours, won hundreds of awards, regained custody of her children, gotten engaged and gotten her life back on track. No one thought she'd do it, but she has. And I couldn't be more proud of her right now.

Rant over. I better get back to revision! Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't done already.

xxx

What's On.. My Bathroom Counter?

Soap & Glory Wash Your Hands Of It Hand Wash - £5.00
The hand wash I use is of course a Soap and Glory one but I have decanted it into this hand wash dispenser to match my bathroom. I love this hand wash because it's non-drying and moisturising and of course, it smells incredible which is always a bonus.
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser* - £14.25
My favourite cleanser. It's just perfection. I'm not going to go into too much detail as I've posted about it many times before but it really is the most wonderful cleanser on the market.

Vichy Normaderm Purifying Cleansing Gel - £10.50
Another cleanser that I love. I use this whenever my skin breaks out a little bit but as it's one of my favourites, I also keep it up their with my other 3 favourites.

No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser - £9.00
My daily morning cleanser that although I've had it since its release date and I've used it every day since, never seems to go down so great value for money. It's brightening, mops up oil and smells really fresh and clean.
The Body Shop Facial Brush - £3.00
I don't know why I have this - it's not very good at all. It's scratchy and horrible but I keep it up there because it looks pretty and shabby chic. I wouldn't recommend it though at all - unless you have very dry skin.

Pearl Drops Instant Whitening Toothpolish - £5.10
I don't have perfect teeth and currently, I'm getting them sorted out but anyone who's had them sorted out before knows how lengthy and expensive the process is. So for now, I'm keeping them as white as I possible can. This is a great product. It does make the teeth a little bit sensitive but it makes them look amazing in photos and is a great instant whitening solution.
The Cor Silver Soap* - £35.00
This cleanser is also one that is amazing and I'd say it's up there with the Liz Earle one however, it's very expensive. I don't have much of this left but I use it whenever my skin breaks out badly as it gets rid of bad skin in an instant. It's a miracle worker and a wonder product.

Colgate Max White One Active - £3.99
This is my daily toothpaste and it's another whitening one. Apparently it gets your teeth one shade whiter after just one week but I've only been using this for a few days so I can't really report on it. It does leave them feeling squeaky clean though.

Corsodyl Daily Defence Mouthwash - £4.69
This isn't the nicest mouthwash out there and I do have another in my drawers for when I actually want a nice taste in my mouth. But this really does the job. My gums do bleed quite a bit but since I've started using this they have stopped bleeding which is wonderful.
I do have many different things in my bathroom but this is just what I keep on my mirror counter. What are your bathroom essentials?
xxx
*PR Sample

My Favourite Dresses

A lot of have asked for more fashion related posts on my giveaway. And although I really don't think I'm fashionable, I'm here to give you what you want so hopefully, there will be more outfit of the days/nights on the way. Probably more outfit of the night than day time ones because when it comes to the day time I'm usual in lectures and I literally just wear whatever is ironed and washed. But for now, I thought I'd show you my favourite dress. I do apologise about some of the images - I've tried to use ones that show off how the dress fits and frames the figure but unfortunately, some are pretty low quality.

 Dress Up @ Topshop - £45

This is definitely my all time favourite dress. I bought it because I had seen Britney wearing it and although originally I had absolutely no intention of wearing it, I do wear it quite often. But probably not often enough as it is a body con dress which means that it really clings to the figure and unfortunately I'm not confident enough. But I do really love it. Especially the colour.

Primark - £10

I wear this dress so much. Although it's from Primark it's really good quality and frames the figure beautifully. It's pretty thick and emphasises curves and your best assets. The top half of the dress is pretty body con and then the second half is flowing. I really love this and it's my fail safe dress. I usually team it with a black or a brown belt.

 New Look - Can't find the price but was around £30

I had to include this dress because it's very special to me as I wore it onstage when I danced with Britney. It's very flattering, comfortable and easy to wear in the day or at night time. Once again, another fail safe dress. This one never lets me down. I usually wear it with a brown belt to pull me in at the waist.

 New Look - Can't find the price but was around £30

This my 'fat day' dress as it just skims the figures wonderfully and hides anything that you want it too. With it being black as well it really slims down your figure. It is pretty short but I don't mind that I do quite like my legs (with heels). It's easy to wear and throw on and can be worn with a belt or without one.

AX Paris @ New Look - £22

I bought this around the first term of university but I hardly ever wore it as I don't like my arms. But I wore it out the other night and I loved it. I felt really confident in it and although I still don't like my arms, I love how it makes my figure look. It really pulls the waist in and skims past the thighs lovely. The colour also makes me happy!

So this is my first 'real' fashion post. Sorry it's not that good. Like I said originally, I'm not big fashionable at all and I definitely don't know how to talk about fashion. But of course, we all love clothes!

What are your favourite dresses?

xxx