Wednesday 27 May 2015

The Perfect Combination


I have been using this perfect eyeshadow combination at the moment, and I thought it was time to share it. This Marc Jacobs Lolita Palette is just perfection, and it is just so frustrating that it is so hard to get hold off. But if you are heading to any Sephora stores this summer, or are planning a Sephora order online then you must add this to your list. There is not one colour in the palette which I do not use, it has great versatility in the different looks which you are able to create. It has a price tag of $59, which is on par with most high end beauty palettes. I was previously using the MAC 217 Blending Brush to apply this, but it has been recently replaced by the Zoeva 222 All Over Shadow Brush . This brush is brilliant as it is flat and allows you to apply the colour with one wash across the eyelid. The bristles are synthetic but are really soft which makes application so easy. It is such good value and so much cheaper compared to MAC brushes as it was just £6.95. I do still use the MAC 217 to blend out some harsh edges if I am creating a really smokey look. 

I have been looking and I not only want another Marc Jacobs palette I have my eye on The Lover Palette, but I also want a whole load of Zoeva brushes and I am currently lusting over the Bamboo Vol. 2 Brush Set. I need to get saving and add them on to the already very lengthy wishlist. 

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Sunday 24 May 2015

Holiday Primark Haul




I finally took the plunge and started my holiday shopping - how exciting! My mum's rule in Primark is you buy it when you see it, which is so true as the next time you go everything's been moved round and replenished and you will never find it again.

I am lucky enough to be heading on two holidays abroad this summer - one to Lanzarote with my friends and one to Italy with my family. Therefore, I was in need of some summer additions to add to my wardrobe, and I was glad to see that Primark had all of their summer range now in store. The total of everything which I bought came to £38 which I thought was excellent value and you would pay that in Topshop for one item.

From left to right - playsuit - £5, pink vest top - £5, sandals - £8, earrings - £1, yellow shorts - £3, butterfly shorts - £4, headbands £3 each and the white tee - £6.

If you are looking for any summer pieces to add to your wardrobe or if your needing some holiday basics, Primark has definitely done well this year. Sometimes I find the huge stores such as Manchester a little overwhelming as there is so much stock, across a tiny amount of space, on many different floors. I think when you go to Primark, you have to go with a clear mind and vision of what you actually need. Otherwise you can just end up picking up things for the sake of it, just because 'its cheap'. I am very happy with everything that I bought and it will all be coming with me on both holidays. Hopefully if the UK gets a little bit of sun it might get some other wear, usually once a year but we never know!

Have you picked any summer essentials up yet?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Thursday 21 May 2015

Lush Ultrabland and Eau Roma Water



Having this time of uni is not have a great effect on my bank balance, as all I seem to be doing is spending money which I really don't have. I took a little trip to Lush with the plan of picking up a facial mask and a hair mask.

It was great going into a store midweek which was not overly busy, and being able to have a real browse of all of the products. I have previously only bought bath bombs from the brand, as I had been unsure as to what the best products are. The lovely lady helped me massively when I described that I wanted a deep cleansing facial product. She pointed me in the direction of the Ultrabland cleaner, she also showed me the 9-5 cleanser but explained that was more of a lighter everyday product which is not as deep cleansing as the Ultrabland. Before I went into the shop I had some kind of roundabout budget in my head as to what I wanted to spend. I was unsure as to the type of prices which they priced their products at, as I had never previously taken an interest. I was shocked at the range of the prices across the different products. The Ultrabland was £7.25 for 45g which I think is a rather small amount of product so I'm hoping it works wonders! This was the price for many products however there was some particular facial products that were around the £30 mark which I was really surprised at. I didn't think the brand aimed itself as a high end luxury on comparison with the likes of the prices in Space:NK. The lady also recommended the Eau Roma Water toner as it is for more drier skin types, which is what mine is. She explained to use this after the cleanser on a cotton pad to refresh the skin and add moisture back into the skin. She also said that this can be used on its own just for when your skin needs a little refresher throughout the day. I picked up the smaller 100g option which was a reasonable £4.25.

I didn't quite make it to the hair care section as I got carried away and lost track of time, but I will take another little trip into the store again next time I am there. I also spotted some new bath products which looked very intriguing! I am excited at the prospect of trying these two skincare pieces from the brand as it is something brand new to me. If they are a hit they will be featured in a favourites post at some point in the near future so keep your eyes peeled!

Is there any Lush products which you would recommend for me to try?

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Monday 18 May 2015

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?







Heading home for two weeks means that it was time to pick out my must have makeup pieces and bundle them together in my Harrods makeup bag, which surprisingly fits a lot in it. Lay out like this it looks like I have picked a lot of makeup, but I like to have options and I am happy with everything which I choose.

My Marc Jacob palette in Lolita is my absolute favourite palette in my entire collection. It contains the most beautiful range of colours for any occasion, which means it is my perfect choice for travelling as everything is in one place. My Nars Laguna Bronzer is the only bronzer which I use as you can tell I have hit pan, therefore it comes everywhere with me and would never choose anything else as I think nothing compares to it. My MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder, is also the only powder which I have been using recently, it adds just the right amount of product to the face. My Hourglass Ambient Blush Palette is brilliant for travelling as it just gives you options depending on what look you are wanting to create.

I brought two foundations for the simple reason that I like to have an everyday foundation and a more high end version. The L'Oreal True Match Foundation is a great drugstore foundation, and the best which I have found it offers create coverage and they have such a great range of shades. Without a doubt my best and priciest purchase of the year is Nars Sheer Glow Foundation. It had been as the top of my wish list for a while and at the start of the year I splashed out and it is perfection, I don't use this as my everyday foundation as unfortunately at £31 a bottle I cannot afford to repurchase it as often as I would need to. But, I have a few occasions where I will be wearing this whilst at home for birthdays and nights out.

The Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is a very well-known beauty must have amongst the blogging community, and it deserves the praise which it gets. It has a creamy consistency and is excellent at covering blemishes. My must have mascara is the Maxfactor False Lash Effect Mascara as it adds volume and length which is exactly what I want, I am yet to find something drugstore or high end which is as good at this. My new favourite eyeliner is the Maybelline Master Precise Eyeliner,  it has featured in quite a few recent blog posts as I have been loving it. It has a pen nib which is exactly what I like and it is perfect for precision if you just like a little line of eyeliner. 

My latest addition to my brush collection is the Zoeva All Over Shadow Brush, and is such great value at just £6.95. It is my most recent and first Zoeva purchase and I am very happy with it, it is super soft and allows you to get a full wash of colour across the lid with one swipe. A perfect combination is to use the MAC 217 Eyeshadow Brush  to blend any other colours together and is perfect for fitting in the crease of the eyelid. The Real Techniques Multi-task Brush is an essential and it goes with me everywhere as it is perfect for applying powder and bronzer, and I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply my foundation.

Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe is something which I have deliberating buying for months now and I finally took the splurge. It is similar to the MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Lingering  in terms of texture and application, but what sets the Brow Wiz apart is the colour range and Taupe is perfect for me and anyone with fair/medium blonde hair.

I only brought one lip colour with me and that is the Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Descanso (not available was part of an exclusive set). I got this in the Digital World Lip Pencil Set over Christmas and it is the perfect nude with a hint of coral, making it orange toned. It is great as it goes with all kind of makeup looks either day or night. 

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Wednesday 13 May 2015

The Fab Pore



I have never been a face mask kinda girl, but I have recently been looking for something to help decongest my skin. Whilst browsing the aisles of Boot's, I came across a range of skincare masks from Soap & Glory. I had been wanting to try one from the company for a while but had just never found one which has taken my fancy. However, this time The Fab Pore caught my attention straight away, it is for oily/combination skin, my skin falls into the combination category. The fact that this is a 2 in 1 purifying mask and peel, really interested me. I hate masks which are complicated and you have to take a lot of time in order to apply it correctly. With this mask it [particularly targets clogged skin, you massage the product into your face and focusing on your T-Zone. You can leave it on for 5 minutes for a refresher and a quick boost, or 15 minutes for a deep cleanse. The scent of this is minty with a hint of citrus, which is really welcoming when applying to the skin. The consistency is quite thick but blends in easy, making the whole process very quick. I bought this the weekend before last, and it was on promotion for just £6 for 50ml, which is great value. Unfortunately, the offer does not appear to still be on as online it seems to be full price which is still a great price of £10.

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Sunday 10 May 2015

Spring Edit: SKINCARE


The second part of my Spring Edit series which I am featuring on my blog, which I have been really enjoying writing, It you missed the first post of this series it was my beauty post which you can read here.

I recently went on a little trip to Boots and picked up this Original Source Skin Quench Shower Gel it was on offer for half price so it was just £1.50, the scent is Watermelon and Jojoba Oil. These shower gels come in lots of different scents but this one was refreshing and not too overpowering, it contains the little gritty bits which are great for exfoliating the skin. I have been trying to get myself into a proper skincare routine recently as my skin has become quite dry but oily within my T-zone. I have been cleansing my face morning and night using the Garnier Micellar Water, which is proving to be a great comparison to my much loved Bioderma. I have the sensitive skin version which is brilliant, it glides over the skin taking your makeup off your entire face instantly - so simple. This also comes in a version for combination skin which would probably suit my skin type more so I may try that out once this one has finished, heads up this is on offer in Boots for £3.33 at the moment. To take off my makeup using the micellar water I use the the Boots Cotton Double Oval Pads, these are just the best addition to cleansing your skin. I recently tried the Superdrug equivalent to these and the texture was so rough and itchy on the skin, I instantly went back to the Boots version. There is two sides to the pads a lighter texture which I use for my cleansing, and a more compact surface which is perfect for nail varnish remover. The surface of both sides is soft and does not lint as it is packed tightly within the pad, and are an absolute must have as they are just £1.89.

I have started using the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm recently as a double cleanser at night. The balm is solid in its original form and transforms into a silky fluid when applied to the face. It really offers a thorough cleanse and once it has been rinsed off, my skin is really soft and very clean. It is great for all skin types as it is non-greasy as well as non-drying. It is expensive at £22, but Clinique is known for their great skincare products and this does not disappoint. I have recently got back into using the Body Shop Vitamin E Moisturiser  as it is brilliant at adding hydration back into the skin, which is exactly what I needed. It is soft and light and absorbs easily which is great for in the morning when you haven't got time to sit about and wait for it to work its wonders. It is £11 which I think is a mid-range price for a moisturiser, but it is much cheaper than some of the high end ones which can be £30 and upwards.

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Spring Edit: BEAUTY



Here is the first of my spring edit series which I have decided to do, welcoming my favourite beauty must haves to use throughout spring.

My Laura Mercier Foundation Primer has been a little gem since I started using and featured in my recent favourite post. It gives you a nice dewy base to help your foundation to cling on to, and keep it as well placed as it possibly can. The sunnier months mean I always turn to my bronzer a little bit more to contour my cheekbones in the sunnier seasons. Nars Laguna Bronzer is my staple bronzer as you can see I have hit pan, and I don't use any other product expect this one as nothing compares to it.

Amelia Liana is always talking about the Maybelline Super Stay 7 Nail Varnishes, I picked two up a few months back and recently reached for Hot Salsa which is a great orangey/pink. I had this on for four days with one coat and I did not have one chip, I was literally so surprised and it is such a good price. Nars Sheer Glow is my new go to foundation it is perfect for spring as it is light, dewy and glowy, everything which I want for my dry/combination skin. It is medium coverage and instantly adds an overall glow and perk to my skin which is great, it is also incredibly easy to blend.

Last up is the lipsticks, I got a free sample of the new Burberry Kisses range which has now launched. I picked up a bright red colour called Military Red as it just looked like a perfect red which would not be to overpowering with my pale skin. I have not yet tried it so I will get back to you on this. MAC Fabby is a great everyday colour, whether you wanted to tone down a heavy eye look or add a finishing touch to a golden shimmery simple eye. The colour is a pale pink with shimmer running through it, it is just a go to grab colour for when you are in a rush. Straight up the best thing about the Maybelline Colour Drama Lipstick in Minimalist, is how easy it is to apply you could literally do it with your eyes closed, I just feel like I am applying a lip balm. The colour is a pretty pink, which adds a pop to the lips. I am definitely going to pick some more shades up on my next trips to Boots.

Coming on Sunday is the Skincare Spring Edit so please keep your eyes peeled for that, you can follow me on Twitter to keep up with everything going on on my blog.

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Sunday 3 May 2015

Viktor & Rolf BONBON


 


I recieved Viktor & Rolf BONBON  as a Christmas present off my mum this year as I had been wanting it for ages! When it comes to scents I will always choose more fruity scents over anything else. To me you can definitely pick out the orange and peachy fragrance notes which are at the heart of the perfume. This is great going to into the summer months as a refreshing fragrance with tones of caramel running through it.

I understand that this is a higher end perfume but I think it is expensive, for the eau de parfum 30ml it is £50, and the 50ml is £69. But compared with something like Jo Malone it is much more affordable. 

This has a great longevity as it stays on your skin all day, when I get home from work or whatever I have been doing with  my day I can still smell it strongly. This makes me think that you are definitely getting your money's worth. 

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:
Blogger Template by pipdig