Fashion Friday's - The Knitted Jumper

So last weeks Fashion Friday's talked about  Chelsea Boots, this week it is all about one black knitted jumper which I ordered from +H&M online.

I had kind of forgotten I had ordered this, I ordered it way back in the January sales and when I ordered it it said it would be 2 to 3 weeks before it would be out for delivery. I had so many problems actually receiving this jumper, first they had to ring me to confirm my address because I live in student accommodation. Then I got an email saying there was even more delays and it would be with me in 4-6 days, a week later it still had not arrived. It finally arrived at the end of last week and if I had not loved the jumper as much as I do I would of been way more angry. I will never order from H&M online again though - it was way too stressful.

It was in the sale for £6.99 which I thought was a real bargain. I have been wanting a fine, loose black textured jumper for a while now to wear over top top of shirts. I love the look when the collar of shirts peep through over the top of a jumper - it is cute and preppy. The texture is quite fine, but it is cosy and comfy and one of them jumpers you can just throw on when your in a rush to finish and complete a daily outfit. It has a pocket to add a little detail and has a slightly longer back. I have come up with two outfit ideas as to what I would wear the jumper with.

Outfit One:

Shirt: H&M
Necklace: New Look

Outfit Two:

Shirt: H&M
Necklace: Julian MacDonald at Debenhams

Coincidentally both shirts are from H&M and both cost £14.99. The pink one I picked up last week and it is actually featuring in next week's Fashion Friday's, so you have a sneak peek at next week's post. The black and white striped one I bought last year, and I have worn it a huge amount this season as I it just gives that edgy look to an outfit and it is so easy to wear.

Even though I bought this black knitted jumper in the sale, I bizarrely saw a practically identical one on the 'New In' table in H&M last week which they feature at the front door. It is £14.99 and if you want a closer look heres the link for online: http://www.hm.com/gb/product/21946?article=21946-B#article=21946-A

Other posts from this week: Neutrogena Duo / Morning Freshness / Wishlist Update / The Lighter Options 

Lucy
xoxo

Choosing the Lighter Options

As I have been on a bit of health kick recently and whilst shopping I decided I would put the lighter options of my favourite foods to the taste test. I wanted to see if there is really that much difference in the full fat option compared to the lighter options in terms of taste and texture.

My favourite from the entire lot is the Elmlea double light, I use this when I am making my pollo pesto pasta which is a twice weekly ritual for me as I just adore it! Cream can be really fattening and you need a thick cream for this recipe, a single cream just does not create the same texture as it needs to be thick. The double light option is so much better for you and makes eating cream that little bit less calorific and it tastes exactly the same. The shelf life is also three days longer than the double cream, so you don't have to rush to use it before it goes off. It works just as well when you are cooking with it, and I am converted to this for life now! Win, win situation I think.The lighter version contains 40 calories per 15ml serving and contains 50% less fat than the full fat version.

When you have a hot chocolate, you just have to have squishy cream it is just an essential. It also doesn't make my feel as bad to pile it up into a mountain on the top of my drink knowing that it has that few less calories and fat in it. The calorie content of this is 24 calories and 2g of fat per 12.5g serving. Whereas, the full dairy cream contains 43 calories and 4g of fat.

I am not a huge butter fan, its just one of those things I have in the fridge as you will need to use it whilst cooking but I do not really use it massively and on a daily basis. I am not a toast and butter lover, I can't actually remember the last time I had toast! Although, I have used it on sandwiches and I have not noticed a change in anything about the taste of the butter, its still smooth and has that silky texture. Maybe I am not being as fair as the other products putting this to the taste but I can safely say it tastes identical to me. The lighter Flora version calorie content is 40 calories per 10g serving, compared to the original version containing 65 calories per serving. Also in terms of fat content differences the original contains 2.5 more grams of fat in each serving.

Now, I am a huge fan of toasted bagels and philadelphia, it is a recurrent breakfast and supper favourite. I was reluctant to change my favourite little combo which I love so much and eat so often. Philadelphia is expensive at the best of times in my Tesco Metro is £1.85 for all the different types of philadephia, which I think is really expensive. So being tight, I chose to go for the Tesco's cream cheese lighter. Now, the boat is still out on this product and I think it is the only product I think might not be as good as the full fat version. Although I think this may be due to the brand change as its just not as smooth in texture, but its still nice and creamy. This Tesco version of philadelphia of each 30g serving contains 49 calories. The original Kraft philadelphia contains 97 calories in the same serving size, the difference in fat content is huge in the original it is 10g in the lighter version its 3.3g.

As well as these products I have been putting the Hellmann's lighter mayonnaise to the taste as mayonnaise is seriously so bad for you, but I love the taste so much and eat it very frequently. It actually tastes nicer if I am honest its a bit less stodgy and feels a bit more creamier when I mix it with my sandwich fillings.

If you just think about the amount of calories you will save when eating your favourite foods it is definitely worth taking the lighter option. The 'lighter option' quest has proven very worthwhile and will definitely be taking the lighter options on this food products in the future. Go try and see if you see much of a difference between the full fat and lighter options to food products you love. We all hate to see that god dam nutritional information packaging that they stick for all eyes to see, this could make that just a little bit easier!

Other posts from this week: Neutrogena Duo / Morning Freshness / Wishlist Update

Lucy
xoxo

Neutrogena Duo

I was rushing into Boots over the weekend to pick up a sandwich before work, when my eyes got attracted to a display. I had seen this display last time I was in Boots, and I thought it was an excellent offer but just walked by as I probably had a basket full of other products already. However, this time I stopped and had a good look at the display, I saw the Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub which funnily enough, I had used the last squirt of it that very morning. Sitting alongside it on the shelf, with it was the Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil Free Moisturiser which intrigued me very much, after my current issues with dry skin and being in need of as much re-hydration physically possible!

The Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub is something which I used constantly throughout 2013, this is now my third tube of this scrub. I only was not repurchasing it this time as I was wanting to try something new, but then I thought if you really love a product and it is working why change?! The texture is nice and gritty but not too abrasive on the skin, the scent is seriously delicious and not too overpowering either - the perfect balance. It leaves my skin feeling very refreshed and smooth when I use it first thing in the morning, it also creates that clean blank canvas before applying moisturiser and makeup.

The Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil Free Moisturiser came in nice, basic packaging. It is advertised as being hydrating and refreshing, keeping skin care and soft and not clogging pores - sounds pretty perfect to me. I have used this for five days on the row now morning and night, and my first impressions are that I like it. It does leave your skin smooth as the texture is light, and I do feel like it has added some hydration back into my skin. I do once again like the scent of the product as it matches the scrub meaning that it is a lovely combination together. I am going to continue to use these products together to see if it helps to clear and prevent blemishes on my skin.

As I said before it was the offer which intrigued me to the stand when I rushing around in Boots, the products are usually £4.99 each which I think is good value for money anyway. I have never had second thoughts about paying that price before, as I have always liked the results and smoothness that the scrub has previously given to my skin. However, the offer was 2 for £5, you are able to mix and match from a variety of products from the different Neutrogena Visibly Clear ranges. The other ranges included in the offer from Neutrogena are the Blackhead, Spot Stress and Pore & Shine products. I was intrigued to try the Pore & Shine range, the purpose of this range is to mattify the skin and help tighten pores with tangerine and lime. As my skin is dry at the moment, I thought adding a mattifying effect  product could result in it being even more dry, and the tangerine and lime scent did not smell as nice and refreshing as the pink grapefruit.

Latest Posts: Chelsea Boots/Quinoderm/Lipstick Storage/Monday Morning Freshness

Lucy
xoxo

Updated Wish List

I am heading back home next week from uni meaning that I will be able to visit all of my favourite beauty and fashion emporiums. I like to make a list of all the possibilities of everything I want to buy, so I don't go too overboard! It also means you don't go off track buying something, then remember that other something which had been on your wishlist forever and you now can't afford. I am also one for spontaneity as I think too much research into what you want to buy and only sticking to your little wish list can seriously take all the fun out of your shopping experience. I like to have my little list just so it keeps me on a track and on budget. However, I always leave some space knowing I will want something  new that I have never seen before, and I know I can afford it because I've budgeted for it. A win, win situation! Although, on my last trip home at Christmas I barely managed to buy anything as it was such a whirlwind visit. I have used up so many of my high end products recently and I am scraping the edges to get the last bits. My fave MAC concealer, foundation and blush are all on their last uses, and are in urgent need of being replaced.

Before I moved to uni I definitely took advantage of all the amazing stores which I have in my home city. As you grow up just being able to 'nip' to town for this and that becomes a natural process, you don't realise that people just don't have the vast amount of shops that you luckily have in your local city. So these days when I head back home, I am armed with my shopping list to tied me over for the next few months. That doesn't mean that I only do my shopping every few months when I go home as that would be so boring, but I definitely go to the drugstore more now. I do also occasionally order something online but obviously only when its free because I have one rule - never pay delivery!

So my previous wishlist was everything which I was drooling over post Christmas. Unfortunately I have not been able to buy one item off that list yet! However, that wishlist was for the whole of 2014 so hopefully I will have a few pieces from it by the end of the year!

This months wishlist is makeup and skincare based and contains mostly high end products. It will include a trip to Selfridges, Space:NK, Debenhams, House of Fraser and Boots. This is how the list is shaping up, it will swap and change a little before next week but here is how it stands today:

- MAC Pro Palette Eyeshadow X4  - £6.50
- MAC Cranberry Eyeshadow  - £10
- Emma Hardie Face and Body Hamper - £30
- Bobbi Brown Amnesia Rose Collection Lipstick in Cosmic Lily - £22
- Real Techniques - Expert Face Brush -£9.99

The list isn't huge but these are the products that I definitely want to pick up - for certain.
I am also needing a new high end concealer and foundation but I know that I can't buy and/or afford everything all at once so I might have to hold up on them. I saw Lily Pebbles review on the re-release of their well known mineralize blush in Stereo Rose. It comes as part of their new Fantasy of Flowers collection which is available to buy on the 6th March and it will cost £22. I am for sure wanting this but I will have to order it online unfortunately as I will not still be at home when it is released, I may have to break a promise of a lifetime and pay delivery! A girls gotta do, what a girls gotta do!

Latest Posts: Tanya Burr/Emma Hardie/Sick Day/Chelsea Boots/Quinoderm/Lipstick Storage/Monday Morning Freshness

Lucy
xoxo

P.s All the places you can now find me ...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lucyalanamccann
Bloglovin: https://www.bloglovin.com/lucyalanamccann
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lucyalanamccann
Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/lucyalanamccann/

Monday Morning Freshness

After the weekend I like to have a nice relaxing Sunday and have a pampering session to make myself feel refreshed and ready for the busy week ahead. My routine is very simple and not complicated in the slightest.

I start with cleansing with my favourite ever cleanser - Bioderma. I then wash my wash with my Garnier Pure Active Daily Energising Face Wash to get rid of anything that could be remaining on my face. To make sure I am completely makeup free I cleanse using my Garnier Simple Essentials Toner, meaning I now feel nice and refreshed. As it is a Sunday night, it calls for a bit of moisture to be put back into my skin and if you read my Quinoderm post, you will know about my recent issues with dryness on my skin. To help rehydrate my skin I have been using the Vitamin E Sink-in Moisture Mask from the Body Shop, which I have been loving and it has been making my skin feel silky smooth when I wake up on a Monday morning. That is everything involved in my Sunday night routine - very quick, very simple however - very effective!

Also on this morning Monday alongside the Blog you are now able to follow me on Twitter, Bloglovin and Instagram which is very exciting! If you want to find out about new blog posts on Blogspot or find out what I've been up to in pictures on Instagram you now can!

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/lucyalanamccann
My Bloglovin: https://www.bloglovin.com/lucyalanamccann
My Instagram: https://instagram.com/lucyalanamccann

Very simple so there is no excuses for not  being able to follow me on either now!

Finally - If you missed any of my posts last week here we are: Tanya Burr/Emma Hardie/Sick Day/Chelsea Boots/Quinoderm/Lipstick Storage

Lucy 

xoxo

Lipstick Storage

I was having a big problem trying to fit all of my lipsticks into a drawer in my makeup storage. I had seen quite a few people buying these clever little stands and thought I would check them out. I did a quick search on Ebay and the cheapest one available which fitted 24 lipsticks was this one which was £1.85 and 0.98p postage which I thought was not bad value at all.

It came from Hong Kong so it did take about two weeks to arrive but I was very happy with the service from the company, and the product was exactly as I expected. As you can see it is in tiers, each tier contains 6 spaces. I have tried to organise them in to brands just to make it easier and I think it looks very pretty sat on top of my current storage. This is all of my lipsticks which I currently own and the fixture is full, meaning that when I buy any new lipsticks they will sadly not have a home. When I have collated a few new ones, I am going to purchase another one and place it next to this current stand. It is just so much more convenient than trying to root through them all on a daily basis. I am planning on turning all my MAC lipsticks over so I can see the names of the colours easily, that is the one thing about the MAC packaging which is a pain as you can not store them in any easy way upwards without knowing the colours.

I would recommend this stand to anyone who is struggling for a way to display their lipstick collection, I actually did not know how many lipsticks I owned until I did this revamp of my collection. I have to say I have been using much more variety of my colours instead of just sticking to my usual favourites which I used to just grab for as they were just at the top of my pile.

Round Up: Tanya Burr/Emma Hardie/Sick Day/Chelsea Boots/Quinoderm

Lucy
xoxo

My Love/Hate Relationship with Quinoderm

On this Saturday morning I am going to tell you about my recent predicament regarding my skincare. From the title of the post, you have probably guessed the culprit is - Quinoderm. I was watching +Katie Snooks YouTube video on her favourite skincare products from 2013, and she mentioned that her doctor had said that Quinoderm was good for treating mild acne as she said that hers had flared up during last year.

Now, I was one unlucky teen and always battled with acne on my face. My friends were there worrying about the occasional pimple and I was facing spots in force load. Whilst I was cleansing and toning at 13, a baby wipe for all they needed! I have been seeing a dermatologist since I was a child and over the years I think she has just about given me every single spot treatment as well as medication available for them to prescribe to me. I always get exciting when I get a new cream but I always expect to see instant results and when after three months I don't see any results I kind of just give up, bad on my part but I have just used so many over the years its not surprising really.

In 2014, my new years resolution is to have nice, clear skin - not to demanding even if I say so myself. Anyway, so I was watching Katie's video and she mentioned Epiduo which she got prescribed from her doctors and I have had this in the past and have seen zero results. But she also mentioned a product called Quinoderm and said it available from many pharmacies and was a very reasonable price and she had seen instant results. So I literally went and bought it that day, it cost me £2.65 from Boots, I tried it that night as Katie said she had used it as an overnight treatment. The first time I applied it, it felt tingly and made my skin go dry and tight but I had never had an instant feeling like that before so was intrigued to see what happened in the morning. On the tube it says you can use it 2-3 times a day, so I thought to try it out, I would apply before my makeup in the morning and after I cleansed and washed my face at night. I currently have the instructions in front of me which I actually did read when I bought it and it says its contains two active ingredients - Benzoyl Peroxide and Potassium Hydroxyquinoline Sulphate. Benzoyl Peroxide is known to be an effective treatment for acne and they say acts as a 'peeling action' which sounds scary. It also contains Potassium Hydroxyquinoline  Sulphate which has 'antimicrobial properties', this both sounded positive. So, I woke up and my skin felt extremely tight and dry, and a little bit red but I thought maybe this is how it works and I was impressed after one application that my skin was drier as it can get very oily at times. I applied it again as a base under my makeup that morning and it felt fine. I continued this for three days and everyday getting the same effect but the skin around my nose was getting particularly dry and I was not sure if I was having an allergic reaction or not. I woke up on the fifth morning and my skin was bright red, dry and also tingling and I was shocked at how it looked. When I put my moisturiser on it had no effect, my skin just absorbed and it made no difference at all to the dryness to my skin. I had to go to placement that day and was thinking what can I do, I just applied my makeup normally and put a lot of concealer on! My skin looked so dry through my makeup though - utter nightmare. I got home took my makeup off and showed my housemate and she said that my skin was very red and looked very dry but my skin looked clearer. I had to agree even though I was experiencing the redness, tingling and dryness, I could see improvements in my skin especially round my chin area which is the most troublesome area. I was now facing a predicament as my skin texture was awful but the spots were slowly but surely disappearing. I decided I would just take a week's break from the treatment and see what happened.

Once again in the instructions it stated that there was possible side effects, as there is with any product. It did say if irritation, itch or rash occurs to stop the treatment. But, then says it is common for some redness of the skin to occur in the first weeks of treatment. Yet again - I was in a predicament as to what to do, as it says it should gradually disappear as your skin becomes accustomed to the treatment.

Two weeks later I still haven't reapplied the product. My skin is now not tingly or red - phew! However, my skin is still so dry it just drinks my moisturiser in seconds, I can just not find a way to rehydrate it. Although, my skin is still in better condition and I haven't had any reoccurring spots and the over all spread of my usual acne is much smaller and less protruding. I think I am going to let my skin totally rehydrate for now as I do think I had a reaction of some kind to the product. I probably should not be saying this but as I have battled with my skin for so many years, I am optimistic that I would try it again in the future if my acne flares up.

Therefore, I am now facing this love/hate relationship with this tube of cream. I would recommend it to those who suffer from acne but do watch out for those side effects!

Lucy
xoxo

Fashion Friday's - Heeled Chelsea Boots

I am a huge fan of chelsea boots I love the look, the comfort and the simplicity of them. Since starting uni I have seemed to struggle to find a pair of shoes which I could wear on nights out. I either have dressy heels or flat boots and dollies, as I am tiny in height I like to wear a nice pair of heels when I go out. But being at uni people seem to wear more relaxed looks and my dressy heels sometimes don't fit in and make me look way to overdressed compared to others.

Then I popped into New Look, now I have a love/hate relationship with New Look. I never really buy their clothes however, I really love their shoes and accessories. They always have such a huge range of shoes and styles and they are never over the top expensive. I had been looking for a while for some heeled chelsea boots and I had seen some in Topshop for some obscene price which was way out of my budget, I think they were like £70.                        

These boots are a brilliant height approximately 3 and a half inches. I wish I could love mega high heels but I just can't, they hurt my feet way to much and I just end up moaning to everyone that my feet are killing. I like a big chunky heels like on these boots as it causes less aching to the overall foot. I have worn them on three nights out now and they have been comfortable which is always a mega bonus and makes your night soooo much more enjoyable. These were £24.99 which I think is really great value for money. The boots are suede and I also have a love/hate relationship with suede. Compared to leather they get way more dirty, but I think suede gives an outfit a much simpler look. The greatest thing about the boots are there versatility, they can worn on a night out but also equally to a more casual outing. I wore them out to a meal with my friends with a pair of skinny jeans and a cute jumper. It gives a more overall edgy look but creates that easy, extra little effort to the outfit.

All in all a brilliant investment on my part, if I say so myself. I know I will wear these for years to come and as my feet haven't grown in about 5 years I don't think I have anything to worry about!

Other beauty posts from this week: Sick Day / Emma Hardie / Tanya Burr

Lucy
xoxo

Sick Day Simplicity

The weather is so horrid here in the UK, and I have inevitably caught the winter cold. Unfortunately, I am very busy at the moment between uni, placement and work, so I haven't really had time to relax and recover. However, my day to day makeup has definitely been impacted and taken a very basic turn. 

When I am ill I do not bother with eye makeup at all, my eyes always get itchy and mascara definitely makes them more agitated than usual. For my face makeup I simply stick to a light foundation, concealer, a little powder and blusher - very simple. I like to add a hydrating lip balm as my lips get so, so dry and the Blistex MedPlus is perfect for this. Then adding a little pop of colour to the lips makes it look like you have made a little effort and also with no eye makeup brightens your whole 'simple' look. I would not choose anything to dramatic, just something nice and rosey pink.

I watched a few YouTube videos lately where people have done 'Sick Day' videos and they have a full face of makeup on, sometimes more than what I wear on a daily basis! I say hallelujah to those girls as I can barely be bothered to scrap on a little bit, never mind bothering with full eye makeup and contouring. However, I think everyone responds to being ill differently and somethings putting on some pretty makeup can make you feel better in yourself and boost your self esteem, so I say go with whatever makes you feel good. 

So my simple makeup menu when I am ill consists of:

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - Classic Ivory

Collection Concealer - Medium

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Powder - Medium

Sleek Blush - Rose Gold

Blistex MedPlus

Revlon Colorburst - Sorbet

I would never wear no makeup all together if I had to be somewhere, although I never wear makeup on my days off. But, I would feel a little insecure not wearing any which is not what you need when your not feeling and or looking your best. A little bit just gives me the confidence I need to go out, do what I need to and get back home to my bed and a hot chocolate. 

Lucy 

xoxo

Emma Hardie Hamper

I have been wanting to try some of Emma Hardie's skin collection for a while now but its always been so expensive, I have never brought myself to actually purchase any of her skincare. I was doing my weekly browsing of Space:NK when I came across a fabulous discovery on the 'New' page of the website. Something which I could describe as being a bit of a bargain if I am being honest and something you will want to get your hands on by the time you have finished reading this post on this bright, early Monday morning. I am sure this will brighten your day in an instant and you will be reaching for you purse and running to your nearest computer or store to buy this beauty by the time Monday afternoon arrives.

The discovery -The Emma Hardie Face and Body Hamper
This hamper is described to have 'all you need for a healthy happy skin'.

The hamper includes a variety of products from the line:
Morninga Cleansing Balm
Age Support Face Cream
Rejuvenating Night Cream
Luxurious Body Cleanser
Intense Body Lotion
Hydra Body Oil
Body Buffing Cloth
White EH cosmetic travel bag

Now one thing which I have been wanting to try forever is the Morninga Cleansing Balm. It is so well known on the beauty circuit for its wonders and amazing effects it has on the skin. For a 100ml version it is £34, which I think is very expensive for a balm but I always think you pay for quality. This hamper just seems like an ideal way for me to try a variety of products from the skincare line. I had a look around the Emma Hardie page of the site and all the other products in the hamper look just as nice, I like that you get a mix of face and body products. I have never actually used a body oil before and I was intrigued to try see the breakdown of the product, which all in all just looks amazing! I also like the ideal that they have included a cleansing balm, a day and a night cream so you can use all three in combination to hopefully make lovely healthy, glowing skin.

I think for £30 it is excellent value for the amount of products you get they are all travel size but I like that as you can try all the different products out and see what works and what doesn't work for your skin type. For a weekend away you could fit all of your products in one bag and you would have everything you need and more with such little fuss.

Managed to convince you? Thought so! I am expecting this to be a sell out and it has only been released this week so if you want it - go get it! I just wish it was payday tomorrow and not 3 weeks away, it may have to be a cheeky mid month purchase. You have to spoil yourself once in a while don't you?

Lucy
xoxo

Tanya Burr's Lipglosses- First Look & Review

 If you read my post from Tuesday you will know that I finally placed my order of Tanya Burr Lip glosses from +feelunique.com on Monday night, I ordered two colours Picnic in the Park and Aurora. They arrived really quickly and landing on my doorstep on Thursday morning which I was very pleased about, and was very quick service.

I think the packaging is really nice and girly and not cheap looking. At first glance, I was very excited to try the product on my lips and see what the pigmentation and texture of the glosses were like, and the colour which is actually portrayed onto the lips. Picnic in the Park looked very pink and girly just what I thought and expected whereas, Aurora looked a little darker than I thought but you can instantly clearly see the glitter running throughout this colour.

Once opened and swatched I was instantly loving the products more minute by minute. When I opened Aurora, (top) I automatically could smell the scent from the product it was sweet and smells like strawberries which I love! The scent of Picnic in the Park (bottom) is not as obvious but its still sweet and pleasant. When swatching the products they were nice and smooth and you could see the product instantly.When applied to the lips it has exactly the same effect, and with one coat you can see the colour and pigmentation of the glosses. One thing that I do really like about these glosses are the wands, they are not your regular shape, they are indented on both sides so it collects the products and it helps with even distribution across the lips which is a little extra touch which makes these glosses great.

I applied Picnic in the Park first as this is a cream gloss, it is a nice natural pink that is bright and fun. I would describe it as a classic girly colour and is perfect for spring and summer to combine with colourful pastel outfits. It feels smooth and not too sticky on the lips and if you do want a more vibrant colour you can build it up to create a more dramatic colour. I like that I am going to be able to wear this during the day with natural eye makeup but at night to stand out and be a statement. You could definitely wear this over the top of a lipstick, and I think it would look perfect over my Maybelline Fuchsia Pink. In terms of lasting power I did need to reapply during the day, but you always do with any lip gloss.








I applied Aurora over the top of Picnic in the Park and it created a really nice combination which is what I was really hoping for. As a said before, you can really taste the scent of Aurora much more than Picnic in the Park which is nice as it adds that little extra touch to the product. I think this colour looks darker in the packaging than when applied to the lips. On its own you can really see the shimmer running through the gloss and it really sparkles in the light. As the colour is a little stronger I would wear this on it own just to add that pop off colour to the lips. I do usually wear lip glosses with a bit of shimmer through it so I was instantly very fond of this, I can see it making a regular appearance in my daily routine.






For £6.99 I think these products are really leaving up to the hype from the beauty world and for the price I think they are excellent value for money. I do want to get my hands on a few more these and I am excited that Tanya has announced that they are going to be available to buy in Superdrug over the next few months. I like to be able to see what I am buying so I am glad they are being released on the highstreet. Tanya also has a nail varnish line to go alongside her lip glosses so I think I am going to order a few varnishes next month to see if the whole collection is as good as the glosses.

Lucy
xoxo

Review of the Week

I thought it would be nice to do a round up of the week and bundle all of this weeks beauty picks together in one post.

On Monday I discovered the wonders of this months Boots Health and Beauty Magazine, and the great articles which Boots have popped into this months mag. It had some really good new beauty discoveries which I want to check out, and some exciting new releases which they have coming soon through the next month. 

Tuesday brought me the excitement of finally placing an order from +feelunique.com. I bought two lip glosses from Tanya Burr's new collection of lip glosses and nail varnishes. The post discovers the two colours which I ordered - Aurora and Picnic in the Park, these are both pink colours and they landed on my door step yesterday. So a heads up, as tomorrows post is all about the lip glosses and my first views and opinions on the products.

Wednesday was my round up of all things I loved throughout last month in my January Favourites post. I love doing this type of post as I get to gather everything which I have been loving and share it with everyone else in the beauty blogging world. These are my favourite posts to read from other beauty bloggers, as I always end up intrigued by what others are loving and its a great way to share and pick up new products from others. 

On Thursday, my post was built around the latest launch from Nars the - NARSissist cheek palette. This was the post which excited me the most this week, and I have been thinking about it ever since which I think is really sad of me. However, in my defence the palette just looks so delightful and easy to use, I would definitely be able to use it on a daily basis and would get my full use out of it. The palette consists of the Laguna Bronzer, Orgasm Blusher and Devotee Highlighter. The highlighter is an exclusive for the palette and I just want to swatch it, I can imagine it being all pearly and beautifully pigmented. I have to get my hands on this!

Fridays post was a favourites post all about the new Topshop Beam nail varnish which I picked up in the sale for just £1. The colour is a beautiful pearly pink which is great for everyday wear, it lasted days without chipping and the colour has a lovely shimmer running through out. Love, love, love.

Lucy 

xoxo

Favourite Topshop Nail Varnish

I recently did a post on my sale shopping at Topshop and how I picked three new nail varnishes up in the sale. If you missed the post you can catch up here:

So today's post is about Topshop's nail varnish is beam:

It is an absolutely beautiful colour, if you could describe a nail varnish which would be perfect for me I think this would be it! Its pink which is no surprise but its got such a gorgeous shimmer running through it, it just twinkles against the light. I popped this on on Saturday night as a pre-night out nail painting ritual and it has not yet chipped - blooming marvelous. 

This has instantly made it in to my top five varnishes and has claimed a firm pride of place on my dresser. The colour really stands out on the nail and is just such a lovely pearly pink colour to take us into the spring season. It has shimmer running throughout the colour and its just a beautiful everyday colour.

If not want to grab this gorgeous colour then you need to make a quick dash down to your local Topshop as soon as possible as they are sale so will not be being restocked.

Lucy
xoxo

NARSissist Cheek Palette

Everyone seems to be in love with the new NARSissist eye palette so much that I do not even realise that a cheek palette had been released in addition as part of a new collection.
Whilst casually browsing across the Space:NK site, this literally caught my eye. It looks perfect for creating everyday looks and I have wanted the Orgasm Blush - forever.

This set includes:
 - Devotee
- Orgasm
- Laguna

Devotee is a limited edition highlighting shade created for this palette which is always exciting, it looks like a beautifully pearly pink colour which would look delightful placed on the top of the cheekbones. The palette also comes with the NARS bestsellers the Orgasm Blusher which I have wanted to try for ages, but the price has always put me off. If you have been following my blog you will know that I got the NARS Laguna Bronzer for Christmas, and absolutely love it. I love palettes as when your travelling your not having to take lots of different products with you, its just all there in one. The great thing about this palette is its comes with a travel blush brush which I am happy about as I think its versatility will be great and you could you it across all three products in the palette.

I really, really want this palette and it has just automatically jumped to the top of my wishlist. If you have your eyes on it you can pre-order it from Space:NK for £35 and it is available for dispatch on 17th February. It is exclusive to Space:NK but will also be available across their stores.

Lucy
xoxo

January Favourites

Where has January gone?! How has it been 31 days already of the new year. It is crazy, how fast time really flies!

However, in January I decided to embrace drugstore shopping to save the cash post Christmas and I discovered a few little gems and rediscovered some old favourites. I also did a cheeky drugstore spree if you missed it here is the link: Drugstore Haul

From my little spree, I have been absolutely loving Rimmels Match Perfection Foundation, I have this in the colour True Ivory and I have bought this in the past and I am not sure why it has taken me so long to repurchase. It gives really great coverage and has a good last power on the skin.

I  have been loving the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer, it gives a real radiance to the skin when I apply it down my nose and under my eyes. I am really impressed with this product and it has been embraced into my daily routine.

The Naked 3 palette form Urban Decay has once again made it in to a favourites post, I like to use to create nice, natural daily looks. My current favourite colours from the palette include Burnout, Buzz and Mugshot. I also have been really enjoying the brush which comes with this palette, usually the brushes that come with palettes are a bit flimsy and don't apply product very well. But, I have been using this when applying the shadows and it has been great. I have been using the thicker end to apply shadows all over the lid and the smaller end to blend a darker shade through the crease and to the outer section of my eyelid.

I have had awful chap lips throughout this month with all this horrid weather we have been having here in the UK. I always use the same little routine to help them rehydrate. I do this by using the Blistex Relief Cream alongside the Blistex Medplus. These work wonders together and it has really helped to rehydrate my lips. Once my lips are half way back to recovery, I then use the Bioderma Mosturising Stick as it is really nourishing and soft.

I have rediscovered a firm favourite from last year from the depths of my lipstick collection, one being the Rimmel Apocalips in Nova. It is just a beautifully pigmented product which when applied to the lips stands out and has a really lovely texture. It feels soft and smooth, and most importantly looks instantly bright and colourful when applied to the lips. I just love, love, love this and I am not sure why I only own two of these Apocalips as there just wonderful and so cheap at just £6.99!

My Tanya Burr lip glosses are on there way which I am excited to try out throughout next month!
All in all January, has been a great month for beauty pieces and purchases and I can't wait to see what the beauty world brings throughout February.

Lucy
xoxo

Tanya Burr Lipglosses

Yesterday I finally placed my order on Feel Unique for two lipglosses from Tanya Burr's new makeup line. It took my forever to decide what two colours to get, but I finally decided to go with Picnic in the Park and Aurora. I wanted a cream and a shimmer to try out and see what the texture and pigmentation of the products are like.

I had a quick look on +Katie Snooks blog as she had a really good review and pictures of the line. Picnic in the Park is the brightest pink from the cream side of the range, it does not look really bright but I think it will look vibrant on the lips. Aurora is a lovely pink shimmer which I think I will be able to wear over the top of a lot of lip glosses including Picnic in the Park.

I have got my eyes on a few more shades especially Afternoon Tea and Just Peachy they look like the perfect peachy/nude combination, but they will have to be next months purchases. I also fancy trying out a nail varnish or two especially Be Bright, Be Happy and Bright and Early two pink shades which are perfect for the coming seasons.

The lip glosses are £6.99 and nail varnishes and £5.99, which is definitely a really good price and affordable, there has been many positive reviews of the line so I am excited for my lip glosses to arrive.

Now, as I am a coupon queen I did a last minute Google search simply inputting 'Feel Unique discount codes' and surprise surprise a 10% voucher code popped up. So, if you want to enjoy 10% off any purchases off this site just pop in 'Valentines' to receive 10% off your total basket. Simple and effective and valid until Valentines day. If you have been a reader of my blog for a while you will know that I hate having to pay for delivery. On this site when you spend over £10 you get free delivery which takes 3-7 days automatically which is okay, but I was originally only going to buy one just to see what they are like. However, I then decided I would really like to try both a cream and a shimmer from the line, so I ordered both!

As soon as they arrive in my postbox I will be doing a review and swatches straight away so it will be definitely be happening within the next 7 days.

Lucy
xoxo

Boots Health & Beauty Magazine

Each month when the new boots health and beauty magazine comes out I usually pick up a copy when I take a trip to +Boots UK, as I like to find out about new products which are going to be released over the coming month.

This months especially intrigued me, and had a lot of interesting articles have really caught my eye. I usually just flick through it to see if anything pops out and catches me attention. But in this months it included a lot of pieces in the magazine which I fully read and I really enjoyed reading it this month.

There was an article and an advert which I found most interesting in this months issue, and I am going to do a further post on each of them later on this week. I love how the magazine comes with the coupons in the back which you can just rip out and use throughout the month in the stores. The magazine is free for advantage card holders which is great as a lot of shops produce flimsy magazines but this is an in depth magazine like something you would buy from the newsagents. The magazine includes reviews of products, new products coming out this month, celeb interviews, real life stories, promotions and makeup looks for this season. It gives great tricks and tips as to how to create certain looks and the products that they sell which you can use to achieve it.

So, next time your in Boots, I suggest you pick up this months magazine and have a look through as I am sure you will find something which you fancy reading whether it be an article or an advert.

Lucy
xoxo

Body Shop Haul

I recently did a spot of online shopping, and had actually forgot I had ordered this stuff until it arrived at my door. +The Body Shop UK was my best rediscovery of 2013, as I just think the products are amazing quality and really decent prices.

They had a huge sale on and then as I am part of their membership club they sent me an additional 40% off voucher code to use online or in store which was nice of them! So I placed a little order to experiment a few things which I have had my eye on but have never tried.

I ordered six different items - Vitamin C microdermabrasion, Vitamin E sink-in moisture mask, Muslin cleansing cloth, Vanilla bliss hand cream, Rainforest volume shampoo and Rainforest volume conditioner. 

I have never tried any of these products and I was in a bit of an experimental mood when I was ordering and was wanting to spice my routine up. I like that the handcream, shampoo and conditioner are miniatures for travelling but also I always feel that a tester size of a product allows you to try a product and if you are not happy with it, you have not wasted as much as money as buying it in full size. But, also if you do like it, you know that if you buy the larger version you are going to love it!

I am going to try all these products out and do a review in a few weeks to let you know how I get on. It is always exciting to try new products and find out if you like them and what the textures and scents are like. 

Lucy 

xoxo

Travel Bag

I have been saying for a while that I will show you my new travel bag which I use when I travel home for the week. It got its first use over Christmas, and I was so happy with just how much easier it is to have all my beauty and skincare products in one place.

The bag is from +Debenhams:

I really love the colour and vibrancy of the bag, its really cute and girly with little hearts imprinted on.

This how the bag looks when it is opened up and you can clearly see the different compartments to the bag and how spacious it is. At the top there is a little zip compartment which is where I actually put my bits of jewellery which I want to wear whilst at home. The bag then has 2 large compartments which are clear which is great so you can see exactly what you have packed and what you have missed without having to root through. It looks a little messy as everything has fallen to the bottom of the bag as it is hung up. The hook is really useful as you can just hang it on your door like I have, and pack whilst it is hanging there.

In the top compartment I keep all of my skincare essentials which I need there's not to many really as I have a few spare things at home. However, the things I took with me were my:
-Garnier toner
- Bioderma travel size micelle solution
- Comb
- Body Shop seeweed mattifying day cream
- Thisworks breathe in
and then I also added to this section because I had room left in this section my chewable vitamin C tablets and urban decay 3 palette.

In the bottom part was all my makeup, I know it looks a mess but I promise its organised. The makeup bits I took home were my:
- Nars laguna bronzer
- Rimmel BB cream
- MAC studio fix foundation
- Rimmel day to night mascara
- Maxfactor false lash effect mascara
- Sleek blush in rose gold
- MAC fluidline in local wares
- Maybelline lipstick in fuchsia flash
- MAC lipstick in vegas volt
- MAC 217 brush
- Beauty sponge
- Eyeliner brush
- Blush brush
- Large powder brush

I really recommend this style of travel bag and it was under £10, I will be able to get a lot of use out of it. If you don't want to put it in your suitcase if you are lacking in space you can just carry it separately which is really convenient compared to conventional makeup bags.

Lucy
xoxo

Introducing Fashion Fridays

As well as having a real passion for all thing beauty, I also have a love for all things fashion as well!

So I have come up with a new concept of post which I will be posting every Friday morning called simply 'Fashion Fridays'.

So to kick off this new venture on the blog, I am going to talk about my love for playsuits and jumpsuits this season. I recently fell in love with a beautiful playsuit from +Topshop and I instantly popped it in my basket whilst shopping online. However, I then had second thoughts as the price tag to the item was £48! For Topshop I think that is pricey and I started to think about the amount I would be able to wear the item.

Last week I posted about how I was going on a girls night out in Liverpool so that was classed as occasion one where I would get to wear the outfit. Then I remembered that occasion two would be happening within the same week as I was going out last Saturday when I got back to uni for a big catch up with everyone. So I thought two occasions within the same week with different people justified me purchasing the playsuit. I decided to go into store to buy it as I was not sure about sizing and did not really have time to wait for it to come and then return it store to try and find the correct size. When I tried it on - it was instant love! It fitted perfectly as it is from the petite section and I am only 5ft, so the collection is pretty perfect for me. It is very comfortable, it pulls in perfectly on the waist and its not to tight on the legs. I got many compliments from my friends and they all said how much they loved it which is always a lovely feeling and makes the price tag worth its while.

Lucy 

xoxo