Sephora Haul | Kat Von D & beauty blender

(Top to Bottom - Trooper, Lolita, Lovesick)

Whilst in Spain we took a trip to Cordoba and I unexpectedly saw a Sephora whilst on a city tour bus! My brain went into overdrive and over eating lunch, I quickly google mapped how far the store was from where was eating and it was 12 minutes away. I had 35 minutes until our coach was leaving, I leapt up and took to the tiny streets to try and find my way there by myself. Thankfully, it was easy to find. As I took a step into the store the Kat Von D was standing staring at me in all of it's glory, which was the reason why I headed to the store. I had already looked online before going on my holiday so I had a few shades ideas however, I instantly started swatching like crazy. Lolita and Lovesick ( were the two which I instantly fell in love with. I had my eyes on Double Dare and Bow n Arrow, but they both branched into the darker nude/brown shades which don't suit my skin colouring. Whilst in the queue at the checkout, my eyes fell upon the Beauty Blender which I have been wanting to get my hands on forever, and I just could not resist.

On another trip later on in the week, we went to Malaga where there was a Sephora within one of their huge department stores. My mum treated herself to a few bits from Sephora's pwn collection and bought me the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper as I had completely forgot to pick it up with being in such a rush on my previous trip.

I am super excited to try my new pieces out. What other Sephora pieces do I need to add to my new wishlist?

Lucy
xoxo

Gibraltar

I went on a day trip to Gibraltar whilst on my holidays in Spain. Gibraltar is actually part of the British Isles so the country is run exactly how ours is, and it is literally just like Britain but a lot sunnier. It is a really beautiful place and has a lot of culture and heritage. They are renowned for their underground caves which have monkeys. We went on an organised trip and we went on a minibus up into the mountains where we went into the caves which were sensational and they hold concerts and special occasions within them. Outside the caves they have families of monkeys who have settled there, and they were really friendly. We got a few hours to look around the town and I found it really crazy as they had literally all of our shops like Topshop and BHS. They have no VAT or charges on alcohol or perishable goods such as perfume and makeup. Lots of the residents in Spain cross the border as they are able to buy their goods and take them back. I was really astonished at how cheap alcohol was, I got a litre bottle of Smirnoff Vodka for just £6. All other branded alcohol was just a cheap. You pay for everything in british pounds but they also accept euros. When you are crossing over back into Spain, you have to go through customs and it is the law that you are only allowed to take a litre of alcohol per person each back into the country. We didn't get searched but they can ask you to declare your goods. For all of you who read my blog mainly for the beauty, the makeup wasn't much cheaper as the original prices of the products were more expensive than over here. Therefore, with the discount you were saving no more than 10% off the RRP.

The place itself was very lovely with lots to see and do, and you could definitely take a holiday there. It would of been nice to spend some more time there, but we definitely managed to do and see a lot in the time we were there. During the summer they do dolphins trips around the coast of the island as dolphins migrate into their sea. This is something which I would love to do if I was to visit again at the height of the season.

Lucy
xoxo

Marbella

So whilst on holiday in Spain we took a day trip to Marbella as it is something where me and my mum have wanted to visit for a while. It certainly did not disappoint, it is a really beautiful place to visit.It seems to have become a holiday hotspot for people in their 20s, and seems to have excellent nightlife. I was excited to see what all the fuss was about. To get to Marbella we got on the local bus from Benalmadena, and arrived in a lovely port area which seemed to bustling with locals and tourists. The beach is beautiful and has a harbour of boats surrounding it which was stunning. The town was bigger than we thought, as it was quite busy in the town with lots of little shops, bars and restaurants. 

The scenery was simply stunning and around the town there were traditional spanish buildings and churches which were beautiful, and made me really appreciate their culture and traditions. There are lots of little side streets which have shops selling lots of unique and individual gifts. Marbella is easy to get to as it a well known tourist attraction across the Costa Del Sol and is not to far from the main town of Malaga. Me and my parents all said at the end of the day you could definitely go a holiday to Marbella itself and have a enough to see and do.

This is the second segment of my holidays series here on my blog this week, I also have posts on my trips to Benalmadena and Gibraltar (coming on Sunday).

Lucy

xoxo

Benalmadena - Spain

I have serious holiday blues writing this on a cold and drizzly morning back in England. The first week of my Easter holidays, my parents booked us all a last minute holiday to Spain. We stayed in a resort called Benalmadena which is at the South of Spain and part of the Costa Del Sol. The hotel which we stayed in was called The Best Benalmadena. The weather was beautiful, not too hot as I burn very easy. Don't get me wrong I love a bit of sun but when it is blazing at midday and there is no shade, I have to retreat for a while. It was that lovely weather where you don't need a cardigan, and there is a constant cool breeze. We have never been on holiday abroad at the Easter break, we usually go somewhere within the UK. It was really nice getting away, and it gave me the much needed break which I needed from uni, before I go back and finish my last term of uni and my sign off placement. 

We went on lots of day trips such as Malaga, Cordoba and Gibraltar. I am going to go into more detail in posts later this week about the individual places that we visited, so I won't go into too much detail in this post. Where the hotel was located was right next to the beach which was great to wake up to. The town of Benalmadena was small itself, and we stayed at the top end so we was a little bit out of the town. One night we went down to the harbour and had a fabulous meal, which was amazing and I recommend visiting if you are to visit Benalmadena. The local bus service is excellent around this area of Spain, and it makes it so much easier to get around the area and adds to the excitement of going on holiday. We went to the local aquarium called Selwo Marina where they had dolphins, sea lions, penguins and lots of other animals. I love dolphins and I had a great day here, and if you have children or younger family members they are sure to love it. I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday, and this is a part of the world which I would go back to as there is so much more to explore and discover. 

If anyone has another other questions please feel free to leave them in the comments. 

My next question is where should my next holiday be?

Lucy

xoxo

& Other Stories Sale Haul

Whilst on my holiday in Spain we took a day trip to Malaga, and I was super excited when I saw an & Other Stories store on the high street. I instantly dragged my mum in as I knew she would love it. I first discovered the brand when I went to London last year, and I instantly loved the vibe and style of the store. At the front of the store they had a huge sale section which I had a good rummage in.

I picked up the Steel Garden Body Mist, the Couture Carnival Hand lotion and a Lauburnum Tide Nail Varnish. Everything which I picked up was 70% off which made everything mega cheap. The beauty side of the brand isn't high end to start with, but with 70% off each item was £5 so was now just £1.50. The body mist has quite an unusual scent and is not something I would usually choose as it contains floral scents, but it has a hint of apple and honey which work really well together. It is really refreshing and the perfect size for on the go to pop into your handbag. The nail varnish can only be described as being the shade of a mermaid it has multiple colours running through it and super shiny. I am a huge lover of hand lotion and I don't usually have a big bottle as I usually have miniatures for on the go. But I just couldn't resist this after trying out some of the tester and rubbing into my hands. The scent was what instantly drew me in, it is described as a 'rainbow of cocktails'. The scent is fruity and you can really pick out the sweet citrus scents such as pineapple and orange. It is quite a thick formula, but rubs in nicely and the scent stays and settles nicely.

Have you tried any of the & Other Stories beauty range?

Lucy

xoxo

What's in my Handbag?

I featured this new bag of mine in a recent post. It is from Forever 21 and I having been using it on a daily basis I love it. As a say in the post it is a dupe for the Chloe Faye bag which costs over £800 and this from Forever 21 is just £20! It is a great size and it easily fits everything in which you can see and has room for more if needed.

I love this NYX Soft Matte Cream in Instanbul, and have been wearing it on a regular basis. It is a great Spring colour as it is a light pink shade which is great for everyday wear. These are smooth to apply and set to a matte finish which is not too drying.
My sister got me this Kate Spade Purse for Christmas 2014 from New York and it is still going strong. Pink is my favourite colour and this fuchsia shade is beautiful. It has not worn, scratched and it looks in really good condition even though I use it on a daily basis. It is definitely worth investing in a good quality purse, and Kate Spade is one of my favourite designer brands.
I bought the pompom from Primark a few weeks ago and costs £2, and it is to stop me losing my keys! It also very cute and the lilac shade is gorgeous. I got the ballerina bear key from Harrods a few years ago and it was a present off my mum.
I always carry chewing gum with me as I like to eat foods which have strong scents. It is also great just to have refresh your breath during the day.

What are your handbag essentials?

Lucy
xoxo

Not got into university first time? My experience

It is that time of the year where everyone is finding out what university they are going to, and the excitement starts. For me and I think for many (a lot more than you think!), that isn't the way things go. A lot of people find themselves not getting into their first choice universities or in fact not any. That was me this time in 2012, and I have never, ever, before or since felt as disheartened as I did during that time of my life. All of my friends were doing academic courses and had all 5 offers in the bag before I had even heard back from one. I think it is a whole different ball games when it comes to vocational subjects. I had applied to do Midwifery as I had always wanted to be a neonatal nurse and this was the route which I have chosen to take. The process is very different as first of all you have to get an interview, at some uni's there was 30 places for over 1000 applicants and it was really tough. I never thought that I wouldn't get in as I had always had this grand 5 year plan in my head, and never had it ever crossed my mind that I would find myself in this situation. This was not because I was full of myself, I think it was because I was ensured by everyone at college I would get in, and that I wouldn't face these problems. Time after time, I would log on to UCAS and see rejections and it was simply heartbreaking to go through as a naive 17 year old. I had the pressure of also finishing my exams and now no plans, not only had I disappointed myself but also my family.

There and then I decided that I was taking the year out. I had a part time job at Debenhams at the time and I decided I would work there for a year earn some money, learn to drive and reapply. During this time I had already decided that I now wanted to do Children's Nursing instead as I was assured that this was a better route to follow to become a neonatal nurse. So I reapplied after doing some volunteer work and having gained confidence by working full time and being given some responsibility at work. Second time round the process was just as difficult, as I had now decided to apply for a course with even less places. However, thankfully I got three interviews and two offers. I was still really upset as I had got an interview for my first choice but unfortunately I was a little too timid in my interview and got overshone by others. So I had chosen to go to the University of Cumbria and that was where my life changed forever. It was so different to how I thought was university was going to be, this being both positive and negative. I wasn't sure whether to move away from home, and I have to say it was far harder than what I thought. I'm now here in my third year finishing my course in July, with a job due to start in September in a different department and not in neonates. There is only one word to describe how I feel currently and that is terrified.

I firmly believe that taking that year out allowed me to gain so much confidence, gather my thoughts and essentially grow up. Moving away is not an easy choice and for me being on placement for 6 months of each academic year, working 40 hours a week during nights and weekends has not been easy. The added pressure of having a small budget to live off, needing to also have a part time job, and juggling essays and life has also been hard. But I have learnt so much, have gained independence, confidence and I can't imagine being anywhere else now. For me I couldn't become a nurse without going to university so I didn't really have a choice. I also think I am very lucky that I always had some kind of idea of what I wanted to do and how to get there. I understand that many people will be in such a predicament over university decisions as at the end of the day it is a huge decision. All I kind of wanted to get out this post is to say that things don't always go to plan, but it is just a bump in the road and you will get to wherever you want to be as and when. I totally believe in fate and sometimes it can be heartbreaking, but you have to be willing to grit your teeth and dig your heels in deeper.

Lucy
xoxo

Forever 21 Chloe Faye Dupe

I have been swooning after the Chloe Faye bag for a while now, but with the price tag of £865 attached to it and with my student budget it is never going to happen. I love the design of the bag with the clasp and chain, and it is just a really statement handbag to have.

I visited Liverpool two weekends again, and popped into Forever 21 which is one of my favourite shops for high street fashion. I instantly saw this Forever 21 version on one of the top shelves and said to my mum 'I need that bag!'. It came in black and brown, and I initially wanted the black but I have lots of black handbags, and I have some new brown boots which I have been loving to wear and I thought this would be an amazing match. When I got home I instantly swapped over all my things into my new handbag, and was instantly feeling fabulous. Forever 21 has quite a few stores now dotted around the UK, and you can order online so it is coming much more available to us. For £20 it is such a bargain, and it perfect for both day and night time occasions.

Lucy
xoxo

MAC 217 & Bronze Eyeshadow

Somewhere between coming backwards and forwards from university, I have misplaced my ever so beloved MAC 217 Blending Brush. I have been without it for a few weeks now, and my eye shadow game has not been the same since. I decided it was finally time to rebuy one and was shocked to find out it was £20, they have definitely added a few pounds to the price of the brush which is definitely down to its popularity. I also had a free spot in my MAC 4 quad palette, and thought it was time to finally fill it. I hadn't planned on buying a particular shade before I went it, so I was browsing and swatching every shade on the display. I did come across a gorgeous golden shimmer shade which looked super pigmented in the shade Havana which is part of the Extra Dimension range but it was £16, and they don't come in pan form. It seemed a little bit expensive but it is definitely going on my wish list. I then swatched Bronze and thought it was the perfect addition to the three current shades in quad which are Satin Taupe, Woodwinked and Omega. Bronze is a golden brown with shimmer and is a frost finish. I am really excited to start wearing this, and I think this will be a perfect addition to smokey bronze collection.

Lucy
xoxo

March Favourites

If you read my recent NYX: Lipstick Lowdown post, I went through all the different types of NYX lip products and stated how much I love the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. Istanbul is the lightest of the bunch in which I own from this line. I really like the formula of these as they apply really smooth and set to a matte finish. They are comfortable to wear and don't dry your lips out, and are an absolute bargain for £5.50.

I finally started to use this NYX Prismatic Eyeshadow in Girl Talk this month. They are highly pigmented which is what we always want, but it has ultimate shimmer and glowing power. It looks amazing on the inner corners of the eyes and through the brow bone. 

My Laura Mercier Foundation Primer has been on its last legs for weeks now, and I know the day it comes to a finish is upon me. I love it so much as it has a light, gel texture which is really soft and smooth when applying and instantly adds some moisture into my skin. I find that it helps my makeup stay put, but it does not feel heavy or cakey on the skin. This is not cheap for £29 but I have had this for over a year now and I use it in a daily basis, so you definitely get your moneys worth.

I have been mentioning these little beauty all over my blog recently, as I simply love them. The Nip & Fab Glycolic Pads are great for clearing congested skin just like mine. As you would expect they are soaked in glycolic acid but also hyaluronic acid which both help to retexturise and replenish the skin. I use these 3-4 times a weeks as part of my nighttime routine. I am definitely going to pick some more up as they are currently on promotion for a 1/3 off on Boot's (£8).

I bought this a few months back and have been letting it gather dust in the depths of my Muji drawers. The Kiko Dazzling Highlighter in 04 (not online) is a beautiful pink shimmer sticks which looks great on the tops of the cheekbones. I swipe this on to my cheekbones using the bullet, and then gently blend it with my highlighter brush as it can look a little over the top in the daytime as it is very shimmery. This is a very easy to use product as it is simply just in the bullet and you can apply it directly on to your face.

What have been your go to products during March?

Lucy

xoxo

Kylie Lip Kit in Posie K | Haul, Review, Swatches and UK Shipping

When my doorbell rang on Tuesday afternoon, I don't think the postman will of ever of been greeted by a customer with such a huge smile. I was beaming as I had been waiting on this to arrive for days. I instantly went inside and took my blog photos so I could start putting it to the test.

So the story behind this is that I have been wanting to try a Kylie Lip Kit pretty much since they were released, but I had been wanting to hear some reviews before I took the plunge myself. I watched Lily Melrose's videos which are fab, and since then I had been on the hunt to get one. I am one of those who once I want something, I am pretty determined to get it. But, the problem is that they sell out so quickly. I always struggled to know exactly when they were going on sale, as obviously there is a big time different between us and America. However, I was browsing Twitter and  a lovely canadian blogger let me know that they were going on sale in 15 minutes. As soon as 11 o'clock arrived I clicked Kylie Cosmetics and got straight on the page no problem, and before I knew it it was ordered. It is definitely just about getting on straight away! She puts updates up on her twitter feed both personal and the Kylie Cosmetics page, she also updates her personal snapchat to say when they are launching.

So to the product... I love it. Posie K is a great pink nude, which once dried to a matte finish turns into a slightly darker rose shade. It suits my skin tone really well, as I was worried about some of the other colours being way to dark for me. It goes on to the lips really easily, and dries almost instantly. The scent resembles vanilla and tutti fruity, it is not off putting and you can't taste it once it is applied. These are seriously pigmented, which is great as you only need one application. The dome shaped applicator is perfect as it is not too big and allows you to apply it easily. I have quite dry lips and I have found with other matte liquid lipsticks that they are way to drying and crack easily. This dries to a matte finish, but it feels light and comfortable to wear. The lip liner is also really great which was a great extra as I am not a huge lip liner fan. I do not got on great with lip liners but this one is soft, super easy to apply and does not drag. I use this to line my lips first and then fill my lips in with the liquid lipstick. The longevity test was put to the test straight away as I applied it to my lips at 2pm. It lasted excellently with no smudging, budging or colour fade. Once I did eat some food it did go slightly patchy in the middle of my lips, so it isn't totally budge proof. However, because it so easy to reapply it's not a huge hassle and it's not going to take a lot of time to get it to be perfect again. It then lasted fantastically until I went to bed a good 4 hours later.

Shipping Details
It took 18 days for the delivery to arrive, and I didn't get any custom charges (horray!) probably because on the box it said the value was $1.00! It costs $29 (£21) for the lip kit and $15 (£10) shipping so all together it came to £31. I know it is expensive but I am very much in love, and for £21 the lip liner and liquid lipstick is not bad value at all. I am already after wanting more - Candy K and Koko K. My friends are now wanting in on it too, so we can split the shipping between us. This is definitely the best way to go about it, so gather your friends and get ordering!

Do you want any of the Kylie Lip Kits?

Lucy
xoxo

Colourpop | Haul, First impressions, Swatches & UK Shipping

   (L-R- Storm, Weenie, Between the Sheets)

(L-R - Panda, Echo Park, Lyin' King)

So I finally took the plunge and made a ColourPop order. I have been wanting to make one for months, and with the release of their Ultra Satin Lipsticks, I could no longer resist.

I ordered three of their new Ultra Satin Lipsticks in Panda,  Echo Park and Lyin' King ($6 each). I watched Kathleen Lights video which features every shade from the line, and it was so hard as there are so many nice ones. I managed to restrain going overboard in case they didn't work for me. I also wanted to order some of the eyeshadows, as everybody talks about how beautifully pigmented they are for the price. On first swatch they look a-m-a-z-i-n-g, they are creamy, light and so true to colour with their pigmentation. I am already in love with Weenie ($5) as it is just a gorgeous rose golden shade and is super pigmented. I also ordered another metallic shadow in the shade Smash which a more neutral toned beige with a golden satin finish. They have a really soft, cream like texture which I wasn't expecting but they both look super shimmery on first swatch. When I was checking out you get free delivery over $30 and I had spent $28. I also had a free $5 off your first order for signing up to their mailing list. Therefore, I ordered a highlighter in Butterfly Beach ($8) as it looked stunning, and has beautiful peachy tones running through it. My order then came to a total of $36 (£22.96). When I received my order I had infact received a matte cheek blush in Between the Sheets, instead of the highlighter. Between the Sheets is a mid toned beige/pink shade, which is a bestseller so I am looking forward to testing it out. I am also hoping that ColourPop somehow get me Butterfly Beach, as it looks so beautiful!

For shipping details I looked at Jasmine Talk Beauty's post for all the details on Shipto. But as my experience varied a little I thought I would outline how I ordered. Like I say I used the service called Shipto as it seemed like a cheap alternative to other services. On the website you can issued with an address (pretty sure it is their warehouse), and you send your order to that address and they receive it for you. You then fill in the details of your order including weight and it estimates an amount mine was $8 (you can do this before to get an estimate), and then you can add on insurance and a photo of your product which you need for insurance and it came in total to $13.50 (£10.10). I thought that this was a pretty great deal, and I was happy and proceeded to make the payment through PayPal.  I made the order on the 25th February and Shipto received it on the 3rd March, where I was prompted to fill out a declarations form, and and they shipped it to the UK on the 4th March. They shipping does say it can take between 20-45 days as as I choose the slowest shipping service as it was the cheapest. The Royal Mail tried to deliver it on the 26th so it took 3 weeks to get to me. However, unfortunately I missed the delivery and was hit was a customs charge which totalled £13.02 - £5.02 VAT and the Royal Mail added a £8 handling fee on top. It had a huge sticker attached to the front saying that any item over £15 is accustomed to a VAT charge. So I was pretty unhappy about that as it adds a hefty extra fee on to the overall shipping charge as it totalled overall £23 for it to get to me, more than the actual products are worth but it was an experiment. Other bloggers such as Jasmine have done multiple orders totalling the same amount as mine and haven't been hit with charges. I think it is just luck and the Royal Mail were feeling extra thrifty on the day they received my parcel! I am excited to try these out properly and I will report back with my verdict soon.

Will you be making a ColourPop order?

Lucy
xoxo

Collection Contour Kit

The Collection Contour Kit was something which I bought on the whim when I had a some money left on a voucher. It was £2.99 on an introductory offer, it is now £3.99. I don't like to do negative reviews but I do like to do honest reviews, and I have been putting this to the test and I am ready to reveal my thoughts.

First up, the good things is that the bronzer is an okay milky chocolate shade which suits my skintone very well, but for anyone fairer than me this could be a little too dark. It it pigmented nothing like Nars' Laguna Bronzer but for a drugstore bronzer it's pretty decent. I find it easy to apply and blendable using my Real Techniques Multi-task Brush. This also lasts a pretty long time with a spritz of my Urban Decay Oil Slick Setting Spray over the top. The highlighter unfortunately does not quite match up to the same standards. This is simply because I like a highly pigmented highlighter which gives lots of shimmer and glow. This is very light, not a lot of glow and just offers a hint of shimmer. It is slightly chalky when swatching, and doesn't have a very soft texture. It is okay for those like I say who are wanting just a light dusting, but if you want anything more this is not for you.

Lucy
xoxo

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Lotion

I have been putting to test this Effaclar Clarifying Lotion by La Roche-Posay for a good month now and I am ready to reveal my thoughts. 

First up, this is not a lotion. I do not know why they have chosen to name it as a lotion, as it's misleading but as it's a clear bottle you can clearly see that it is a water. Similar to a micellar water, but this is a thermal spring water. I have done two recent posts on skincare - skincare rediscoveries and my nighttime skincare routine. I have been really trying to stick to a clear routine, as a few weeks ago my skin completely freaked out, and broke out in all kind of ways. I am not sure what caused it, as I am on medication for my skin. Anyway, I had seen this product on a few people's blogs with rave reviews so I thought I would test it out. It contains salicylic acid and LHA's which are both great for blemish prone skin to help with excess oil and to help decongest the skin. The thermal spring water helps to sooth the skin. I find that this is very refreshing on the skin and use this as my toning stage of my skincare routine morning and night. I pop some on to a large cotton pad and using it all over my skin. I find that it can occasionally tingle over areas of my skin where my blemishes are, but nothing which is uncomfortable. I think this would of been good for those of you who have sensitive skin as it is just a great product for doing exactly what it intends to.

Overall, this is a fab product for just £11 and it is so much more easy to get hold of the brand now they sell it in Boots. Thankfully with a mixture of medication and some great products my skin is a little bit better, and mostly decongested meaning less blemishes are occurring. 

Have you tried any La-Roche Posay products? 

Lucy 

xoxo

Night Time Skincare Routine

I have mentioned this many, many times before, the Garnier Micellar Water is brilliant at drawing out impurities from the skin, it is soft and soothing and so easy to use. I use this on a large cotton pad to take off both my eye makeup and then as a first cleanser on my skin.

This Clinique Take the Day Off Cleanser featured in my recent Skincare Rediscoveries post last week. I bought this a while ago and never regularly reached for it. The cleanser is a balm consistency with a soft and really smooth when applied to the skin it turns into a milky like oil. I find this gets in the nitty gritty parts of my skin where my first skin might of missed or not deeply cleansed. After this stage I am always assured that my makeup has been completely removed from my skin.

This is the only product which I currently use morning and night. It is the La Roche Posay Effaclar Toner Lotion, as mentioned previously I really like this as it a thermal spa water which is non drying and contains ingredients to target blemishes which is exactly what I need. A total winner and such great value for money.

I am so glad I picked these up in the January sales when Superdrug was selling off their gift sets. These Nip + Fab Exfoliating Pads contain some seriously great blemish targeting ingredients - glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid and witch hazel, which is great considering the price tag. They also contain blue daisy which I have never heard of previously but this is supposed to be great for soothing and calming the skin. I find these are quite intense so I use this 3-4 times a week (usually when I remember!), but I do find them a little drying, but my skin always feels refreshed and brightened after using them.

I have been on a very rocky road with my acne, it is no secret. I have tried every prescription cream and tablet which is available from the GP. I have tried Epiduo previously and it did not seem to make much difference if any to my skin. I first tried it about 2 years ago, but I didn't use it for very long as I didn't think it was working. My GP convinced me to get it another shot, and to use for 3 months before throwing it to one side. It contains 0.1% adapalene and 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, which are both targeted blemish ingredients. You use a thin layer of this to the affected area in the evening. I will post back if this is a success as I have only had it for a week. I would love it if anyone would be able to share any creams which they felt have helped with their acne. I am seeing my dermatologist in June so I am hoping she will possibly put me on Roaccutane.

I have to mention using the Soap & Glory The Ultimelt as this is my go-to deep facial cleanser. I find that it does an excellent job, as really digging deep and clearing the skin. I love the formula as it is a soft like balm which melts really easily and lightly into the skin without needing much force. I massage these more stubborning really well into my chin where I get my most blemishes to make sure that the impurities have been drawn off. After 2 minutes you rinse this off and your skin is so soft and revived.

Lucy
xoxo

3 Current Favourite Palettes

I have found myself using the same 3 palettes over and over again recently, and I thought it was time to share!

I mention this quite regularly here on my blog but how can I not just look at the wonders of the Hourglass Blushes, they are simply gorgeous. Unfortunately this palette is no longer available, however you are able to buy each individual shade as separates. These are my favourite blushes which I own as I love the colour range and how perfectly pigmented they are. I use all of the colours regularly on rotation, as they add just a little extra to each makeup look which I create.

The newest to my palette stash is the Collection Contour Kit. I picked this up for just £2.99, which was an ultimate bargain. I bought this totally on the whim as I have not heard much about this at all through advertising or the blogging world. I am reporting today that for the price it is a good buy. The bronzer is currently my favourite part to the kit, I thought it could be possibly too dark for my skin but in fact it is a rather splendid match. It is soft, pigmented and easy to blend. The shade is more of a milk chocolate shade with a little shimmer and not too far from Nars' Laguna. I am still currently putting the highlighter to the test, as it does not seem to be as pigmented as the bronzer. However, it is a lovely light peachy, champagne shade which is not overly glittery. This adds a pop of colour to the cheekbones if you want a subtle, everyday shimmer.

The Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita has been a firm favourite of mine every since I was kindly gifted it at Christmas. I love how soft and velvety feeling the shades are, for the price it does not disappoint. This is a palette which I can grab and go whenever I need to and I know it will fit with the occasion. The first shade Prime is the most perfect pearlescent shade which i have ever seen, it is divine. All of the other shades complement each other perfectly, to create either a light shimmer or a more intense smokey eye.

Lucy
xoxo