The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

Don't you just love that feeling at the end of the day when you take all of your make up off and hear your skin breath a sigh of relief?! I know as a beauty blogger I'm meant to love getting all of my lotions and potions out and sorting my face out but when I've been at work all day and the sofa is super comfy it's the last thing I want to do so anything that makes the task easier is more than welcome into my skincare regime!

The cleanser comes in a sturdy tin that is a lot bigger than I imagined it to be, possibly because it's quite shallow but it would be ideal to take away with you because of how lightweight it is. The product itself is solid but once you've scraped a bit out of the tin and warmed it up between your fingers it turns into a transparent oily type texture. I started using this after I'd removed my eye makeup so it could take off the rest but I've started using it now when all make up is gone as a last step to make sure that my face is squeaky clean. Once I've rubbed it on my face I go over it with The Body Shop Facial Brush which has now broken (boohoo!) I think I must have kept it too damp so a bit of the side has crumbled away but it's still usable and lives to exfoliate another day! Once the facial brush has done it's bit I polish the rest off with a muslin cloth and voila my face is clean as a whistle and really soft. It's such a treat to use and has such a luxurious feel to it as well as a lovely calming scent. 

If you're taking advantage of one of The Body Shops many, many offers then I would recommend popping this in your basket!

                      Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook 

Give a Girl The Right Shoes And Her Bank Account Will Be Empty

Black Heart Pumps - Pointed Nude Heart Pumps - Glitter Makeup Slippers - Animal Print Slippers

Topshop are absolutely smashing it at the minute with their shoes and already not being able to pass up anything with the hint of a heart on them makes these pair of gorgeous pumps even harder to resist! I usually steer clear of anything patent or pointy but these are just too cute to pass up. There's no denying that the weather is getting closer and closer towards that time when we have to drag out the tights and I always struggle to find shoes that aren't boots that look nice with them but I think that these black pumps would look adorable and they don't remind me of work shoes like most black shoes do! I love nude shoes, they literally go with everything and I've wrecked many a pair of the soft Topshop ballet pumps, chuck in a heart and I'm sold, I can see these with ankle grazing skinny jeans and a fine knit jumper now the weather is turning more autumny, pass me my debit card!

You can't tell me that these are not the perfect shoes for a beauty blogger?! I am so, so in love with these glittery pieces of heaven, the £150 price tag makes me cry a little bit though but I'm sure the happiness that every step in these would bring me is worth more than anything money could buy (this is me trying to rationalize spending this much on a pair of shoes...I think it's working) Another pair of more affordable slippers are these £9.99 (now £6, get them in your basket!) H&M pair which I really like, especially the print. I love these slipper style kind of shoes, they're comfy and look cute, I couldn't ask for more really!

Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook

My Favourite Cream Blushers

L-R: Stila Gerbera, Illamasqua Rude, Topshop Head Over Heels & Bourjois Nude Velvet

When I'm going for a dewy, glowy makeup look I always make sure that I've got a cream blusher to hand and my love for them has actually overtaken that of any powder blusher I own that may have stolen my heart (I'm sorry NARS Sex Appeal, I'm looking at you) I do tend to use them more in the summer but there's a few that get an airing all year around but they're bloody beautiful so can you blame me?!

Illamasqua Rude (Full review here)

If there's a brand that know how to make a cream blusher then it's Illamasqua and this was the one that started my whole creamy love affair. Rude is an orange based peach and even when blended out leaves a beautiful dewy finish and the colour lasts for as long as you do. The only thing I would say is that the blusher is super pigmented so you only need a little bit but it can easily be built up.

Stila Gerbera (Full review here)

Gerbera is a spring perfect milky coral shade and it's the gloopiest (there are probably better words to use but just go with me!) formula of cream blusher that I've come across and like Rude it leaves a dewy sheen to your cheeks which might not be ideal for the oily skinned girlies out there. I was a bit concerned about the sticky factor but it doesn't leave you with tacky face and is really comfortable on leaving the perfect flushed look if used sparingly!

Bourjois NudeVelvet (Full review here)

If you're a cream blusher virgin then the little round pots would be the perfect place to start - it's a cream to powder finish which makes it look like a natural flush to your cheeks and the colour is so light and subtle it's impossible to go wrong as well as it being easy peasy lemon squeezey to apply so no brushes are required just your fingers and about ten seconds of your time. As it is so subtle I would probably recommend it more to pale beauties but there's a whole range of shades so there's definitely something for everyone.

Topshop Head Over Heels (Full Review here)

Another cream to powder blusher and the pinkest of the bunch. This is definitely the most powdery formula and takes a bit of  building up but like the Bourjois offering of the same finish it's a lovely subtle shade that leaves a natural flush which would be perfect for a lighter skin tone. At £7.00 a pop for one of these you really can't go wrong and it's a great starting point before you splash the cash on something a bit more high end if you get the cream blush bug (I hear it's extremely contagious!)

I apply all of the above with my fingers to start with on the apples of my cheeks and then blend it out with the Real Techniques Stippling Brush. If you have any cream blusher recommendations for me then please comment, additions to the family are always welcome! I'm now going to go and torture myself with the Feel Unique Sale, wish me and my bank balance luck!

Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

1-2-3-4-5

The umbrella - an underrated accessory. This is something that you'll get a lot of use of especially if you're like me and live in the UK - the sun might be shining now but my umbrella has got a lot of use this week! I always like to have a cute umbrella on standby in case the heavens open, who says you can't be pretty and practical?! I begrudgingly have to admit that summer is drawing to a close (boohoo!) and we're going to get a few more dull rainy days but even though your hair might be a straggly damp mess and your feet might be soggy no one will notice because they'll be admiring your brolly if you pick one of these bad boys!

Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook

Empties #4

Every time I've finished something up I've just been shoving it in the bottom drawer of my bedside table and I didn't quite realise how much I'd actually collected up until I emptied it all out so here is my well overdue empties post and I've finally got my bottom drawer back!

Hair

Elnett Heat Styling Spray 

I don't quite know why I haven't repurchased this because I really enjoyed using it, it's a heat protection spray with volumising qualities that are meant to last for three days and it really did work, my hair was so much more voluminous after I'd dried it.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

I am currently waiting for a new one of these to arrive because I can't live without it in the summer! This is the best salt spray that I've ever used, I spray it on damp hair and then let it dry naturally, giving it a bit of a scrunch to encourage waves and it leaves such a lovely undone beachy look. 

L'oreal Paris Studio Line Texturising Spray

This can get quite sticky so it's best to use for updo's because if you wear your hair down it tends to look a bit greasy and feel matted up. I did really like this but it would be better if it was a little bit lighter like the Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Spray.

Ojon Instant Restorative Hair Serum

I really wanted to like this but I didn't, it smelt awful and It was really heavy on my hair and I found it to tangle my hair up and make it a nightmare to brush.

Aussie Three Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner

You can't get anymore convenient than three minutes on and then silky soft hair! This was lovely to use and left my hair in a brushable state which is a miracle.

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hairspray

I can see why this is so popular, it made my hair look visibly fuller without making it crusty or greasy looking.

Skincare

Origins Never A Dull Moment Face Polish

This is a really gentle exfoliater that I probably didn't use as consistently as I should have but whenever I did use it my face felt clean and soft.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

I think there's been one of these in every empties post that I've done and it needs no explanation! It is a holy grail product like everyone says and there's no doubt I'll be getting a new one at some point.

Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion

I took this on holiday with me because the sun really dries out my skin and the last thing I want is a peeling nose! It kept me moisturized and I don't think I got one patch of flakiness or even a tight face when I'd been out sunbathing.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Facial Oil

I got this when I'd had a really bad breakout on my chin and I couldn't shift the red marks that were left and this really, really helped clear it all up. I'd definitely buy it again if I needed some marks fading and apparently it's good for stretchmarks as well.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess

I LOVE THIS PERFUME!!!!! I'm on my second bottle of this and I will rebuy it every Summer that it carries on being released. It's coconutty perfection and I live in it!

The Body Shop Camomile Eye Make up Remover

I love black eyeliner and lashings of mascara so I need all the help I can get removing it at the end of the day. This is so gentle and really does the job, I've just bought another one as well so it must be good!

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spray

I completely forgot about this (that's how long these empties have been collecting up) and I had good intentions to repurchase but never got round to it and now how much I enjoyed using this is all flooding back! It's perfect for this weather because it's so refreshing and left a lovely glow.

Lush Snow Fairy

Do I even need to elaborate on this?! This Christmas I'm going to be stocking up on these bad boys, it's my favourite Lush time of year!

Origins Ginzing Moisturizer

Hands down the best day moisturizer that I've used in a long, long time and I really need to get a new one of these because I really miss using it and it should have lasted longer but a certain boy took a liking to it...

Face

Benefit The Porefessional Primer

This served me well on holiday and kept my makeup in place in the heat and I also found that it is quite matte so saved me from being an oily mess! I wouldn't repurchase this full size as there are primers you can get in Boots that are just as good but it was nice to revisit!

Topshop Glow in Polish

I cannot rave about this enough, it's my holy grail highlighter and I've repurchased this as well as back ups because it has the habit of disappearing for months at a time and I can't be without it, my glowing face relies on this little pot of magic!

NARS Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc

Another one of my holy grail face products that I always repurchase and have even got another shade for when I'm looking a bit less pale which I've never done before! It's the perfect coverage for me and I love the radiant finish.

Maybelline Concealer

It's such a shame that this exploded because I was loving the fomula, coverage and spongey applicator but the twist to dispense product has put me off buying it again because it wasted no end of product and was really messy.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation and Serum Foundation

I didn't even realize I had two types of this until I had them side by side to take the pictures! This is my favourite drug store foundation and the most similar to NARS sheer glow with a lovely finish and medium coverage and if I'm short on pennies and NARS is out of reach that month this is always what I'd go for.

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Powder

This is a nice natural powder that is really light and not cakey at all, I would definitely reccomend this if you're in the market for something new.

YSL Touche Eclat

I really do love this but it doesn't last very long so I can only get them on special occasions because of the price but it really is the daddy of all clicky pen highlighters and can hide a night of partying no problem!

Eyes

Benefit Fake Up Concealer

This isn't for your eyes but it somehow managed to sneak in with all the eye products! This is a brilliant product and it is as moisturizing as it makes out and more I found when it used to transfer my bottom lash mascara all under my eyes but a bit of setting powder soon sorted that out and it's just the price that puts me off again as there are so many drugstore brands that do under eye concealers just as good and half the price.

L'Oreal Falsh Lash Telescopic, Million Lashes & Miss Manga Mascaras

L'Oreal is my brand of choice when it comes to my eyelashes and I've tried every high end brand going for a mascara that I deem worthy and none of them come close to how thick, long and fluttery my lashes are especially with Million Lashes. Miss Manga I wasn't so keen on and it only really took to my bottom lashes so I wouldn't bother with that again but the others are a welcome addition to my makeup bag!

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner

This would be my liquid liner of choice if it didn't dry up so quickly. It stays put and stays dark when it's new but I've found that even a week after starting to use it it's going grey and is hard to apply. I don't know if it's because I've been using the mini version but I just wish it lasted longer.

L'Oreal Superliner

Now this is my liner of choice, can't you tell?! It lasts forever and is still as black as the first time that you used it, the tip is the perfect shape for getting a good flick on the go and it lasts all day or night long.

ELF Eyeshadow Primer

If you want crease free, long lasting eyeshadow and still get change from a fiver then this is what you're after. Because of the price I didn't have the highest of hopes despite reading some rave reviews but I was wrong and it is as good as everyone says!

Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook

The Body Shop Shimmer Cube Palette in Warm

L-R: Honeycomb, Dark Chocolate, Marshmallow and Choc Chip

The Body Shop Shimmer Cube Palette

I seem to be having a bit of a love affair with The Body Shop at the minute! I've seen all different variations of these Shimmer cubes but after seeing swatches of the warm palette I fell a little bit in love but £16 seemed a bit steep to me and did I really need another eyeshadow palette in my life (...yes, the answer is always yes) and then £25 off £50 came along and this just happened to fall into my basket and here we are!

There are seven different Shimmer Palettes to choose from varying from green to pink, I went for warm as it was the most neutral option and I'm not the most adventurous when it comes to my eyes! I really wasn't expecting the packaging to be like it is; the shades are all in separate little plastic cubes with their own lids and then they go into a bigger plastic square which makes the quad. I think the idea behind this is if you want to just shove a couple of them in your make up bag you can and if you have more than one palette you can mix and match the little cubes to make your perfect combination. 

I did think that this was really overpriced but now I've got it I can see that you get a hell of a lot of product and It's going to take a good while for me to even make a dent in this. The four shades included in the palette compliment each other perfectly and are a neutral lovers dream! I've been using Marshmallow in the inner corner of my eye with Choc Chip in the outer corner pretty much daily since I got this and Honeycomb is perfect as an under eye liner. Even though these are called 'shimmer' cubes they're not glittery in the slightest and have more of a pretty iridescent finish to them. They apply smoothly and the pigmentation is unbelievable, I've had no creasing with them over an eyeshadow primer and I'm wearing them as I type with my contacts in and there's no irritation there either.

I could not be happier with this little quad of neutral loveliness and if the swatches have stolen your heart then I would definitely have a little splurge but if you're short on pennies The Body Shop don't usually go long without a discount code!

                        Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook 

Monthly Favourites | July 2014

I hope that the end of July doesn't mean the end of the lovely weather that we've been having recently! This month has just flown by and has seemed to be all work and no play but I've got a week off work coming up so August should be a bit more chilled out - thank god! There's a couple of new bits in this months favorites that I don't know how I lived without and then a couple of rediscoveries that I don't know how I forgot about them!

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

This is AMAZING! My face has never been so clean and radiant than it has since I started using this. It gets rid of every trace of makeup that you have on your face and leaves everything so soft. I can't imagine my skin care routine without this now!

ELF Matte Lip Colour in Coral (Review here)

This is the perfect retro shade that looks like it's been pulled straight out of the sixties. I love these twist up lip pencils, they're so convenient and easy to use. This is such a lovely wearable shade, it will go with anything so it's perfect to chuck in your handbag and although it's a matte lip colour it's not drying at all and could even be described as creamy.

The Body Shop Facial Brush

I've been using this along side the Camomile Cleanser to give me the cleanest face in Leicestershire and it works so well to get right into all those little bits of your face that you usually neglect. The bristles are so soft and I feel like it's really brightened my face up and scrubbed away all the dirt!

Illamasqua Crean Blusher in Rude (Review Here)

Illamasqua really know how to do a cream blusher, I've had this for ages but must have stored it away over the winter and it was only when I was looking for something else that I came across it again and I've been using it every day since. This shade was made for Spring/Summer and the formula is a dream, it blends perfectly and leaves a dewiness to your cheeks which is all I want when the sun is out!

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Sugar Apple

How pretty is this shade?! I love the Barry M Gelly polishes, they go on so well in two coats and stay glossy and chip free for days. Sugar Apple is a gorgeous pastel turquoise and couldn't be better for these summery months!

                        Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook 

ELF Matte Lip Colour in Coral

ELF Matte Lip Colour

I completey forgot that I bought this in my last ELF haul (definitely a sign that I buy too much!) but it's fast becoming one of my favourite lip products at the minute. This is from the ELF Studio range and there is a good variety of six shades to choose from, naturally I went for coral which is a wearable milky nude toned coral and reminds me of something that Bridget Bardot would have on her lips and everytime I reach for it I feel like I should have my hair in a big messy beehive!

Like all ELF products the packaging is simple and I love that these have a coordinating colour at the bottom so if you have a little collection going on you know which is which. It's a twist up applicator and the tip is quite thin so it's really easy to get a good lip shape going on much like a lip pencil. It goes on a really strong colour in one swipe, I wouldnt say that this is a true matte finish, it has a slight sheen to it and is really creamy. It doesn't dry my lips out at all and because of the creamy consistency it doesn't have the staying power of a really matte lip product but it does stick around for a good few hours.

I absolutely love this - the shade, the formula, the ease of application and the price (£3.95!!!) I'm going to go for a bolder colour next time but for now this is one of the best ELF products that I've tried!

                        Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin' | Like me on Facebook