April spending ban - the lowdown

At the end of March I seemed to have a pile of new makeup stacked up in the top of my muji drawers. I had my new Kylie Lip Kit which I had been wanting for the whole of March, and I finally took the plunge and got my hands on one. I also made a Colourpop order which I had also been wanting to make forever. I think that you can get pulled in very easily to making online orders, and forget how much you've already spent even quicker. Then I went on holiday to Spain and not one. but two Sephora trips happened which included a lot of Kat Von D which have hefty price tags. Therefore, I pledged for the whole of April to not buy any makeup or beauty products at all. I knew this was going to be hard, but until you've banned myself you don't quite realise how often you 'treat' yourself.

You are going to totally laugh as I kind of failed on day one. On the 31st March Kylie Jenner announced she was releasing a new line of lip glosses and I totally got caught up in the action. So on the 1st April when they were released I ordered two. I was considering ending my ban there and then, but I thought I would carry on and see how I would get on.

For the first half of the month I had been on the look out for the Pixi Glow Tonic in every M&S in the North West I think, but thankfully it is sold out. I have checked BeautyBay and it is stock but I don't need to until the end of the month so I think I will be able to resist. Receiving a text off my friend saying the next holiday installment is due next week has definitely managed to keep my spending at bay. Even if I do say so myself so far I think I am doing well.

I did have a stumble on the 19th April as I went to a student lock in night in Manchester. Boots were offering 10% off everything and I also had a £10 voucher to use. I did picked up a few bits from NYX, I went in for the Angel Veil Primer as my Laura Mercier one had ran out and I've heard it is a good dupe for it. I also picked up a new butter gloss in Angel Food Cake and a Born to Glow Illuminator. I spent £11 of my own money, as I also used the voucher so I didn't do too much crazy spending.

I had to literally prise the laptop out of my hands when Jeffree Star released his new liquid lipstick in Scorpio, but I decided it wasn't an everyday shade. But god help me when they release the shade Gemini as I don't think I will be able to resist. I also resisted a Colourpop order (although my saved basket is full!) and ordering some Morphe brushes. I was so close to ordering and then I thought about everything in which I need to pay for in the next few weeks and that definitely managed to squash my temptations.

It is now the last day in April and I am super proud of how well I have done. I did have two minor slip ups but they weren't massive, and I didn't spend a lot at all which I am super happy with. I think I did save a little money, but I found myself treating myself to other things instead which kind of took the purpose of the spending ban away. If I was to do it again I would definitely put myself on a spending ban of all types, and not just beauty products. Like I have said having at the back of my mind that I have to pay for holidays and a hen do, that definitely kept me on track and focused.

Now, where are all of those saved basket full of products at!

Lucy
xoxo

April Favourites

Since I got back from my holiday in Spain where I unfortunately managed to burn my head whilst in the sun, I have only been using this shampoo and conditioner. When I got back, it was very itchy and dry and it needed a moisture boost desperately. My mum actually recommended using the Garnier Ultimate Blends Shampoo and Conditioner in their Rice Cream & Oat Milk scent. This is described as the 'delicate soother' which is exactly what my head and hair both needed. It is really smooth and really relieved the dryness from my scalp, and I think this would suit all hair types but especially thin, fragile hair.

I discovered this Wet n Wild Bronzer in Ticket to Brazil in a drugstore in Spain. Wet n Wild is always a brand which a lot of American bloggers talk about as being a great addition to their drugstores. I think you can get it over here, but not very easily. I totally bought this on a whim as I had forgotten to take my bronzer on holiday, and bronzers are a product which totally lack within my collection. The colour of this is not too orange, has great pigmentation, suits my pale skin tone and is a must have for just 5 euros. I can already tell this is going to be a go to product this summer.

I borrowed this MAC Margin Blush from my sister and I have been totally loving it. It is a perfect light peach/nude blusher with a hint of shimmer. I usually go for more pinker tones of blushers, but this is a perfect addition to my collection, and I am going to have to buy one for myself.

If you are going to order anything from ColourPop then this has to in your basket. It is the Ultra Satin Liquid Lipstick in Echo Park, it can only be described as the nude that everyone needs in their lipstick collection. I have been totally using nothing but liquid lipsticks on my lips recently. The ColourPop liquid lipsticks are non drying, have good longevity, are easy to apply, and essentially just look fab on the lips. I cannot wait to make another order as they have just launched a summer line with lots of new colours.

What have you been loving in April?

Lucy
xoxo

NYX Haul & first impressions

This shopping spree was the reason why I failed my spending ban. I had a £10 boots voucher and I went to a student lock in night in Manchester and it was 10% off everything in Boots, and I simply could not resist.

I went in to buy the Angel Veil Primer as my Laura Mercier Primer had ran out that morning and it is mega bucks expensive - like £30 expensive. Kathleen Lights had informed me in a recent video of hers that Angel Veil is a dupe for the Laura Mercier one so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to test it out, and with my £10 voucher I would barely be spending anything! I have tried this a few times since buying it and the texture is a soft cream not a silicon gel like Laura Mercier. It is also a little thicker but rubs in really lovely. The only difference is that you need a little more of this as like I say it is a little thicker, and is not as soft as a gel so does not go quite as far.

I also picked up the Angel Food Cake Butter Gloss as I already have the shade Creme Brûlée and it's fab! For £5 they are such great value, and there is definitely something special about these compared to any other glosses which I have ever tried. A bold statement, but a very true one. They are a proper gloss and look glossy on the lips. I find them to not be too tacky and they last a long amount of time on the lips. This colour has a slight purple tint and makes my lips look fuller. These are also great to layer over lipsticks if you want to or they look just as good on their own. I'm a big fan as you can probably tell! 

With all the sunny weather last week, I decided that I needed to invest in a new highlighting product to give those cheeks some extra glow. I picked this Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in Sunbeam up totally not knowing about anything about it at all, but on a mission to achieve the perfect summer glow. I am not sure whether I should be mixing this in with my foundation as it is a illuminator or whether to use it as an actually highlighter. If anyone has an illuminator recommendations of use please let me know. My first impressions when I have used it this week is that it has a thin liquid consistency, and when applied lightly to the cheekbones it definitely adds some peachy highlight to the tops of my cheekbones. I have a feeling that this is going to be a staple in my makeup bag this Summer.

Is there anything else I need to add to my ever expanding NYX wishlist? 

Lucy

xoxo

Kiko candy canes nail varnish

I recently stumbled into KIKO and my eyes were drawn to a new display of nail varnishes. I picked up one from the Candy Canes collection in the shade Fun Guarana. This is a pink polish but it contains small particles of glitter and freckles of other colours. Once applied it gives a 3D effect to the nail and I really love it. Excuse my short nails and application, but you can see in the picture the end results. The brush handle is easy to hold, and the brush is flat making the product apply smoothly and evenly. They have these in three other colours a white, blue and green, and I have my eyes on picking them up.

I applied the Limited Collection by Marks and Spencer undercoat (similar here) to my nails first. I then applied a first coating of the varnish and once dried, and went over with a second layer to make everything stand out more. The candy cane polishes are just £4.90, which is great value for such a unique product. I finally finished off by applying the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat which is a must have when I apply any nail varnish. It is a thick gel like consistency that is suppose to mimic shellac. It works really well and keeps nails from chipping, I had this on for 5 days and I took it off as I wanted to change to colour.

Lucy
xoxo

Interview makeup

It is that time of the year where university courses are finishing and people are having to start applying for graduate jobs. I have had a few interviews of the last few years, and last week when I had a job interview for a graduate job so I thought I put together a post of the makeup which I wore.

The Laura Mercier Foundation Primer is my ultimate favourite as it is a silicon gel which instantly adds hydration and is soothing on the skin. It is really does prime your skin ready for base products to be applied. I applied the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation as it a medium coverage foundation and I wanted it to stay in place and it is a really great match to my skintone. The Charlotte Tilbury Powder is by far my favourite ever powder which I have ever tried. It is velvety soft and feels silky and smooth on the skin. It sets my base products perfectly and helps keep everything fresh and glowy all day. I choose the lightest shade (middle) of the Hourglass Blush palette in Dim Infusion. It adds a lovely peachy glow to the cheeks.

The Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Palette is my favourite for when I want to add a little shimmer to my eyes. I used all of the four shades for a subtle blended golden smokey eye, as I didn't want to rock up in an over the top eyelook as I didn't want my interviewer to be distracted by any of my makeup. I think you should wear your makeup to a interview in the way you would if you was to work within the job role. For me it was a nursing job role, so within the profession we are not allowed to wear anything too bright or loud. However, if you were to be going for a role where being individual is a huge part of your role then go all out!

I never go anywhere without my eyebrows being filled in and structured and I always use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer in Taupe. This is an amazing brow product as it allows you get instant eyebrows in a few seconds. It has a wide section to help you fill in the middle section of the brow, and a more tapered side to help with definition. I finished off by adding my ever so reliable MAC Lipstick in Brave. It is a medium toned pink-beige with a satin finish which makes it look slightly pearlised when applied to the lips.

Lucy
xoxo

Sephora Haul | Kat Von D & beauty blender

(Top to Bottom - Trooper, Lolita, Lovesick)

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

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

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

Lucy
xoxo

Gibraltar

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

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

Lucy
xoxo

Marbella

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

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

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

Lucy

xoxo

Benalmadena - Spain

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

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

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

My next question is where should my next holiday be?

Lucy

xoxo

& Other Stories Sale Haul

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

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

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

Lucy

xoxo

What's in my Handbag?

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

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

What are your handbag essentials?

Lucy
xoxo

Not got into university first time? My experience

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

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

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

Lucy
xoxo

Forever 21 Chloe Faye Dupe

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

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

Lucy
xoxo

MAC 217 & Bronze Eyeshadow

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

Lucy
xoxo

March Favourites

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

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

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

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

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

What have been your go to products during March?

Lucy

xoxo

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

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

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

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

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

Do you want any of the Kylie Lip Kits?

Lucy
xoxo

Colourpop | Haul, First impressions, Swatches & UK Shipping

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

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

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

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

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

Will you be making a ColourPop order?

Lucy
xoxo