What I'm Currently Loving

It's a bit of a mixed one this month. Two lovely smellng things, and one fairly potent smelling one.

This Bath and Bodyworks candle in Market peach has a very sweet, but still pleasant smell. I never really burn candles in my bedroom because I'm slightly paranoid about forgetting it's there and burning the house down, so instead it just sits on my bookcase and remember about it
from time to time and smell it.

This Jack Wills body spray, whch I got in a set of three for my birthday also has a nice scent- a fairly fake sweet floral one but pleasant nonetheless.

 I've also been using the avon nail corrector regularly recently. It has a small nib which is coated in nail polish remover, meaning you can remove any polish from around your nails easily. I'm very messy when I paint my nails, preferring the approach which involves putting the brush vaguely near my nails and hoping for the best. This comes in very handy.

 Helen x

My New Favourite Blush

My makeup collection definitely isn't huge, by anyone's standards, but the thing I own most of is blush. I don't know why, there's just something so pretty about it that draws me to it, and I think it makes such a difference to a tired face (which mine always seems to be). This Max Factor Creme Puff Blush is the most recent addition to my collection and I'm loving it. They have a baked formula, similar to that of the Hourglass ones. I like the compact packaging, and I can imagine that it'll be a while before I hit the pan, as a little goes a long way.

I have it in the shade Lavish Mauve, a lovely dusty pink which would work well on fair to medium skin to give a good subtle colour.

 Helen x

New Purchase: Eye Shadow Stick

For my birthday I asked my sister for an eyeshadow stick, having heard lots of good things about them. She chose the Bourjois Colorband 2 in 1 Eyeshadow and Liner in the shade 04 Rose Fauviste. There's five shades currently availible, which I'd quite like to try some more of. Rose Fauviste is a pink, shimmery colour.

I really like the idea of this product-a crayon like eye colour to use as liner (which I haven't tried, though I imagine the darker shades would work well) or as an all over the lid colour. It blends really easily to give a nice wash of colour which can easily be built up. it is quite shimmery however, or at least this shade is, so if you're after something more matte perhaps steer clear. Whilst it looks like a fairly pigmented colour when swatching, it isn't as intense on the eyes. I quite like this as it makes it more subtle, but it's definitely not on a par pigment wise with my other fave  'slap some on blend it with your finger and you're good to go' eyeshadows, the Maybelline Colour Tattoos.

All in all, a nice product and a good introduction to shadow sticks. 

Any shadow sticks I should try?

Helen x

La Roche Posay Efficlar Duo Review

It seems as though every blogger has been talking about the Effaclar Duo range, so I thought I'd throw my opinion into the mix. My sister actually bought this for herself but it didn't suit her skin type as her skin was going through a very dry and this is suited for oily skin. My skin was going through a pretty bad stage with lots of spots and so I thought I'd give it a go as it's had so many rave reviews.

The set costs £32.50 from Boots, and consists of the Purifying Foaming Gel, Clarifying Toner and Corrective Unclogging Ant-imperfection cream. The foaming gel is soap free, and is designed to 'reduce excess sebum and leave skin feeling clean and fresh'. To use this I got my hands wet, squeezed out a small amount (you don't need much) and worked it into a lather before massaging it all over my face. I like using foaming cleansers because they make my face feel so much cleaner. although I have heard that foaming cleansers are actually bad for your skin-something to do with turning it alkaline? This says its pH is 5.5, which is on the acidic end of the scale (from what I can remember of my chemistry lessons) so I think that means its fine. Let me know if you have a better understanding of all of this and can explain it.

I  like the toner-it smells good and dos leave my face feeling tighter, but not stripped of moisture like some toners do. This is also non-comedogenic. Comedogenic means something that will block pores, potentially causing blackheads. All sounds good to me. I  suffer from blackheads on my nose and whilst using this did notice that they reduced. I think the cream is my favourite part of the set though. I used this all over my face in replacement of my moisturiser. I think the US version has slightly different ingredients however and is more potent so if you're in America just use it more as a targeted spot treatment. This calmed angry red spots and also worked well under my makeup.

I used these three products solely for around  2 and a half months. Did I see an improvement in my skin? Well, it's quite hard to say because I think the reason my skin was so bad was hormonal, so as soon as that time passed it cleared up anyway. That being said, I do think this helped. I had lots of horrible big under the skin spots, a few of which came to the surface and looked even worse and using the Effaclar Duo dried them up well. It also claims to fade marks, and I'd say this is what I was most impressed by. Big red marks healed well and within a couple of days had faded lots and weren't nearly as noticeable. However, I don't think it prevented new spots from forming, and so I've now changed my skin care routine a little, which I'll do a post on soon.


Has anyone else tried these products? What did you think?

Helen x

What I'm Currently Loving

Belt

When I was younger, my sister and I would mark all the things we liked in the Mini Boden and Boden catalouges, just in case our parents were feeling generous. I marked this belt from Boden and was very happy to see it under the tree one year. I've had it for years now and its still in good condition. It looks great with black jeans, making an everyday outfit a bit more interesting.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo

I have this in 35-On and on bronze which as the name suggests is a sparkly bronze. It's so easy to apply-I just use my finger and wear it all over the lid. I've also been using it as a base colour recently, and it really helps shadows to stay put.

King Charles

Not, as my sister first thought, the monarch, but the Indie singer-songwriter. I've been playing his album LoveBlood on repeat for months and recently went to see him live in Newcastle which was pretty amazing. He's also just finished recording a new album which I'm very excited for!

Eyelash Curlers

For a couple of years I used bright pink, plastic eyelash curlers. I was always terrified that if I held them on my eyelashes for too long I'd take them off to find half of my lashes had been chopped off, so I also used them only for a few seconds and as they were pretty awful, could never see any effects. Feeling it was about time I upgraded, I popped into TKMaxx, as they usually have some good beauty products at even better prices (Jessica nail polish for £3 anyone?) They didn't disappoint. I got these Danielle ones. They’re made of 24K gold, and certainly look fairly luxurious. They also come with two spare pads which is good, making them even better value. I simply pump them a few times and I get curled lashes that last all day, making even my short lashes look long.  Far better than the vivid pink ones!

Has anyone recently re-discovered lash curlers?

Any tips for getting curled lashes?

Helen x

The Season For Sparkle

When the decorations are unpacked and on the tree, the lights strung up and the tinsel on every surface, you know it’s time for some sparkle on your fingers.

A glitter polish is a really quick, easy way to get the festive spirit on your nails. These are my favourites this Christmas.

Barry M has a very good range of glitter nail polish which are easy to apply and last for around 5 days. Their only disadvantage is that they take a lot of effort and polish remover to get off (like most glitter polishes) but I reckon it’s worth it. Both of these work well layered up on their own, or as a top coat. The green is a recent buy in time for Christmas-it reminds me of a Christmas tree and has little silver stars in it-how could I resist?

The Barry M polish with the lovely glittery lid has recently vanished from my room (really need to have a tidy) but it too works very well on a bare nail as the glitter is pretty concentrated. 

I like to wear this OPI silver layered on top of a dark red or purple, or to add an accent nail.

Similarly, this Ciate silver is great for layering. The glitter in this one is more concentrated than the OPI so it could be worn on its own.

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas

Helen x

Beauty Bargain Of The Month

I never tried anything from the Skincare brand Witch before, but recently picked up this Blemish stick.

As the name suggests, it contains Witch hazel which is a natural ingredient that soothes and tones the skin. It also has alcohol, to target and prevent blemishes, as well as Glycerin which calms the skin. It claims to break down excess oil and prevent the recurrence of pesky spots. Although its a slightly alarming colour, it applies clear and isn't sticky at all, so could probably be worn under makeup. 

I've only been using this for a week or so, but can already see an improvement in my skin.

What I'm Currently Loving

Firstly, sorry I've been neglecting my blog recently. I started sixth form recently so haven't had much spare time.

Recently I've really got back into using this cute Lorac Pro eyeshadow pallette. It has two shimmer shades: Nude and Pewter, and one matte shade aptly named Espresso. The pigmentation of all three is great, and even for someone with fairly oily eyelids like me (eww) it lasts all day without creasing. The packaging is really good as it has a little mirror so is handy to have in your makeup bag.

Next is TV. There's lots of crime dramas on at the moment, but the one I'm loyal to is Lewis. It's now on it's eighth series and still perfect to snuggle on the sofa and watch. The storylines are always very clever and complicated and keep you guessing till the end. It's on ITV 1 on Fridays at 9.

I don't own many pairs of leggings, but recently I've been wishing I did. They're great for days when you open the wardrobe and realize actually all you want to do is stay in your pjs. The Topshop patterned leggings are my favourites, as they're a bit thicker than normal leggings and the bright patterns mean you don't have to try too hard with the rest of your outfit.

Helen x

P.S I promise I'll try and post more regularly from now on!

Quick, Fast Drying Polishes

My favourite polishes are the ones that you can wear without a base coat and dry quickly but still look great after a few days. A hard task? Not for these polishes, the ones I come back to when I want a pretty nail without the effort.

Nude or pale pink polishes are great when you're in a hurry as they can be worn without a base coat and it isn't obvious if they chip a little. The gold looks very different when on; it seems to have a pink undertone and needs only two coats to get a colour that will last for days. 

I love Rimmel Polishes as they have wide brushes which cover your nail in two strokes. Their '60 Seconds Dry' range is great-lots of colours to choose from that really do dry in 60 seconds. This one is
 a slightly metallic, shimmery pink. The blue is in '503 Mind The Gap, Victoria' a lovely powder blue.

This Maybelline 40 seconds dry is in 'Turquiose Lagoon' and really does dry in 40 seconds. 

Helen x

Nail Polish Storage

I used to house my nail polish addiction in the top shelf of my bathroom cabinet but as I bought more and more, it stopped working as well. It became more difficult to see what colours I had, and therefore, where the gaps were. 

Initially, I only put one of these plastic nail polish stands in my basket, but quickly realised what good value they were, and just how much nail polish I have! These say they hold 30 bottles each on average, but I have 64 bottles and have only just run out of room, though obviously it depends on the size of the bottles.

                              

I've arranged mine in colour order, which not only looks pretty, but has the advantage of enabling me to see what colours and shades I'm lacking in (and so gives me an excuse to buy more!) When they're all laid out like this, I don't think it looks like I have that many and so I've carried on buying more polish with the result I've now run out of room. I think another Amazon order may need to be placed soon...

                                  

Does anyone else have a weakness for nail polish? 

Helen x 

Turning 16: Afternoon tea and presents

April is one of my favourite months. The days are getting longer, it's just beginning to get warmer (this is the UK, after all) and there's lots of lambs in the fields. It also happens to be my birthday month. 

This year I decided I wanted to have afternoon tea at Betty's. I wasn't sure what else I wanted to do with my day, I just wanted afternoon tea (it's quite possibly my favourite meal.) We went decided to go to the York branch as it's so pretty there and not far on the train. First, we went for some food as we needed something to keep us going before our afternoon tea. Then we went for a river cruise down the River Ouse. It lasted for about an hour and was a really nice way to see more of the city.

Then we went to Betty's where we devoured our afternoon teas. I love Betty's-it's so old fashioned and cute. The waitresses are lovely (I want to work there just to get one of the beautiful embroidered blouses they wear) and the food is excellent. The raspberry macaroons were particularly nice, though the scones were pretty good too.

After that, we made our way home where I opened all the lovely presents my family and friends got me. I'd asked for some red Hunters as I've always wanted some, so I was very happy to recieve some.

When shopping, I spotted a beautiful bag in TX Maxx and really, really wanted it, but couldn't afford it, so my parents very kindly said they'd pay for half of it for my birthday. If it's possible to be in love with a bag, I am. It has two sections, loads of pockets and compartments and has both a short and long strap so it's really practical as well as a lovely thing to sit and stroke (the leather is so soft)

I also got this gorgeous watch from Urban Outfitters from my friends. Now I have it, I can't work out how I managed without a watch for so long. It goes so well with everything and just makes outfits a bit more interesting. 

I also got some bath stuff, a scrapbook, some very cute post it notes and lots of chocolate from my friends.
I've mentioned in a previous post my love of the Archers, a radio drama, and so I was very excited when I opened my presents from my sister and found she'd given me an archers CD, with episodes from the 60's and 70's.  She also gave me three Maybelline nail polishes, which I'll do a review of later.

I received some lovely presents, but more importantly,I had a really lovely day with my family, and later with my friends.

Helen x

NOTD:Quick and easy

I've been really enjoying bright, spring like colours on my nails at the moment. This week I'm wearing MUA's pretty baby pink (I don't know the actual shade name or number-sorry) To make it a bit different I used my nail art set to draw a pink line a third of the way into my nail. I then used my Barry M clear polish over the top. 

Helen x

Beauty Bargain of the Month

This month my beauty bargain is the Mosaic Blush by Make Up Academy. 

I don't really buy much from MUA other than the nail polishes, but this blush seemed to be quite popular in the blogging world, so I though I'd give it a try. For £2.50 you can't really go far wrong!

I got this from Superdrug but it's sold out at the moment both on the Superdrug website and on MUA's website. 

This powder blush isn't just one solid colour but contains little squares of  five different colours. You can either swirl it all together or just pick out one colour. They are all quite pigmented and all of them but the dark pink are very shimmery so if you want a more matte blush this probably isn't for you. This has quite good staying power, but it's nothing amazing!

For £2.50 I think this is a pretty good blush and is quite natural looking-I would definitely recommend it. 

Helen x

Fragrance Direct

Today I thought I'd do a review on a makeup and beauty website. I'm going to review Fragrance Direct, which I'm sure some of you have heard of. Fragrance direct have up to 70% off  makeup, beauty and fragrance. At first I didn't think it was real because it's so cheap! There's lots of different brands, some more well known than others, but they are all reduced. 

They have a huge range of makeup and fragrance, but they also have skin care, hair products, and little gift sets too, all of which are reduced. 

I've bought lots from Fragrance Direct in the past. I've heard some people say that their order hasn't been packaged properly so the products have been damaged, but I've never had that problem. Sometimes however the thing that I've ordered isn't the thing that turns up! It's only happened a few times but obviously it's a bit annoying! I once ordered a Une mascara and a Bourjois mascara turned up. I wasn't paticularly bothered but it's not great. However, when you're paying so little for stuff I guess a few little mistakes are more forgivable! 

The delivery is pretty quick too- I usually go for the cheaper option at £1.99  and it arrives within a week on the whole, or there is a slightly more expensive option at £2.99 which promises to arrive within 2-4 working days. Lots of shops (I'm looking at you Topshop!) charge quite a lot for their standard delivery so I think Fragrance Direct is very cheap.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind buying makeup online and likes a good deal!

Let me know your experiences with Fragrace Direct, or if you can recommend any other good websites to buy makeup!

Here are some of the things I've bought from Fragrance Direct in the past.

Helen x

Illamasqua review

I purchased some Illamasqua makeup recently so I thought I'd do a short review on it.I'd never heard of Illamasqua until a couple of months ago so when I saw they had a sale on I thought it was a great way to try out some of their products. Whilst Illamasqua is a lot pricier than the makeup brands I usually buy from, I think you can definitely tell in the quality-the box they came in was really well presented!

I bought the cream foundation, in the shade 210.  I've never tried a cream foundation before and was worried it would be too heavy as I tend to just use a bb cream on a daily basis. I'd say this is a medium coverage foundation, but it definitely didn't feel heavy on my skin-in fact it felt just like my bb cream! 210 looks a little orange in swatch but it's actually the perfect match for me as my skin is quite yellow toned. The Illamasqua website is really helpful as they say what skin tone each foundation colour would suit which is good if you're ordering online to get a good match. I use my Rimmel Stay Matte powder over this foundation and don't have to re-apply it throughout the day which considering I have quite oily skin is really good!This was £5 in the sale and is normally £23.

I also bought a pure pigment in furore. I'm not sure if this is still available as I can't see it on the website. You only need a tiny amount as it's really pigmented. This is a lovely highlighter and I use it on my cheekbones when I feel I need a bit more colour. (i.e most days due to the rubbish English weather!) I can't remember how much this was in the sale but I think it was less than £5. I'm not sure that I would re-purchase this again as I think you could probably get a highlighter that does the same for a lot less. Does anyone have any good ones they'd recommend?

Overall, I would definitely recommend Illamasqua foundation, though I'm not completely sold on the highlighter.

On a separate note, I'm going to try to post on a more regular basis as I've been pretty disorganised recently!

Helen x