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

Topshop Nail Varnishes

I took my weekly trip to Topshop last night and pondered across the sale which now has further reductions. I saw the sales assistant with the marking down stickers and was intrigued by what she was reducing. Well, I am glad I was being nosy because she was reducing all the nail varnishes to a £1. Yes just £1! I naturally started frantically looking through the display I came across three lovely colours, and quickly snatched them up.

(From left to right)

Beam is what initially attracted me to the display of varnishes, its a perfect colour for me - pink. It is a darker shade of pink with has a slight shimmer to it. It is a real perfect colour for everyday, as its not to vibrant but it still stands out on slightly on the nail. I think out of the three varnishes it is the one I will get most wear out of, and it will be a lovely colour in the spring/summer later on this year.

Wistful is a really beautiful pink colour with glitter, it has the holographic effect to it and applied to the nails looks simply stunning. The holographic effect really stands out on the nail and gives the whole varnish colour a slightly silver tone. This is definitely a lovely colour for the spring time, and can see it becoming my new go to colour when I fancy something special. It was the one which I applied straight away to my nails as soon as I got home. So happy I discovered this little gem!

Mardi Grass is from the effects collection and has a glossy glitter finish. It has little strands of glitter in it, the colours of green, blue and pink in it. I think it will look really nice over beam and I will definitely be collaborating these together and I will let you know how I get on.

These are usually £5 each which I think is a brilliant price for a nail varnish anyway. I am a real fan of the formula of the Topshop varnishes however, I don't own many from Topshop so I am really happy to have these additions to my collection. The sales assistant at the till asked me if I was a student so I saved 10% so it was £2.70 was all three. Bargain if I say so myself! There were probably about ten different ones in the sale for a £1 and I kind of wish I had picked up a few more colours, I will have to see if there is any left next time I pop to town.

Lucy
xoxo

Drugstore Haul

I took a quick trip to +Boots UK on Saturday and picked up quite a few new bits. I went in for a foundation and came out nearly £30 down, but I am happy with everything I have bought and have already tried and tested most of it. Everyone in the beauty circuit seems to be rediscovering the +rimmellondon match perfection foundation. I am sure I bought this when it first came out and liked it, so I thought I would repurchase it and see if I can re-love it and at £6.99 I think it is great value. It took me so long to try and find the correct colour, standing in the drugstore swatching all the different colours is such a nightmare and trying to find the perfect colour is so difficult. I usually go for the lightest nude colour, but in this instance that was way to dark for me so surprisingly I went for classic ivory (101). I was so scared to go for an ivory colour, however I chose right and it has a more yellow undertone which is what I need compared to true ivory which has a pinky undertone. I had seen a lot of people getting excited over the launch of the Maybelline baby skin primer, however it just did not look appealing to me when seeing the product. I have bought the Rimmel fix & perfect previously and really liked it and had actually finished the whole tube. It was on an offer from Rimmel that if you buy any Rimmel foundation you get the primer for half price meaning it was £3.50, so I thought I would repurchase as I currently haven't got any kind of primer in use. Rimmel has also brought out some new products including the scandaleyes precision micro eyeliner which was on an introductory offer for £3.99. I swatched it straight away and popped it in my basket it is a very fine pen which can give you a really lovely thin line. I tried it for the first time yesterday and really love the effect you can create, I went for a very simple thin top eyeliner and it is also easy to create a little winged look in the corner of the eye, I definitely recommend this. Also, in the new line it includes a new mascara called the rockin' curves and another scandaleyes eyeliner called the thick and thin eyeliner which has a pen nib but is thick on one side and thin on the other. I really like the concept of this but when I swatched it, it seems like it would be tricky to hold when applying.

I then walked passed the +Maybelline UK counter and got instantly drawn in at the new products that they have recently released. The offer in Boots this week on all Maybelline products is 3 for 2. I had not heard about the big eyes quads which they have brought out before I stumbled across them on my visit. They have brought out a new mascara as well as five new quads which come in many colours. The luminous brown quad was the one which intrigued me most, I wear nudes and brown toned eyeshadows the most so it was a natural reaction for me to like this one the most. It contains a bronze, a light nude, a dark brown and a illuminating shade in the centre of the product. This was also on an introductory offer for £4.99, I always seem to miss out on these introductory offers usually as I can never make my mind up of what I actually want! I also saw the express remover on the stand (£4.99), it claims to removes nail polish in one dip, this is the only product which I have not yet tried as I have not had any nail varnish to remover. I really hope it is as good as it states, as I hate how long it takes to remove nail varnish with cotton wool and nail varnish remover. I will let you know how I get on with this! Lastly, a product which I have wanted forever, the Maybelline dream lumi touch highlighting concealer. I got this in ivory which I would think would be way to light for my skin, but I was once again surprised as it was a great match and the nude shade was way to dark for my skin tone. I tried this instantly and it does really brighten the under eye area, and i used it at the bottom of my forehead in the classic fan shape and I really like the effect it creates. I have never owned a brightening concealer before as I usually just apply a cream highlighter. However, this is a 2 in 1 as you can conceal and brighten at the same time meaning less time  and less products needed when applying your makeup. This is £6.99 and I think it is a really good product for the price. I got all three products for £11.98 which I think is such good value and was very pleased with everything I bought.

I hope this has been useful and given you some ideas of some of the old products which are still great and the new products which are just as good!

Lucy
xoxo

Soap and Glory - Review

Post Christmas I have been trying out my new products and two new Soap & Glory products are ready for a review. The Foam Call shower and body wash and the Butter Yourself body butter.

The Foam Call shower and body wash is made of the fruitigo fragrance which has scents of frozen yuzu, orange oil, green fig and jungle pomelo essense. All in all its smells is okay, but I have had other products from other brands which have had nicer scents. Although, I am a real fan of the formula you rub a handful on to damp skin, and then massage until it lathers up and then you just rinse off. It is formulated with peppermint essential oils, grapeseed EFAS and they put these ingredients in, in order to help reduce the drying effects of normal soap.

The Butter Yourself body butter is a five-fruits super rich smoothing body cream. Now, I like the texture of this product it is extremely good at what it states to be moisturising and it does make your skin silky smooth. However, with this product I am not a fan of the scent at all, I have tried it a few times and I just cannot come to like the smell. I think it is a real shame as I have heard such rave reviews about the Soap & Glory body butters but the scent is just so off putting for me. I find it hard to describe why I dislike it so I had a look on the website to see the ingredients and scents within the product and it contains the same fruitigo fragrance as the Foam Call. Somehow, it is just more overpowering within the body butter.

I am disappointed with both products in terms of the scents, I think a lot of people probably like this scent but I am a much bigger fan of more fruity scents and this is just the complete opposite. It is not even a floral smell, its just very unique but the smell of fig is profound. I am glad I picked this up in a set in the Boots half price sale, as I don't think I have wasted my money to much. I think I will pass these products on to someone who will be able to have better use of them and may get on with the scent better.

Lucy
xoxo

L'Oreal Colour Riche Collection Privee

Whilst researching for my last L'Oreal post on the Cheryl Cole limited edition lipstick which they have brought out. I discovered another exclusive line that L'Oreal lipstick, which contains another lipstick by Cheryl Cole along with many other celebs.  All of the colours come from the six L'Oreal Paris spokespersons and all the lipsticks in the collection are custom made nudes shades.




1. Doutzen Kroes - Barely Pink

This is the lightest colour within the colour,but I think the tones in it will be perfect for daytime wear. It will look fresh and feminine on the lips and is perfect for the spring.







2.  Julianne Moore - Barely Peach

This will look lovely on paler complexions and will also look great for the spring time with the pastels colours with are in this season. You could wear this during the day but build it up for a more intense night time look.







3. Eva Longoria - Barely Golden

This is a real stand out colour and is perfect for completely the sun- kissed look. It has a little gold undertone added to it to really complement that effortless, chic look.








4. Freda Pinto - Barely Parma

This is a lovely purple, I am not sure if it would suit all complexions but it is a really beautiful colour. But I think it will look delicate and fresh on the lips and I think it is the most intriguing colour from the collection.







5. Cheryl Cole - Barely Greige

This colour with compliment skin beautifully. It has the richest nudest tones and it will stand out on the lips but it is not to vibrant to add to a simple day time makeup look.









6. Liya Kebede - Barely Moka

A barely brown which is perfect in order to contrast darker skin, it is the darkest in the collection.






If you missed my other post has brought out here it is Cheryl Cole L'Oreal Lipstick

Lucy
xoxo

Pollo Pesto Pasta

I know that this is not beauty or fashion related but I discovered I have created an amazing recipe through many week of trail and error and I really want to share it with you. Its always nice to share an idea that you love, and I am proud of this little dish.

The finished product...

I easily make this meal at least twice a week, I have simply fallen in love with it. It all started with my love for the +Pizza Express pollo pesto - it is simply sensational and I don't even look at the menu anymore when I go because its just my favourite meal ever! There dish consists of chicken, mushrooms, red onions, mozzarella, gruyere, parmesan, pesto sauce and gran moravia cheese.

My recipe is slightly different to theres and the Pizza Express version is more like a bake whereas mine is just a simple pasta dish. I bought all of my ingredients from Tesco and I make this meal for one so I would simply just double the ingredients if making for two:

- half an onion
- 6 mushrooms
-  3 mini skinless chicken fillets
- 150g dried pasta
- 2-3 teaspoons of pesto sauce
- 50g double cream
- Grated cheese

1. Finely chop the onion, I usually only use half but depending on how many people you are cooking for you can decide how much you like.
2. Peel and chop the mushrooms into quarters - I usually use 6 mushrooms.
3. Pop some oil into a frying pan, and let it get hot for a few minutes. Then add onions and mushrooms after approximately 2 minutes. I then pop the kettle on ready to boil my pasta.
4. I then pour the boiled water into a pan on the oven top and let it bubble. Once ready add dried pasta to the pan. It takes approximately 10 minutes depending on how soft you like pasta, I pop it on a high heat for the first 5-6 minutes then turn it down for the remaining minutes.
5. While the waters bubbling and the veg is start to cook I start to prepare my chicken,. I buy the mini skinless chicken fillets as they as just easier to cook with, but you can use any chicken of your choice. I cut it into small pieces and when the vegetables have started to soften I add the chicken to the pan.
6. When the chicken is browned and the mushrooms and onions are softened. At this point I add the cream, I use elmea light as it has half the calories than normal double cream but you can use whatever your preference.
7. I have recently managed to perfect the amount of pesto needed - 2 teaspoons if the exact amount for me. However, you can add as much or as little as you like depending on how much flare of pesto you like. I use the tesco own brand of pesto and I think its really delicious. Some days when I am wanting a little extra I add an extra teaspoon. While you are adding the cream and pesto you need to be constantly stirring making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. I then turn it to a very low heat just to keep the heat whilst you deal with the pasta.
8. I usually taste the pasta on a fork to check that is it ready and when it is turn it off and take it off the heat. Then drain using a sieve, I then add the pasta to the frying pan and stir everything together.
9. Ta-da! the meal is ready just pout it into your bowl or plate. Then add an additional option of grated cheese to finish the dish off to perfection.

An alternative is to use pre-prepared tortellini and also add broccoli.

The tortellini which I use is from Tesco its really delicious I recommend either the mushroom or ham and cheese they contain 400 grams which usually lasts me 2 or 3 meals depending on how hungry I am. It is really delicious and adds an extra little spark to the meal. When making the chicken pasta the mushroom filled tortellini contrasts really well. If you do not have any chicken in tour fridge, then the ham and cheese version makes an excellent alternative and is just as tasty.
The broccoli also adds extra taste and a bit of crunch to the meal as well as healthiness.

I hope you have enjoy this post as it very different to anything I have done before. I hope you all enjoy making it and is as good as I think it is!

Lucy
xoxo

L'Oreal Limited Edition - Cheryl Cole Lipstick

After seeing Lily Pebbles recent YouTube drugstore haul, something that really caught my eye was the new collection of L'Oreal lipsticks. Cheryl Cole is has a huge influence on me when it comes to fashion and beauty. She is a truly beautiful lady and her makeup always looks so flawless. She also always looks amazing in the L'Oreal adverts and is a real natural beauty. They have releases a brand new collection and it includes a variety of new colours in this line, and within the collection there is different types of lipsticks.

The Cheryl Cole lipstick is limited edition and comes in the colour - Red Passion. The project is to raise money for charity and is a collaboration between L'Oreal Paris and the Cheryl Cole foundation to raise money for the Prince's Trust. I think that this might be a UK exclusive but within the UK you are able to buy it in the drugstore.This is from the colour riche made me intense part of the collection and it is a real stand out red. I have a few things which I have seen recently that I have wanted to try so I am going to nip to the drugstore at some time this week and hopefully pick this up. Sometimes the smaller Boots stores don't seem to get these exclusive lines in, so I really hope the store near me has this in so I can snap it up.

If you want to have a closer look at the collection and the lipstick here is the link:

http://www.boots.com/en/LOreal-Color-Riche-Made-for-Me-Intense-Lipstick-Limited-Edition-Cheryl-Cole_1246806/

Lucy
xoxo

Garnier Daily Wash and Toner

I recently posted saying I wanted a new cleanser and toner, so I popped into Boots and picked up two new products that I have never tried before.

It took my ages to decide if I wanted a wash or a scrub to using in my morning routine. As I haven't had a gel wash in a while, I decided to try it out to see the difference in my skin. The one I went for after about half an hour of choosing was the Garnier pure active fruit energy daily energising gel wash. It states to target imperfections, awakens skin and tightens pores. This product is aimed at oily skin to imperfections which is a category which I definitely fall into. The scent contains extracts of grapefruit, pomegranate and vitamin C. It also says on the packaging that is is different to other products as the formula contains purifying salicylic acid which is great for skin with imperfections. I have really enjoyed usually this I have been using it every morning for the past three weeks and after I have used the daily wash, my skin feels instantly smooth and refreshed. It has a nice fruity scent which is my favourite and it lathers into a nice smooth texture and feels refreshing when applied. I am a huge fan of this and would recommend it to others who have a similar skin type to me. The product also comes in a facial scrub if that is what you prefer and both products are £4.99.

The Garnier simply essentials soothing vitamin-enriched toner is the toner which I picked up. It says it is suitable for sensitive skin or if your skin feels fragile when cleansing, this drew me to this product as I wanted something that didn't contain too many ingredients. It states to contain no perfume, no alcohol and no colourants, the product is enriched with soothing water lily extracts and pro-vitamin B5. What I like the most about this product is its simplicity, when cleansing it has a pleasant scent but nothing to overpowering and it really does make the face feel refreshed. It does the job beautifully and at just £2.99 I think it is a real beauty steal. There are a few different cleansers in the range for different skin types so everyone can find one suitable for their skin type, although I think this one would be perfect for all skin types.

I would recommend these products to people wanting to vamp up their routines this January and the price of the products makes them a real winner. It ties in well with drugstore January and being on a budget, I am really pleased I discovered these products and have incorporated them into my routine religiously.

Lucy
xoxo

Late Night Online Shopping at the Body Shop

I have been wanting to make a body shop order for a while and i finally made one tonight! I wanted to do this post tonight as the offers finishing tomorrow, so it stills gives you a chance to get shopping and grab the bargains yourself. 

It is 40% off everything including sale products and free delivery when you spend over £5. I spent just £6.90 in products and got a ridiculous amount for my money.

The things which I ordered were: 

Vitamin C microdermabrasion sachet - £0.90

Vitamin E sink in moisture mask sachet - £0.90

Rainforest volumising shampoo - £1.20

Rainforest volumising conditioner - £1.20

Muslin cloth - £1.50

Vanilla bliss hand cream - £1.20 

It's just 3-5 days delivery and I'm so excited for the delivery to arrive. I will do a review once I've tried and tested the products and have decided what my opinion on them. 

Lucy

Xoxo 

Preparations for a Big Night Out

As uni kindly gave me a 'online study' week, I have been utilising my time well by catching up with all my friends again before I head back this weekend. I am very excited for tonight as one of my close friends is at uni in Liverpool so me and my other friend are heading up to see her today for a big night out tonight!

Now, I know its only 11 o clock but I have had to do all of my pre-night out regime already, as I have such a busy day today and I am leaving the house at 12 and won't be coming home again before I meet my friend to start the short journey to Liverpool. I have already put my outfit, beauty bits and makeup in my mums car so I had to organise it all last night. So here is my preparations before a night out, compared to most people my preparations are small but I do have a general routine of what I like to do.

So last night, I packed my travel suitcase and I used my new beauty travel bag that I am doing a post on and will be up sometime this week on. Its from Debenhams and I found it really useful for travelling it has two halves one which I use for beauty bits and the other for makeup. I decided the makeup look what I am going to do and packed my products around that and a few extra just in case I changed my mind. I am also going to posting a post tomorrow on what makeup look I went for so I won't ruin the surprise! The beauty bits which I packed were my - Bioderma, Garnier simply essentials - soothing vitamin-enriched toner, some of the boots double oval cotton pads and my body shop day cream.

I then packed my outfit which is a playsuit from Topshop and my new heeled chelsea boots from New Look, and black tights because its freezing at the moment and also you don't have to mess around with fake tanning.

This morning, I jumped in the shower washed my hair using my sisters products which I have to say are very nice they are the Andrew Barton - the ultimate blonde twice a week brightening shampoo and the John Frieda sheer blonde conditioner. I then shaved my legs and got out the shower, I used my Body Shop white musk to moisturise my body. I am currently painting my nails in between typing, using my mums Orly nail varnish in star spangled a very nice bright red and shimmer colour.

I think that is about it for my preparations I told you it wasn't massive, I don't like to go totally over the top on a night out, when I know its going to be a big night like tonight I do tend to make a little more of an effort but nothing to drastic.

Lucy
xoxo

Searching for a Contour Brush

After getting my Nars bronzer for Christmas, I was surprised when I realised I don't actually own a contour brush. This years goal is to expand my brush collection as it is one part of my collection which I am lacking in. I want something that's going to do the job perfectly but not be to expensive. I am absolutely loving the bronzer but I just feel to get the exact look I want I need the tool to apply it.

These are the options I found:

MAC 168 Large Contour Brush
£27












MAC 109 Small Contour Brush
£27

Nars Bronzing Powder Brush
£42.50











Illamasqua Contour Brush
£29.50












Real Techniques Core Collection
Includes the contour brush
£21.99














Real Techniques Setting Brush

£8.99






I am still undecided as to which I am going to choose but there is definitely quite a few on the beauty market to choose from. I think I am going to take a trip to the beauty hall of Selfridges as I had the idea of getting an angled contour brush. So I will take a trip to the MAC and Illamasqua counter, to have a more detailed look and way up which one I think will be best. Although, I am really fancying the core collection as you get all 4 of the brushes for just £21.99 and it is drugstore January!

Lucy
xoxo

Red Nail Combination

I know that Christmas is well and truly over but on my nails I really fancied popping on a vibrant red on to my nails. I reached for my trusty Blood Orange which is from the gelly hi-shine collection, if you have read my previous posts you will know that I adore my Barry M nail varnishes.

 They appeared in my beauty picks of 2013 post as my new favourite nail varnishes of 2013. The formula of this is similar to shellac its thick but just enough so with one coat you nail is fully painted. Another great thing about this varnish is that it is chip proof and lasts a lot longer than usual nail varnishes. I then added Red Glitter again from Barry M for an extra bit of glitter and it was a really great combination. I've had it on my nails 3 days now and there is not one sign of chipping or budging happening. I hate it when you have a really great colour varnish but you have to constantly top it up and mess around with reapplying. I love, love, love these varnishes and highly recommend these together!

Lucy
xoxo

Drugstore January

Anybody else suffering from the January blues post Christmas? I definitely am and it is the worst especially when your wanting to start the new year on a high. Today is suppose to be the most depressing day of the year according to the Daily Mail because everyone is back to work.
However, for January I have set myself a mission to update my skincare routine. I have been reading many posts of beauty bloggers and watching youtube videos online and finding out their favourite picks. But, many seem to either buying or getting sent so many high end products, and January is the month of the year where you want to be saving as much as possible. For many of us January payday has to last an extra 2 weeks because of you getting your December payday early, which is excellent for buying last minute Christmas presents, but not for when your only at the start of January and longing for payday to hurry up. So I am only going to buy products from the drugstore throughout January and see how I get on. The only things which I am actually wanting to buy this month is a new cleanser and toner to really improve and step up my skincare routine on my mission for beautiful skin.
I am going to go to Boots today and see what I can find and the amount of variety that is available. I can then see if the cleansers and toners that they have on offer do the job that I am hoping for, or if I will have to go for something more pricey in order to get results.

Lucy
xoxo

Top Beauty Picks of 2013

I think in 2013 there has been some really amazing products come out. The beauty world have stepped up a notch on the variety of products now available - both drugstore and high end. This is going to include makeup and skincare.

I am going to run through my favourite things that have been brought out this year and there's also some old classic faves in here to!

1.Urban Decay - De-slick makeup setting spray (Oil control)

2. MAC -  eyeshadow quad (Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe, Omega & Woodwinked)
3. Barry M - nail polishes (Blueberry, Blood Orange & Blueberry)
4. Sleek - Blush (Rose Gold)
5. Bioderma (Sensibio H20)
6.  Rimmel - Stay Matte powder (Silky Beige)

7. Maxfactor - Clump Defy waterproof mascara (Black)
8. MAC 217 eyeshadow brush
9. Elf - Defining eyeshadow brush
10. Elf - Eye crease brush
11. La Roche-Posay - Effaclar Duo
12. MAC - Studio Fix Fluid foundation (NW15)
13. MAC - Fluidline (Local Wares)
14. Nars - Bronzer (Laguna)
15. MAC - Blusher
16. MAC - Concealer (NC20)

17.. Maybelline - Colour Tattoo eyecream (On and On Bronze)

18. MAC - lipstick (Vegas Volt)

19. 17. Maybelline - lipstick (Fuchsia Flash)

Lucy
xoxo

My Wishlist 2014

At the end of 2013 I thought that with the new year I would start a wishlist of everything I wish to buy throughout the year. I have a dreadful memory and I always see things in magazines or from other blogs that I fancy trying out but I just never write them down and I end up forgetting them. So I will create a list which I will update every once in while, where I can take things off when I buy them or if I decide I know longer want to purchase them, but I can also add things to when I see or hear of something which sounds perfect for me. This year I am really going to focus on skincare as my skin has been improving throughout 2013 but its still not how I want it to be, I just wish for a clear complexion. There are also some makeup from different brands which I wish to try and review. The list at the moment isn't to long - this is how it looks at the moment:

Cinema Secrets - brush cleanser
Nars - creamy concealer
Mac - RiRi woo lipstick
Essie nail polishes
Origins - gin-zing energy boosting moisturiser
Jouer - matte moisture tint
Kiehl's - ultra facial toner

So these are the bits which are currently sitting on the wishlist. I aim to buy myself one item that I have been wanting a month, which I don't think is too excessive and you have to treat yourself once in a while.

Lucy
xoxo

Happy New Year

I would just like to wish everyone a very happy new year! I'm very excited at what 2014 has to bring and offer. Having only started blogging at the end of October this is all very new to me still. I am really hoping that my blog keeps getting better and better and most off all my readers enjoy what I'm posting. I hope you will continue on this journey with me and share your beauty and fashion tips and tricks. I would like to thank all those who regularly read my posts and I really hope you continue to into this new year. 

I really hope that this time next year I am happy with how 2014 panned out and I have reached all of my goals! 

Lucy 

Xoxo

Boots Sale

I mentioned in my what I picked up in the sales post that I went a little mental in Boots and was going to do a more in detail and depth post on what I got, so here it is. All the Christmas stock was half price which is such a good deal. Although I don't mind sale shopping, Boots was definitely the worse place out of all the shops I went in. It was absolute mayhem I have never been in a shop that has been so busy. People were literally buying things like the world was ending, people had baskets and baskets full. I thought Selfridges was going to be the busiest shop but hands down Boots won, I kind of gave up in the end and just got into the queue which was huge. If I had not had wanted my buys so much I would of definitely of given up, but I guess it was boxing day so I couldn't really complain. I just could not get over the masses of things that people were buying and the perfume was definitely the worst out of everything, you couldn't even fit down the aisles. My sister wanted a specific perfume, I just watched from a view as she attempted to get close to the shelves.

Anyway, here is what I picked up....


The first thing that caught my eye was this eye collection from Fearne Cotton's range. It includes 4 metallic eye crayons and a felt eyeliner pen. The colours included really intrigued me as they are colour that I do usually go for. The first colour is a purple which I will use to add a pop of colour to the eyelid. The second is a bronze which for me I will use on this on the outer corner of my eye and through the crease to add definition. The third is a real bright gold which I can use all over the eye just as an everyday colour. Then the final one is a pinky colour which I know will be perfect for the inner corner of the eye. Then to get an eyeliner felt tip as well to finish the look and make it as dramatic as you want. This set was £6 which is such good value. Its just dawned on me some of you overseas might not know who Fearne Cotton is well over here in the UK shes a famous celebrity who is known for having an excellent fashion and style. She is a Radio 1 DJ, a presenter and has a fashion line alongside this makeup line.








The next set comes from Fearne's collection as well. This is know as the mini collection and includes a wide range of products. I discovered from the description of the back of the products that everything has the same smell. The description states 'delicately fragranced with a powdery musk aroma, enhanced by creamy vanilla tones and a heart of soft mugnet. Sounds pretty good to me! The set includes a body butter, body polish, body wash, spritzer and a body polisher. This set was £5. I really love smaller sizes of products as they are great for travelling and don't take up to much space on your bathroom shelf.

I have been having problems with really dry hands at the moment and I have looking for another hand cream to help them to rehydrate and become nice and smooth again. This set was just £4 and as you can see you get a hand wash, a 4 way buffer, a cuticle stick, a nail fail and most importantly a hand cream. I am excited to try this and see if it is any good or not, but I do have high hopes for it.

I love Soap and Glory and there wasn't many sets left by time I got there - it was only 10 o clock in the morning though. I picked the last one of these up in the shop. It was £8 and contains full sizes of the products. you get a shower and bath body wash called foam-call. A body loafer which you pretty yourself to help get rid of dead skin on the skins surface and clear the way for fresh skin. Then you get a butter yourself which is pretty self explanatory it is a body butter. I haven't tried any of these products in the best and I was excited to try them as there is a real hype around Soap and Glory and how the quality of there products. These will definitely be going into my shower routine come the new year.

Lastly came the Ted Baker set which contains similar products to the Fearne Cotton mini collection gift set. I love, love, love Ted Baker as a brand and I adore there products. This set includes a body souffle, a body spray, body wash and a body foam. I got the body spray last year and really loved it so I was excited to see it had been put in this years set. This set £5 in the sale which I think is great value, I love getting bits of everything that you can try before buying the bigger versions. I think its a great way to get to know your favourite things from different brands.







Boots is well known in the UK as they have the half price sale everyday starting on boxing day and I am glad that I went early and managed to pick up some really good bits.

Lucy
xoxo

What I picked up in the sales

I did do a few previous posts warning that I did do some serious shopping post Christmas! Eeek I bought a mixture of both beauty and fashion items. Here is a mini breakdown of what I picked up and I am very happy with all of my purchases.

I started off in Boots I definitely went a little crazy! Everything was half price so I wanted to pick up some bits to try. I went a little crazy over the Fearne Cotton range and also picked a set up from Ted Baker. I am going to do a separate post later on this week with a breakdown of all the bits I picked up in Boots because there was quite a lot.

I then popped into Debenhams, I picked up the Vera Wang Princess gift set which was half price at £18 then I got my staff discount too which is nice and sneaky. It's a very girly smell and is fruity which is my favourite type of scents. 

In Victoria Secrets they had a really good half price sale on as well it's usually pretty expensive. I've wanted some yoga leggings for ages to wear to the gym but there usually £39, so when I got them half price in the sale I was super happy! I also picked up a khaki coloured jacket which was also half price. I love body mists and I hadn't tried any from Victoria Secrets before, but they had a set that contained four in the sale for £13 which I was really happy with and I know will last me a while. I then picked up a phone case which is purple and has Pink the words on it which if you don't know is the sister brand of Victoria's Secrets for just £5. 

I also got a set off 3 Marc Jacobs bracelets for £12. There elastic and they are blue, silver and black and I saw them online but they had sold out. I then went into Selfridges and there was two sets left I literally leapt to the cabinet to grab them for me and my sis. There really lovely and they all have a little charm that says Marc Jacobs and then they also have an additional charm which is different on them all. 

I then I went to Topshop in Selfridges where I picked up a blue jumper that's thick and knitted I have it in pink and was happy to see the blue one was half price.

I didn't even make it anywhere else I was so shopped out. I was also spent up and my bank account was having a mini heart attack. 

Hope you all managed to pick up some bargains in the sales. Happy shopping! 

Lucy

Xoxo

What I got for Christmas...

This Christmas I was a very lucky girl and got a lot of nice things from my family. I thought I would do a post to show you all the makeup and beauty bits that I got as presents and what my first impressions of them are.

Nars Laguna Bronzer - yes I did a post about it the day my mum bought it. I've used it for the past 3 days as a contour and I now understand the hype surrounding it. It's a really pretty, natural bronzer that's highlights the cheekbones perfectly, with little effort. The bronzer is high pigmented and you need very little on your brush, I know it's going to last me years. It was £26 which I why it took me so long to get it but if it's a product I will use on a daily basis, splashing out every once in a while can be worth it. 

Victoria Secrets fragrance - my sister bought me this gorgeous scent which is called Sunkissed. It's smells of vanilla and coconut it's so lovely it's a spring/summery smell but it's just delightful and long lasting. Excellent pick on her part. I am not usually a massive lover of the smell of coconut but I have simply fallen in love with this, I have kind of made it my new favourite scent already and have pushed everything else to the side. I like to wear fruity smells through all the seasons, some people like more deeper scents for winter which contain little fruit and a little more floral. But any perfume that contains a fruity scent gives me a pick me up all year so that's what I stick to.

Lush Snow Fairy gift set - I have already dug deep into this gift set and started using it in the shower. I didn't ask for any lush things off my mum this year so she said an excellent job choosing this one. Although, every time I have been into Lush and smelt the snow fairy shower gel, I have found that I haven't overly loved the smell, it was a little sweet and sickly. But, I've been using it in the shower and it actually has a really nice aroma to it. To me it smells vanillary with a hint of something else which I could not quite work out. I then read on the packaging that Lush describes it as being in a sweet shop and it smelling of candyfloss and pear drops. This is a perfect description and solves why it smells so sweet. The pink star is a soap and is the same snow fairy smell as the shower gel and the white heart is called the shimmy shimmy glitter bar. It is my favourite thing out of everything in the box, it all its glittery and smells of vanilla - perfect.

Vera Wang Princess Night fragrance - my sister also bought me another fragrance. She adores Vera Wang perfume whilst I'm just a huge Marc Jacobs lover. But she bought me this and it's simply stunning it's got such a lovely aroma, it's really fresh and a little bit floral. I needed a new night time perfume and I will definitely be getting me use of this. It has a really lovely smell to it. I really love the bottle to its black and sparkly and has the crown on the top to represent the princess, its just a really cute design and finishes the product of really nicely.









Now this is something which I did ask for the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray. I did a post a few weeks ago about how much I loved the sample of this but how it had run out and I felt like there was something now missing from my nightly routine. I really usually hate the smell of lavender but in this case it really does do the job and helps me drift off to sleep. The product comes from the brand thisworks. It is sold in Boots and my god I am so glad its back in my routine. The one she got me is 75ml so should last me a while because the small sample lasted me a good few months. I seriously recommend this to anyone and everyone - its seriously works wonders.

Gilly Hicks body mist - I seriously adore body mists just to give you a little freshen up during the day. I got this is in the scent Loring Aster. It doesn't actually state the ingredients of the scent on it so I have been trying to work the scent out myself and it differently contains oranges and grapefruit. It is lovely just to spritz on when you want a little refreshment. You can just carry it around and pop it on when you need to. If you don't know where you can get hold of Gilly Hicks it is a sister brand to Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollister. My sister got this from the Abercrombie and Fitch store in London when she went down before Christmas. But, I know you can order it online because I have ordered online from the Gilly Hicks website in the past.






In my stocking:


Maybelline Color Show nail varnishes - I got a nail varnish called Rosy Rosettes which is from the Brocades collection, and another colour called Pink Bikini which comes from the original collection. I slapped Rosy Rosettes straight on to my nails as its pink and glittery (my favourite combination). Its quite a dark pink but the glitter really shines through on to the nail - I love it! Pink Bikini is a really lovely bright pink colour it has got a neon hint to it and really stands out on the nail when I tried it out. I think my mum did an excellent job choosing the colours of these. I was going on about them for ages and then she said how they were only £2.99 each, which I think is amazing for how good they are. She also said the range is huge, so I am differently going to be checking more of these out in the new year.







Forever 21 eyelashes - I discovered these about 2 years ago when I went to London and in to Forever 21 for the first time before the one in the Trafford Centre opened. I love the style feathered (053) there just so natural looking. I do love a good pair of MAC lashes but there like over £10 which i think is pretty expensive. These are just £2.40 a set and you can easily use them 2-3 times. The only problem is these ones are so hard to get hold of, seriously it is a miracle if you go in and they have them. So if my mum or sister go in without me they always buy me a few pairs so I can stock up. She bought me 2 pairs and then when I opened them went on to tell me how she searched high and low for them and they were differently the last 2 pairs in the shop. My mum is such a babe!



I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and got some really nice things from Santa

Lucy
xoxo