Spring Favourites

Spring beauty products are a whole new ball game in comparison to what we used over winter. Say hello to spring pinks and floral scents that'll pep us up and make us feel radiant.

I've recently gotten a lot more into liquid lipsticks. Their longevity and easy application makes them a true dream and a low maintenance lip. My top three of the moment are Revlon's Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor, Max Factor Lipfinity and Rimmel London Provocalips.  I went for a shocking pink shade called "I'll call you" from Rimmel for those days when you want a bold lip and not have to worry about touch ups. It comes with a "lock and shine" end too which gives a really lovely shine. The lipfinity shade is "always delicate" and comes with a second stage in a balm like texture that also gives amazing shine. This lipstick in particular has incredible longevity as having worn it to the dentist, it did. not. budge. The Revlon shade is seduction and is the perfect pinky nude with a velvet matte finish which feels lovely on the lips.

I've also been loving brows. No surprise there really and I've been testing out the Soap & Glory Archery 2 in 1 Brow crayon and setting gel. I really love the shape of the pencil end, giving a really great shape to my brows but I can't say I've used the brow gel a whole lot.

Onto lashes as lets face it, you're make up just isn't complete without them! I've been loving the Rimmel London Wonderfull Extreme Black mascara as it gives awesome volume to my lashes and doesn't clump either. It has argan oil in the formula too so I like to think I'm giving my lashes a little boost of nourishment each day!

And finally onto lotions and potions... I recently discovered the Neal's Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm which has worked wonders on my skin and in so many ways! This one pot wonder can be used to cleanse your make-up off, moisturise, condition hair and nails and so much more. My most recent use for it is to apply it to elbows and knees before fake tan to combat those tell tell dry tan areas. I am obsessed with this product, being my life saver for desperately dry skin and keeping my beauty regime in check and it's organic so even more kudos. Oh and did I say it's amazing? ha!

Keeping with floral scents I move from wild rose onto Néroli & Orchidée Body Milk from L'Occitane. This beautiful scent is spring in a bottle and makes me feel so fresh and cheery. As a body milk it's a light and thin consistency which is perfect for warmer days or when you don't want to feel like your smothered in think moisturiser. The scent lingers for hours and I adore it.I'll definitely be picking up the larger size next time.

So those are my spring favourites and I feel they're a bit late now that the weather is getting warmer. Is May still spring or the beginning of summer? Regardless I hope you enjoyed and if you've been using any of these products yourself, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

What having you been loving this spring?

Empties Video

I've really gotten into empties videos of late. It's interesting to see what products people use to the bitter end and to see what their verdict is so I thought I'd join th band wagon too!

Click the video to see what products I've used to the very end and let me know what you think.

See you Friday loves,

Autumn Favourites

It's that time of year again where the nights are drawing in, the blankets are out and the hot chocolate is back in demand (along with mulled wine but sssh), so it's only natural for your favourite products and clothing etc to switch up too. Gone are the lighter layers of make-up and clothing and back are moisture surging and welcoming warm layers along with some general random things too. Hello autumn favourites!

The tartan scarf

I know tartan may not be "in" this year but I still love this oversized scarf. Found at a lovely Christmas market last year, this scarf doubles up as a pashmina/ kimono style cover up too which has been great when the weather has been less chilly. All in all it's the perfect piece for comfort and to me it screams autumn winter.

The pearl and silver bracelet*

I recently went to The Handmade Fair at Hampton Court Palace (which you can read about here) and picked up this gorgeous sterling silver bracelet from Victorious Bee. It features a single semi-precious stone, celebrating a month from the year. Now if you know your birth stones you'll know that Pearl is the stone for June! My birthday is in fact in December but I chose it purely because it was pretty, simple and elegant. I've been wearing it non-stop as a piece of dainty loveliness.

The Silver Backpack

I've been loving this metallic back pack from New Look A LOT over the past few weeks. I featured it in my latest outfit post and my "Updated What's in my Bag?" video. It's so handy yet stylish at the same time, although Chris thinks I look like Dora the explorer in it. Men don't always get it do they? Anyhow it's been bloody marvellous to take with me on various adventures and to events, giving me free hands to hold a cocktail or point and shoot with my camera. I'd highly recommend a back pack like this being introduced to your wardrobe for style and practically and New Look do some fabulous ones.

Game of Thrones

Yes I know I'm extremely late on this band wagon but I'm not sure I even care. #sorrynotsorry 

If you haven't got your teeth into GoT you really should, it's bloody brilliant. I've just finished season 3 and I'm hooked. I've had a few friends say they've heard it's gory and it's put them off. Yes it has a bit of gore in it but as a major wimp over here, it's not that bad- honest! Dragons and things don't usually interest me but this has got me hooked!!

The Illume Zucchini bread candle

I've had this candle for almost a year now. It's lovely geo print is a firm fixture within the bedroom but I've been yearning to burn it and I finally cracked! The scent of zucchini bread is a bit of a strange one but rather refreshing, particularly in the kitchen and makes a change from a florally perfumed scent. It's burning really well too and the scent lingers even when the candle isn't lit which to me is a sign of a good candle! You can't beat the flicker of a candle flame on a cosy night when wrapped under blankets. It''s the perfect accompaniment for a relaxing night in (that and wine!)

Balance Active Formula Hyaluronic Moisturiser*

I've stepped a bit out of my comfort zone this season and tried a different moisturiser! Being a worshipper of the Body Shop's seaweed mattifying moisturiser this was a big thing for me but I was pleasantly surprised. Used as both a day and night moisturiser, the balance active formula is a lovely thin gel-cream consistency that sinks in easily to the skin, leaving a matte finish which is perfect for my oily complexion. It claims to be clinically proven to:

• Even skin tone
• Improve skin radiance
• Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Give a firmer appearance
• Smoothe uneven skin texture

I must admit I've noticed some of the redness in my skin die down a bit, meaning I haven't needed to use so much foundation or concealer which makes me a very happy lady!

The Rimmel Kate Moss 107

I don't think there's been an autumn favourites where I haven't mentioned this lipstick but time and time again it is the perfect shade for a autumn berry lip. I love wearing it with a touch of lip balm in the day for a more subtle look or building up to it's full intensity for a dramatic evening look. It's so wearable and makes for a great statement lip. Love!

The duster jacket

I'll be honest and tell you that when I first bought this I struggled to style it but after a light bulb moment  realised just how versatile it is! Duster jackets are perfect for transitioning seasons to layer up whilst giving a chic look. I've been loving this with long sleeved tunics and dresses to add a bit of structure to an outfit andI can see it being worn with faux fur trim and fitted knitwear as the months grow colder. 

So those are my current autumn favourites, which I'm sure will change in a matter of days as I'm due to go do a Primark shop- yippee! What are your current favourites this autumn?

Products marked with a * in this post have been gifted. This is not a sponsored post.

Empties Video!

So today I thought I'd try a different type of video and do an empties video. I've been quite addicted to these on YouTube recently and love to see what people will use til the bitter end and whether or not they'd re-purchase it in the future. I must admit it felt a bit strange keeping empty bottles of things in a box, my inner neat freak was screaming! Anyway I hope you enjoy the video below:

What are you forever using up?

Summer Beauty Favourites

Hello hello hello! It’s that season again where I talk beauty favourites so lets start shall we?

Green people organic fruit scrub exfoliate

As summer is here an exfoliator is necessary to keep your skin looking fresh and smooth. I’ve been loving this organic one from Green People with its fresh citrus scent and gentle exfoliation. Its really effective at removing dead skin cells without completely stripping your face of its essential oils. Another big plus is that it’s organic and free from parabens, alcohol and other nasties so my skin is very happy!

This works Perfectlook skin miracle

As you can see this product has been used A LOT and I’ve got a lotta love for it. This instant tinted skin perfector hydrates and brightens your skin whilst giving you lots of vitamin goodies that your skin will thank you for. The tint gives you a subtle hint of a summer glow which is perfect for days when you don’t fancy heavy coverage. A touch of this and some bronzer is perfect for a summer no make-up make-up look!

Argan oil hydrating hair mask & Argan oil heat defence leave in spray

You may have seen my post on this hair mask earlier on in the summer. It really is the tits for giving you silky soft locks at a crazily cheap price of 99p! I was so impressed that I had to try the heat defence leave in spray too. It has that same lovely smell and does a great job of protecting my locks from being frazzled. Winner!

Body Shop Honey Bronze bronzing powder

No summer beauty favourites would be complete without a mention of some bronzer! This body shop honey bronzer is the perfect formula, being matte so no crazy shimmer going on bright sunny days (what are those again?) I also love the packaging and the design. I know it’s not an important factor but it is pretty. Ooh!

Body shop All-In-One Instablur

If you want a primer that’s value for money, keeping your make-up in place and makes your skin feel amazing- this is the one. I have been loving this for a good few months now and can safely say it does the job and bloody well too. With seriously oily skin that has a habit of letting my make-up slide off my face I was sceptical of the Instablur but it helps reduce shine whilst keeping my make-up firmly in place for a good 12 hours. At £14 I’d say it’s pretty damn reasonable and I’ll even say it’s as good as Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. Yup, I went there! 

So these are the products I'm loving for the summer months and feel really benefit skin and hair in the hotter weather! What are you loving?

AW14 Favourite Products

It's that time of year again where your summer make-up gets firmly pushed to the back of the drawer and the autumnal bits come out! Here are a few products I've been loving this season.

VO5 Smoothly does it Shampoo & Conditioner

I thought I'd try the VO5 hair range after a lot of hype about them and opted for the smoothly does it range as my hair is pretty curly and wild. I wondered if it'd help tame the mane and I can safely say it does a marvellous job. It smooths out the frizz and makes your locks much more manageable as well as soft and silky. It also smells great too!

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick 107

This was in last years autumn favourites and yet again its back in my make-up bag. You can't beat a berry or deep red colour when it comes to this time of year and this really is the perfect shade. It creates a beautiful vampy evening look or can be toned down by dabbing on a small amount with lip balm. It just screams autumn winter.

MUA Undress me too palette

I did a whole post on why I love this Urban Decay Naked dupe (here) and had kind of forgotten about it after getting my hands on the Naked 3 palette but it really is a gorgeous palette for autumn winter. A mix of shimmers and mattes, it's the perfect palette to create any type of look from day to night and it's super cheap too!

The Body Shop Coconut Lip Butter

After being seriously  NO anti lip balms for a long time (it's a long story) I've found myself drawn to this little beauty. It smells amazing as all The Body Shop scents do and really feels moisturising and soft on your lips. Great for the colder months.

No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation

Again I have done a huuuge review of this foundation (here) as I really do think No7 are in their element when it comes to colour matching and skin types for foundation. In winter matte foundations look better than a dewy finish and this is perfect for the job. My oily skin stays matte for hours and gives a great even base for your make-up. I really ought to get some more as you can see from the photo I'm almost out!!

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl eyeliner 005 nude

This is a new product in my make-up bag and a good one at that. If you're looking for a bright, wide eyed and awake look this really does the trick in the waterline and it's waterproof so it stays all day! A much more subtle shade than a white too which is much more flattering and natural.

So those are my favourites for this time of year, what are yours?