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

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
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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
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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
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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
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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