Xen-Tan Signature Spray Tan Review

This time last week I headed down to my local Saks Hair & Beauty salon for an Xen-Tan spray tan! I love fake tan and I find myself applying it at least once a week but it's no secret that I'm not very good at doing so. I have tried a lot of fake tans and my current favourite is the Lauren's Way Glam Tan which I reviewed here but I was so excited to get a spray tan as it's something that I've always wanted. The Xen-Tan Signature Spray Tan* gives you a natural olive glow in minutes. The formula is moisture rich which means that even the fairest of skins can enjoy a natural-looking tan! The tan claims to give you that perfect airbrushed finish that lasts up to 10 days, fades evenly and smells delicious.

The people at the Saks Hair & Beauty salon were absolutely lovely and made me feel very comfortable. I was a bit scared about baring all to someone that I didn't know but the process was very easy and the lady was so nice! She explained everything to me in detail and asked if I had any questions. She also asked if I wanted to go for a small glow, a medium tan or a deep tan and because I'm very pale, I said just a medium tan would do. The whole process took about 15 minutes with the fake tan application taking about 5 minutes. The lady applied moisturiser to my feet, knees and elbows and we were on our way! The spray tan is pretty cold but I'd say it's more refreshing than nasty. Afterwards, I was left to walk around the room for a bit letting my tan dry and getting ready and when I caught sight of myself in the mirror I was so shocked by the colour I'd go and I immediately fell in love with my fake tan.  

I'm not used to being this tanned at all but I absolutely love it! And I know that I'm now addicted to spray tans. A week on my colour is fading evenly and there's still a bit left on - I can still see my tans line! I haven't topped my tan up because I wanted to see how it'd end up and so far I'm impressed. But I do want to keep my colour so today I will be fake tanning again. The one thing I love the most about this spray tan is not how quick it is, not how evenly it fades, not how it doesn't go streaky but I love the effect it gives. It literally airbrushes your skin and any imperfections that you were worried about before are gone. I do have scarring on my skin but since having my spray tan I've found that I've needed a lot less foundation and concealer than usual as the spray tan literally concealed everything anyway!

(My face is paler than my body in this picture because I exfoliate my skin a lot more than I do my body)

This spray tan is normally £25 but Saks have a special offer on at the minute where every Friday you can get a voucher that gets you this spray tan for just £15! For your voucher, click here. I can see myself treating myself to a fake tan every month from now on. I absolutely love them!

Have you ever had a spray tan before?

xxx

*This was a complimentary spray tan

One Year On...

- Walking past people who had been queuing hours and going straight to the front

- Getting to meet Britney's bodyguard who I recognised in photos

- Being so close to the stage

- Getting to experience the concert with my sister (I was originally going alone)

- Being able to give my mum my original ticket as she's always wanted to see Britney

- Meeting and hugging Britney's assistant, Felicia, who I'd loved from such a young age and her telling me that Britney loves me and she's grateful for my support

- Seeing Britney's boys at the side of the stage and her fiance, Jason

- Having Britney give me eye contact whilst smiling at me, twice

- Britney following me and tweeting me after the show

- Seeing Britney having so much fun onstage and hearing her live voice in person for the first time

- Looking out and seeing thousands of fans having a great time

- Just being within inches of the woman that I'd loved since I was a young 5 year old girl

It was just a dream come true and I'd have never have imagined that I'd be that close to Britney and have her recognise me. I'm forever grateful to Britney's PR company, Twitter and of course Britney because if it wasn't for those, I wouldn't have been able to have this opportunity.

xxx

REVIEW: Lauren's Way Glam Tan

I'm always on the lookout for that 'perfect fake tan.' I've tried a few different brands and I've come up with quite the collection now. I love applying fake tan. It makes me feel a lot more confident in myself and I also love that it means I don't have to wear skin coloured tights as they annoy the hell out of me. My newest addition to my fake tan addiction is Lauren's Way Glam Tan*.

As the name suggests, this fake tan is by The Only Way Is Essex's queen of tan, Lauren Goodger. I've been using this fake tan for a few weeks now and it's the only tan that I've been reaching for. It comes in a spray bottle which I think is so easy to apply. I spray it onto my fake tanning mitt and buff it into my skin. For me, it's a lot easier than pumping the product out or even pouring the product onto the mitt. You can even spray it directly onto the skin. At first, it gives you an instant natural glow and then later develops into an olive coloured tan. Yes that's right, not an orange tan but olive. It's gorgeous and even. I also find that you can build this product up so say if you're after a really deep tan, you can apply this once a day in the run up to your 'event' to create that beautiful deep tan. Another thing I love about this fake tan is that it fades naturally and not streaky. And when it does fade, it's after a few days. I've been applying this once a week and I find that it's more than enough to keep my tan topped up. One warning I will give you though is don't apply this to your face. As it's an olive colour it is very, very dark and for pale ladies like me, it just ends up making you look unclean. Or maybe that's my own fault for spraying as much on my face as I did on my arms?

You can buy this fake tan here and it retails for just £16.95.

Have you tried any products from Lauren's Way range before? What's your favourite fake tan?

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Christmas with NEXT

I was invited to the NEXT Beauty Event last week but unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend. I was sent a few press releases and images of the products that were shown at the event though and as they all sound lovely and look beautiful, I thought I'd show them to you. This year for Christmas, NEXT is celebrating with "glimmer and shimmer and a nod to heritage, plus its own clever take on all that's new and noteworthy." NEXT have released a new boutique inspired beauty collection that is so varied it contains every pampering treat from candles to cosmetic bags and from body lotions to bath bombs. 

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

The above are my favourite picks. I love the mens giftset as I think the bag is lovely and the products look a lot more expensive than the actually are. The same goes for the body creme, it looks so expensive! NEXT also do this body creme in 4 different scents. The two candles are great little stocking fillers and I personally believe that you can never have enough candles. The bath fizzer looks really cute and like the candles, it'd make a lovely stocking filler. The manicure set is every girls must have and I love, love, love the tin it comes in - really handy! And finally, the giftset looks really luxurious. 

Like I said earlier, NEXT have released four new fragrances in their fragrance collection. The City Collection is a quartet of scents in eau de parfum, body cremes and indulgent home fragrance formulations such as candles and reed diffusers. Each scent evokes one of the world's great fashion centres. MILAN: top notes of melon and green apple, heart of magnolia and violet and a lingering woody base. LONDON: top notes of lychee and citrus, heart of rose and peony and a powdery musk and cedarwood base. NEW YORK: white floral featuring tuberose and gardenia with jasmine and sun-kissed orange blossom. PARIS: orchid, jasmine, ylang-ylang and orange blossom with a base of musk and warm amber. You can view the entire Collection range here. If you're a fan of the Just Pink fragrance then click here to view that fragrance's collection. NEXT also do branded fragrances (which is new to me) so to view this full range, click here. Also, NEXT have their own make up range (and have a few brands thrown in there too) which you can find here. And for all you men out there, click here to see the men's fragrance selection.

You can see the images from the event on Facebook.

xxx

FASHION: Recent Purchases

When I got my student loan, I thought I'd treat myself to a few new clothing pieces. So I went onto eBay (my addiction) and typed in "fit and flare" and then "peplum dress" and these are what I ended up winning!

From left to right.

FIRST: The top is from Warehouse and I got it a couple of Christmases ago in Debenhams after my dad bought me a shopping experience there. It's so pretty and it's very versatile. It can be worn in summer, winter, with jeans, with a skirt, during the day, at night. I absolutely love it and I find myself wearing it all the time. The skirt is then from eBay and it was an absolute bargain at £4.49. Yes, it's from Hong Kong so it takes a little while to come but it's worth it. It's not the best quality but for less than £5, what are you expecting? It's beautiful, flattering and I adore it. You can find this skirt here. The necklace is from Tally and Hoe which I've blogged about before here. The necklace I'm wearing is the Scissors & Comb necklace* which is one of my favourites!

SECOND: The green dress is yet again from eBay. When I was bidding on it, I didn't see a brand name but I really didn't care to be honest. And even now, I'm unaware of what brand it is but it's such a pretty colour and cut that it just doesn't bother me. I've never been one for brand names and as long as I like it, the brand name definitely doesn't matter. This dress is peplum style around the backs and sides and at the front, it cuts away from the peplum style. I would say it's kind of a futuristic dress which is cute but what drew me towards it was definitely the colour. So pretty! The necklace in this outfit is one that my dad bought me for Christmas a really long time ago. It's a beautiful silver drop down necklace and I really love it. It was from Debenhams but I highly doubt they still have it in there as it is pretty old.

THIRD: And finally (almost) the pink dress is once again from eBay. This is a brand name and this is from BooHoo. I've had a look on the website but unfortunately, they no longer sell it. Once again what drew me to this was the colour. Pink is my favourite colour but ever since becoming a 'teenager' or even an 'adult' I just don't seem to buy pink clothes - probably because I think I'll look like a little girl. But I couldn't resist this dress. It's a bright pink, a very bright pink which shows off my newly spray tanned body (post coming soon) and yet again, it's a peplum style dress. This time, it's a full peplum dress and it also has black netting around the top.

The only things I don't like about the top in the first picture and the two dresses is that they don't have sleeves in them and seeing as I don't like my arms, it's not a good thing for me. But it's nothing that my beautiful, white blazer from Tesco can't fix! I'd been after a white blazer for a ridiculously long time and I walked past this in Tesco, saw it was £10 and very quickly bought it. I wear it on pretty much every night out. I love it so much. Finally the shoes (which are dirty and for some reason I didn't think to clean them before taking the pictures) are from New Look and I've had them a good few months now. They're the only heels I ever wear as they're comfy, easy to walk in and go with pretty much anything. These were really cheap when I bought them and when I looked on the New Look website I noticed that they're now in the sale and they're only £12. You can view these shoes here.

Have you ever used eBay for buying clothes?

xxx

*PR Sample

Hair Care Routine

I don't think I've done a hair care routine in a really long time and recently, I've been loving the products mentioned below and I've stuck to them for a good few months now. I must also add that my hair type is long, fine and is very prone to oilyness. So I look for volumising products that don't grease up my hair.

I always use the John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo* (£5.89) and conditioner* (£5.89). I really don't think this will ever change. I've mentioned both of these products a lot before and I really love them. They're great at cleansing the hair without stripping it of its natural oils. I also love that they don't weigh the hair down and on their own provide natural volume. For inbetween washes I use the Batiste Cool & Crisp Fresh Dry Shampoo (£2.50). I really like this scent but I do tend to just pick up a random scent when I'm in need of a new one. Batiste do so many and I want to try them all out! I've tried a lot of dry shampoos before (including more recently Superdrug's own which fyi, I hated) but I always come back to these ones. Probably because of the low price! My hair mask of choice is the TRESemme Split Remedy Split Mend Intense Recovery Masque* (£5.69). I've actually had this tub for around a year now and it's still going strong (although I don't have that much left). It's really nourishing and moisturising but it doesn't weigh the hair down or make my hair look more oily. I only need a tiny bit of this and I use it 2-3 times a week. Another product from the Split Remedy range that I love is the TRESemme Split Remedy Sealing Serum* (£5.69). I use this after every wash on the ends of my hair to make sure that my hair doesn't split. I have very long hair which means that my hair is prone to breakages but with this serum, my hair still ends up looking and feeling healthy. A classic product that I love is the Avon Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield (£7.50). My sister actually bought this for herself and seeing as I'm the person who typically blowdries/straightens her hair, she gave it to me. I absolutely love it! It makes sure that your hair withstands the nasty, humid weather and it's great for taming frizz. I also love how smooth and soft this leaves me hair looking and feeling. I use this before I blow-dry my hair.

Heat defence for me is so important and I always use the TRESemme Heat Defence Styling Spray (£4.69) when I blow-dry/straighten/curl my hair, without fail. I've tried a few other heat defences but nothing compares to this one. I love the way it sprays out like a fine mist which means that it evenly coats your hair without weighing it down or making it greasy. Before blow-drying my hair I use the TIGI Bed Head Candy Fixation Totally Baked Hair Meringue* (£12.50) which is a mousse that adds volume. I love the smell of this! If you know me or you read my blog often enough then you'll know that lemon meringue is not only one of my favourite smells but also my favourite dessert so this takes me right back to that! Like all of the products in my hair care routine, this doesn't weigh the hair down or make it oily - I feel like a parrot as I'm repeating that a lot! But it's a must have for me. When I'm finishing off my hair I'll use either (or both) the TIGI Bed Head Candy Fixation Sugar Shock Bodifying Sugar Spray* (£11.75) or my Umberto Giannini Incredible Body Full Volume Hairspray* (£5.49). The Sugar Spray is great for adding volume and texture to the hair and I pair this with back combing and mainly use it throughout the day when I want a not so 'done' and polished look. The smell of this is also incredible. It reminds me of childhood and I love it so much! The hairspray is mainly what I use at night as it does a wonderful job of adding volume to the hair and keeping it in place all night long. It's also easy to brush out and doesn't crisp the hair up at all. Finally, I'll use the Percy and Reed Flawless Finishing Polish (£4.00) when I want a smoothed down look as it's great at taming frizz and flyaways.
What are your favourite hair care products? Have you tried any of my favourites?
xxx
*PR Sample

Mini Boots 3 For 2 Haul

A few of you have been commenting on my giveaway saying that you like seeing hauls. I don't really 'do' many hauls because quite frankly, I'm a skint student. But I would rather spend my money on a lipstick and not eat for a week. So a last week I did do a little haul in Boots as I needed a new concealer so I did end up taking advantage of their current 3 for 2 across all make up offer.

I was so excited when I found out that Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation was coming across the pond to us. It sounds amazing and I just love the packaging so when I saw it in stock, I picked it up. Choosing my shade was very easy and I didn't even swatch it on my skin as I trusted the diagrams that were surrounding the foundation. I have the colour 125 which is a pale colour for those with pink undertones. I've really been enjoying using this and I think it provides a decent amount of coverage (medium), lasts a long time on the skin (with a primer) and like I said earlier, the packaging makes it seem more high end. I then noticed the 17 Blow Out Mascara in Blackest Black and I knew I had to have it. It's not secret that I'm a 17 make up fan and the packaging of this mascara really screamed out to me. It's very bright and in your face and it promises to volumise your lashes. I wasn't expecting that much from it to be honest as the packaging (although amazing) is a little tacky but I really like this. I think it's easy to build up coats without clumping the lashes. It also lengthens them significantly as well. And finally, I picked up another Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer. I now have this concealer in every available colour just in case I apply fake tan or in case I don't. This is my favourite concealer as it provides incredible, full coverage and also lasts throughout the day.
What have you been buying recently?
xxx

HOW TO: Get glowing skin when you have combination/oily skin

I have combination skin. This means that my skin is pretty normal on my cheeks but on my t-zone (forehead, nose and chin) my skin can sometimes end up looking like an oil slick. For someone who loves glowing skin, this isn't good news for me at all. But I've found a product that allows me to create glowing skin without me looking like I've dunked my face into a chip pan.

This product is the No7 Stay Perfect Shine Free Primer (they've since changed their packaging). This product isn't exactly the nicest primer to work with and it doesn't go on or glide over the skin as smoothly as Benefit's Porefessional does but it does do the job of ensuring that your skin is kept matte throughout the day. That's all well and good but as I mentioned earlier, I love glowing skin. So why would I use a matte product when I want that beautiful glowy look that JLO is blessed with? Well basically, if you matte your skin down completely, you're left with a blank canvas. 'Normal' skin. You can then go on to use glowy products such as the YSL Touche Eclat foundation or pretty MAC Mineralize Skin Finishes and you can cleverly create beautiful, glowing skin. This primer can be quite drying so I wouldn't recommend it at all for people with dry skin (of course, why would people with dry skin want to make their skin even more matte?! - but I thought I'd add it just in case). But if you are someone who suffers with combination/oily skin I'd definitely recommend this product. You only need a tiny amount and you can then go on to apply your glowing make up. Or you can even leave your skin matte. It's entirely up to you!

How do you create glowing skin? What are your favourite glowy products?

xxx

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

CHALLENGE: Dr.Ceuticals

We all have our body hang ups and mine are definitely on my arms, legs and stomach. Luckily, there are products out there that promise to help us. So I've been set a challenge by Dr. Ceuticals and I'll be using two of their products for a minimum of 28 days to see whether or not they've made a difference to my problem areas. The products that I'll be trying out are the...

Firm & Sculpt Arm Gel* - £16.99 

This is a gel that is rich in antioxidants. It contains a plant derived active which is known to help reiforce collagen synthesis which gives firmness and tone back to skin. This is to be used twice daily. I've already felt this and the gel is very nice and cooling. It sinks into the skin immediately.

Leg Tone & Shimmer* - £16.99

This is a light, hydrating lotion which immediately gives you a healthy glow whilst helping to firm and tone the skin and improve the appearance of cellulite. Like the arm gel, I've felt this and the shimmer is very prominant. So prominant that I'm scared to use this unless I'm actually going on a night out. But we'll see how I get on with it.

I've measured my arms and legs and I'll be reporting back on these products and letting you know if I've lost any centimetres or inches around my problem areas on the 24th November. You can find out more about the range here.

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW: Big Green Smile, Burt's Bees and EOS

I was given the opportunity to try out a few things from a website called Big Green Smile. This website stocks the widest range of natural beauty products in the UK! They also have a lot of offers/deals on so it's definitely worth checking out. You can also change the currency on the website to either £'s, $'s or Euro's. I browsed the website and there were many brands popping up that I'd been interested in trying out products from. Two that stuck out for me were Burt's Bees and EOS.

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Hand Soap* - £8.49

I've tried a few things from Burt's Bees before and I really love the scent of the products. This hand soap doesn't disappoint. It smells beautiful and the scent lingers on your hands for a while which ends up making me look a bit weird in lectures when I'm sniffing my hands. I also love the feel of this soap. It's not drying at all and I actually find that I can use this alone without having to moisturise my hands which is great. This takes great pride in my kitchen and I use this so many times. I can definitely see myself repurchasing this when it runs out. In fact, I can't see myself living without it!

EOS Lemon Drop SPF 15 Lip Balm* - £4.95

I'm definitely a lip balm addict and I must have way over 50 by now. Since I started reading blogs and watching YouTube videos I've seen EOS lip balms mentioned so often and I've always been jealous of the Americans who can get their hands on them so easily. So as soon as I saw this lip balm on the website, I knew I had to have it. Lemon is my favourite scent but they also do a variety of different flavours here. These lip balms are incredible and they're definitely worth the hype. The shape of them makes them so easy to use and the balm coats both lips at the same time. They're also very nourishing but in a way that doesn't leave your lips looking or feeling not very nice. I'm addicted and I can't stop applying this to my lips.

Have you tried any of these products before? What do you think to the Big Green Smile website?
Make sure you enter my giveaway to be in with a chance of winning a Proactiv spot treatment kit!

xxx

*PR Sample

GIVEAWAY: Proactiv Spot Treatment Kit

I've raved about Proactiv many times before and now finally, I have the opportunity to give one away to one of my lovely readers. Personally, I love Proactiv. It's a great spot treatment kit that doesn't upset the skin as it's not harsh in anyway. If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning then just fill out the Rafflecopter form below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find out more information about this kit here. Good luck to those who enter and I look forward to emailing/tweeting the winner!

Thank you :)

xxx

REVIEW: Jergens Original Beauty Lotion Cherry-Almond

The Jergens Original Beauty Lotion Cherry-Almond Body Moisturiser* (phew, that's a mouthful) has finally made it's way to the UK. This is a classic and it's famed for its cherry-almond inspired fragrance and it's set out to be the new go-to body moisturiser for women in the UK. This is a new formulation to the UK market and it uses a mix of moisturising ingredients to give dry, dehydrated skin the thirst quench it needs.

I was lucky enough to receive this beautiful parcel in my letter box. A big thank you goes to Holler PR for their incredible PR skills. This package came with the beauty lotion and all things sweet and cherry almond like. It's fair to say that the Cherry Bakewells didn't last long and neither did the Cherry Drops or the Sugared Almonds. I've been using the Jergens Beauty Lotion every day since I received this parcel and it's actually become like a drug for me. Almond is my favourite scent and the added cherry makes the product smell good enough to eat. So good that I find myself sniffing this for fun - how embarrassing. The moisturiser itself is also very good. It sinks in quickly and leaves the skin feeling beautifully soft and exceptionally nourished. Like I said, I've been using this every day and I find it great as a base for fake tan as it really moisturises the dry areas of your skin.
Jergens are also running a promotion whereby Facebook fans can win a collection of prizes including a designer handbag, a designer scarf, a pair of designer shoes and the complete range of Jergens moisturisers. You can find out more about this competition and enter here.
I honestly believe that I've found my go-to body moisturiser. The scent, the results, the ease of packaging, the formulation, the price. Everything is perfect. And like I said earlier, it's definitely my drug.
This retails for £3.49 and you can find out more and purchase this product here. Have you tried this moisturiser before? Will you be trying it?
xxx
*PR Sample

BARGAINS: Wilko Fruity Tropical Range

I'm hoping to start featuring a lot more bargain posts as since coming back to university, I've discovered so many cheap products that are just as good as those that are more expensive. A lot of these are from Wilkinsons. First up in this soon-to-be series is the Wilko Shampoo Fruity Tropical Shimmer,* the Wilko Shimmer Conditioner Fruity Tropical* and the Wilko Hair Mist Shimmer Fruity Tropical*.

First of all, these products smell amazing. As always, I'm not very good at describing scents but this takes me right back to summer and makes me feel happy. They're great products to use in the morning and if you use the entire range, I can guarantee you that whenever the wind blows your hair everyone around you will be able to smell your beautiful hair. They work nicely too. They're not heavy products which is great for my oily/flat hair and I love the shine that they give off. They're cheap and cheerful products and they're great for everyone in the family. I definitely think they're hair essentials/staples.

All three of these together retail for £1.48. You can view Wilkinson's full range of shampoos and conditioners here and they're all on offer for 2 for £2 so you can mix and match across the ranges.
Have you tried the Wilko's range of shampoos/conditioners before?
xxx
*PR Sample

REVIEW: YourColour

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the guys at a brand new revolutionary way to colour your hair at home called YourColour. They wanted to know if it was something that I'd like to try out and since I don't colour my hair often (in fact, I probably haven't done it since I was 15) I said yes. My hair is quite a light brown colour naturally but since I'm very pale, I've always wanted to go one or two shades lighter. Basically, YourColour starts with a free one-to-one video call consultation on Skype or Face Time with a leading London Colourist who provides you with professional help and advice on choosing your perfect permanent, semi permanent, high lift tint or toner colour wherever you are in the UK. After this, Bar Hairdressing Salon in London's top Colourists then hand mix your colour and dispatch it to you along with gloves and a mixing bowl. And this package has been specially designed to fit through your letterbox so it means you won't have to pick it up from the post box.

 I found the Skype consultation very useful. I did think it was going to be quite awkward as I'm an awkward person but the lady I had my consultation with was lovely and you could tell she was experienced and knew what she was talking about. She asked me if there was any particular colour/look that I was looking for and then advised me from then on. After we'd agreed on a colour together, she told me how to use the product and said if I needed any further help then I could always get into contact with them or check out their online videos.

A few days later my kit arrived and I was excited to try it out! I did the patch test and finally got down to colouring my hair. The solution was easy to mix and very easy to apply. I used the brush to apply the colour to my roots and then massaged the rest of the colour into my hair like I would do a shampoo. Unfortunately for me, I had a little reaction to the hair colour so I couldn't leave it on for the full 30 minutes as my head started to sting. Like I said, I did do the patch test but I did this on the back of my neck and maybe my skin is more sensitive on my scalp. So if you do get this hair colour, make sure you do the patch test on your scalp and not your neck like me! Don't let that put you off though as not everyone will react to the colour.

After seeing my results I was gutted that I wasn't able to leave the colour on for the full amount of time as I loved the look. My hair was one or two shades lighter and it really lifted my hair. Because it wasn't on for the full time you can see that it just gently highlighter my hair which I really loved. It just made my hair look more vibrant and awake. I also loved how soft it left my hair feeling and even now, that softness remains. I should probably add that I used permanent hair dye which is great because I get to keep this colour for a while! I think that this is such a good idea and it saves salon time and also money. The hair colour itself is £16.20 and the postage is £2.60 so altogether this costs just £18.80 which is a fraction of the cost of a salon. Even though I had a reaction I wouldn't rule out this service. I think it's wonderful and although I didn't get the full experience, I definitely loved it.

You can find out more information here! Is this something you're interested in?

xxx

FOTN: Pumped Up Kicks

On Wednesday night I went out and I really liked my make up so I thought I'd show you what I did. I've done this Face of the Night different to what I'd usually do. This is because I haven't just listed the products I've sort of explained where/how I used them and why. So if you like this, let me know! 

SKIN: When I'm going out I do use a lot of products on my skin because I don't like the way it looks. I do have scarring and I do sometimes have active breakouts. Luckily, my skin has improved a lot recently but I still love having flaw-free skin when I go out. I start off by priming my skin and for this look I used the L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer - £14.29 which I've been loving so much recently. I then went on to use my Skin 79 Super BB Cream - £16.00 as an extra layer of 'foundation' really helps to give a flawless look. For foundation I used my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation - £27.50 as it's one of my favourites and one that I'll always have in my collection. It provides full coverage and it doesn't budge once it's dried onto the skin. For concealer I used my No7 Trio Concealer - £9.50. I'll be doing a review of this product soon but basically I used the pink toned concealer under my eyes and the yellow toned concealer on any redness. I then concealed my scars and blemishes with Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection concealer - £4.19. After this, I powdered my skin with 17's Miracle Matte Pressed Powder - £3.99 and contoured my cheekbones, forehead and nose with Liz Earle's Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50. For blusher I used Nars Deepthroat - £21.00 and as it's really glowy I didn't use a highlighter.

EYES: I primed my eyes using Urban Decay's Primer Potion - £14.50 and then used Maybelline's Color 24 HR Tattoo in On and On Bronze - £4.99 as a base to intensify the shadow. I then used Urban Decay's Smog over my lid and Urban Decay's Hustle in the crease. After this I used Urban Decay's Blackout lightly on the outer corners of my eyes to make the eyes a bit darker and smokier. For a highlight I used Urban Decay's Sin. All of these can be found in the Urban Decay Naked palette - £36.00 except for Blackout which is in the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette - £36.00. For eyeliner I used Collection 2000's Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner - £2.99 which is my favourite at the moment as it's so easy to use and nicely pigmented. I then used Lancome's Hypnose Drama Mascara - £20.50 on my lashes which is amazing! I need to buy the full sized version of this as I only have a sample. For my eyebrows I lightly used Liz Earle's Eyebrow Pencil in 02* and then made them stronger with my HD Brow Palette* - £19.96. To set my brows I used the my Collection 2000 Clear Mascara - £2.99.

LIPS: I didn't use a lot on my lips but I did scrub them with Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - £5.25 and I used my EOS Lemon Drop SPF 15 Lip Balm* - £4.95 to make sure they were soft. I then used No7's Lipstick in Starshell - £9.00 which is a lovely nude colour as my eyes were quite intense.
xxx
*PR Sample

FAVOURITES: Pre-Cleansers

Pre-cleansing is something that I've only recently started doing, which now seems quite bad. A pre-cleanse is basically exactly what it sounds like. You are removing your make up before cleansing your skin fully. Since doing this, I've found that my skin has become a lot clearer and brighter. And although it does take an extra few minutes in the morning and at night, the end benefits are definitely worth it.

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water - £9.00 I bought this with my No7 voucher and I wasn't expecting much from it. That's probably because it does look just like water. But I've fallen in love with this product. It smells fresh and clean and it removes make up nicely. Especially around the eye area. It doesn't irritate the skin at all and I also love using this as a toner as I find it very refreshing. It's definitely one of those things that I love having around for quick fixes etc. It's a great multi-tasking product. 

Rhodes to Heaven Juniperberry Cleanser & Tonic - £17.00* I've had this quite a while now and this was one of the first products I used to pre-cleanse my skin. This product has quite a strong smell but it's nothing that annoys me personally, even though it might do you. It removes make up very well and I love using this when I've wore heavy base make up as you can see how much make up it removes.

Super Facialist by Una Brennan Neroli Firming Lift & Hydrate Facial Oil - £14.99* I really have saved the best till last. If you'd have told me a few months ago that I'd soon be using an oil on my skin I'd have laughed. My skin is combination so the thought of using an oil to cleanse my skin was alien to me. But I love using this. It's very simple to use; you pump the oil out, warm it up between your palms and then massage it into the skin before washing it off. It removes my make up exceptionally well and I've found that since using this, I haven't been using as much of my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish which is fabulous as that's so expensive. I also love how soft and glowing this makes my skin look. The overall appearance of my skin has improved dramatically since using this and I can see myself repurchasing this for the rest of my life!
What products do you pre-cleanse with? Do you pre-cleanse at all?
xxx
*PR Sample

Perfect Brows with Liz Earle

My eyebrow routine has recently had a little overhaul thanks to Liz Earle. Their range of brow products are simply amazing and they're perfect for creating quick and easy, natural looking brows.

Pencil Sharpener £5.00* - I was so happy when this found its way into my post box as I was in need of a good pencil sharpener as I used to use a standard cheap one that's meant for pencil cases - oops! This one is really pretty and it matches the brushes nicely. It's also one of those ones that you can sharpen at your desk without having to stand over a bin as it catches the sharpenings. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get this to photograph nicely but you can go to the Liz Earle website to see what it truly looks like.

Brow Pencil in 02 Dark £11.00* - The thing that I love the most about this brow pencil is that it's very quick and easy to use. I normally use the HD Brow palette but since using this, I've found that I don't need to concentrate as much when filling my brows in. The pigment isn't a lot which for a brow pencil, is fantastic as it means you don't need such a light hand and you're rarely going to mess up. It's very soft but doesn't budge once it's on your brows. Normally, I comb through afterwards with a brow gel and the brow gel rubs the HD Brow powder off so I'd have to wait a few minutes before doing so but with this brow pencil, I can do it instantly.

Brow & Eyeliner Brush £12.50* - I love the fact that this is a double ended brush so it means that when you're travelling, you don't have to panic about which brush you can take. I haven't used this with an eyeliner yet but I have used this with my HD Brow palette and I really like it. It's a nice size which makes it easy to draw your brows on. I also love the design of the brush. It's really pretty and looks classic.

Brow Pencil Swatch

When I have a bit more time on my hand and I'm going out, I do still use my HD Brow palette to make my brows look more intense but for natural looking brows, I find myself reaching for this eye pencil all the time. I'm so glad that Liz Earle have brought out a brow range and the colour range matches my brows perfectly - and mine are nearly black!

 Have you tried anything mentioned about before? What's your favourite Liz Earle product?

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW: Right Guard Total Defence 5

Right Guard have completely changed their deodorants! These new clever deodorants combine five essential benefits into one to ensure that you get total protection, all day. All three of them fight perspiration, prevent odour, provide long-lasting freshness, have a heat response formula that adapts to your level of activity and a low residue. As your body works, the encapsulated ingredients are released by heat and moisture and these provide further protection when you need it most - clever ey?! Total Defence 5* has 30% more protection power than previous Right Guard formulas.

I've tried Right Guard deodorants before and I wasn't impressed. I found that they left nasty white residue and didn't really provide much protection throughout the day. But these new formulas are fantastic. There are three different original varieties to choose from - Invisible, Sensitive and Unscented. I've found myself using the Invisible one most as no matter what, this never leaves white marks. The others do have their moments as most deodorants do. But the Invisible one has never left me any white marks. I also love the idea of the Unscented one as this doesn't clash with any perfumes so it's perfect if you're going on a date and want your partner to smell your perfume! 

Right Guard retails for £2.89 for 250ml and £1.99 for a handy handbag sized 150ml. You can buy Right Guard here and it's available from most leading pharmacies. 

xxx

*PR Sample

DUPE: Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel

"A face wash dupe?!" I hear you say... Yes, I face wash dupe! Is there such a thing? I don't know. But these two products do pretty much the exact same thing. They're so similar that it is in fact pretty scary.

Once of these is by my sink and the other is in my shower. And it wasn't until yesterday that I thought, 'hold on a minute, the end results are pretty much the exact same!' It's quite hard to show you how similar they are. After all, these aren't lipsticks that you can swatch next to each other but I will try and explain the best that I can. The two products in question are the Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel (£11) and the JooMo 100% Truly Natural Face Wash* (£4.75). I have reviewed the JooMo face wash in full and you can view that review here. Whilst the smells and purposes of these products are different, they do both wake your skin up in the exact same way. Whichever one I use, I always end up with the same brightened 'awake' look to my skin. JooMo is aimed at blemished prone skin though so if blemishes are something that you suffer with, I'd recommend that one over the Clarins one. Although JooMo doesn't dry the skin out, I'd recommend the Clarins one for more normal skin types instead of oily just because it's not aimed at blemished prone skin.

Have you tried any of these? What do you think?

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW & SWATCHES: No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow Trios

As you all probably know by now, No7 have had a complete brand overhaul. Every single product in the range has been redesigned and I personally think they look beautiful.

The new No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow Trios - £9.50  look a lot more sleek and classic and I think they generally just look more appealing. I've had one of these trios before but it found its way to the back of my make up collection. Probably because of how outdated it looked. But when I saw these, I knew I had to have them.

I picked up three of trios (because of the current 3 for 2 offer). These are (from left to right) Forest Fruits, Good Earth and Twilight. Forest Fruits contains plum/purple shades which is great for my green eyes. Good Earth contains brown, earth shades which is great for an every day smoky eye look. And Twilight contains grey/black shades which is great for that perfect, deep nighttime smoky eye.

I love that these are trios so it means you don't have to look anywhere else for colours. You know that these all work together. I use the top shade for the highlight, the middle shade for the lid and the bottom shade for the crease. They're very easy to use and blend, buttery soft and last all day long with a primer. I can see myself picking more of these up as I think they're great for travelling and also, beginners!

Have you tried anything from No7 since the overhaul? Boots are currently giving out the famous £5/£3 vouchers so if you're after anything, definitely get some vouchers first!

xxx

REVIEW: Liz Earle Botanical Essence Eau De Parfum No.15.

Queue excited squeals from Liz Earle fans across the country... Liz Earle have announced that they're bringing out a brand new fine fragrance this month! I've reviewed their first one (you can see that review here - I know, how bad) and I was very happy when I got to try out their new one, Liz Earle Botanical Essence Eau De Parfum No.15*

This fragrance has been inspired by a myriad of scents and aromas from around the world. A whopping fifteen precious botanicals have been carefully selected and handcrafted by an award-winning perfumer, Alienor Massenet, to create the lovely, Liz Earle Botanical Essence No. 15. I will quote what the brand say about the perfume themselves as I'm not good with scents, at all..

'Botanical Essence No.15 is a fresh spicy oriental scent. This clean, sexy and addictive fine fragrance is synonymous with feeling seductive and elegant. Feminine tones of pink pepper, cinnamon and bergamot create a spiciness that is beautifully sexy and skin-like. A hint of captivating Damask rose and sandalwood wrap you in a rich feminine sensuality while the almond and caramel-like qualities of tonka bean and Bourbon vanilla cocoon you in softness and warmth. Beautiful amber musk combined with cypriol and cedarwood creates a clean, fresh undertone.'

First of all, the packaging of this fragrance is beautiful. It has pictures of the ingredients and they're labelled saying what they are. The box then unfolds to reveal the fragrance, just like their first perfume. And then there's the bottle. It's just stunning. Very simple and plain but eye catching and classic. I was surprised by this fragrance. The first one was citrusy and I still use it to this day. But this one is more musky. It's definitely an autumn/winter scent and I love it. It's like nothing that I've ever smelt before and I can't stop myself from spraying it. Just like Liz Earle's first fragrance, this one too is strong and a couple of spritz is more than enough to last you the entire day. You can tell that a lot of love and thought has gone into this product.

You can buy this fragrance here where it retails for £45 for a 50ml bottle.

Have you tried this fragrance before? Will you be doing so?

xxx

*PR Sample

HAUL: New Look Sale

When I saw that New Look had a sale on, I couldn't resist using my student loan to pick a few things up. I was in need of clothes. I still am. My wardrobe definitely needs a overhaul. And although I put lots of things in my basket, I managed to narrow it down to just three.

I Love Cats Tank Top - was £12.99, now £4.00 - I love this! I'm a big cat fan and this top suits me perfectly. I'm not too much of a fan of the style of the top (it's one of those ones that fastens at the sides and you have to wear a top underneath it) but I love the slogan and how casual it is. Black Mesh Insert Skater Dress - was £24.99, now £10.00 - I'm in love with fit and flare dresses and this is basically that. Which a twist. It's a great night out dress and fits me lovely and really suits my figure. Cream Dog Print Peter Pan Collar Dress - was £24.99, now £11.00 - When I saw this, I couldn't resist it. It's so pretty and looks and feels really expensive. It's a bit tight around my chest area unfortunately but hopefully, if I lose a bit of weight my boobs will reduce a little and it'll fit nicely.

The items with links are still in stock and on sale so if you like them, snap them up quickly! I'll also say that I had these ordered into store and I found the service great. I received emails often telling me where the item was and you could also track it online. It was also quick and easy to use!
Did you pick anything up from the New Look sale?
xxx

The £4.69 Skin Care Miracle: Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub

It's no secret that growing up I suffered with spots. And I used my fair share of Clearasil products. And from my experiences with Clearasil, I've since steered away from 'strong, chemical' products because to be honest, they're just awful. Yes, they get rid of your spots but they also dry your skin out and leave you with nasty acne-marks. I'd never tried any of the Neutrogena Visibly Clear range and when I was offered the chance to, I said yes. But I wasn't expecting much.

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Scrub £4.69*

But this scrub has completely changed my mind. It's a daily scrub which means that you use it daily. I think you can use it in place of your cleanser but I like to use it as an extra step after my cleanser. The beads aren't harsh like most scrubs - they're actually very soft the the scrub is really creamy which means it won't dry your skin out. Blackheads aren't something that I suffer with. They weren't until this summer when I was working at my dad's work and I got quite a few of them on my nose. So this was and is pretty much a godsend for me. I found that after one use of this, my blackheads had been reduced and my pores were less noticeable. I've since then used it every single day. Without fail. It's such a wonderful product that isn't like your typical acne product. Like I said, it does the job, it doesn't dry the skin out and unlike most, it doesn't smell like a nasty chemical mess. It in fact, smells quite pleasant. More natural and fresh. I honestly can see this in my skin care routine for a long time - probably even forever! My skin tone has improved, I'm blackhead free and my pores are slowly but surely shrinking by the day.

Have you tried this before?

xxx

*PR Sample