October Favourites

I cannot believe that it is November already, where has this year gone!!? I am going to hold my hands up and admit to not having done a monthly favourites post in what seems like eternity, oops! Anyway October was a month of finding bargains, getting beauty boxes and shopping my stash! These favourites might all seem a little random but I'm broadening my horizons and trying new things...woohooo!

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (limited edition for the Princes trust)- Rose and Lavender

I have resisted the temptation to try this product for a VERY long time. I always try very hard not to give in to the hype, but I have finally succumbed. I initially tried the starter set and loved it so much that I ended up buying the full size. Its quite simply the easiest possible way to remove my makeup and I love it! I only use this in the evening and Istill use my PRIORI cleanser in the morning. 

Macadamia: Healing oil treatment. 

I had no intention of trying this range for a very long time as it seemed very expensive but whilst pursing my local TK Maxx I saw this and the 'Deep Repair Masque' for a fraction of the price and I simply couldn't resist. The healing oil cost £14.99 instead of £29.99, what a bargain! I really love this product. It leaves my hair feeling so soft and smooth and I feel like its really helping my dry,  straw like, yucky hair. 

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque.

Again another awesome TK Maxx find, I think I got this for £12.99 or there abouts. I use this at least once a week and leave it on for about an hour. My hair always feels amazing afterwards! I am keeping my eyes peeled for the shampoo and conditioner in this range as I have seen it in TK Maxx before, but had no money boooohoooo!

Balmi

Not too much to say about this except I really, really like it. It leaves my lips feeling really soft and moisturised and leaves a lovely frosty, natural look to my lips. I got this in a beauty box, but I know you can buy it in Boots in the UK.

Anais Anais perfume

So I will be the first to admit I used to think of this as an old lady scent (mainly because I swear some older members of my family used to wear it). However whilst having a good look through the perfume section in Superdrug a while ago I smelt this and it brought back so many memories! I immediately snapped it up and it helped that it was on offer. 

Mavala Switzerland Eye-Lite

As many of you know, I live in the middle of no where! So when my trusty M.A.C fling pencil ran out I nearly cried my little heart out. However I decided to use it as an opportunity to try a new eye brow pencil. My local Lloyds stocks MAVALA products so I decided to give there one a go. I really like it, it has a slightly waxy texture but with the help of the spooly on the end it creates really natural brows and at a fraction of the cost.

M.A.C Oak lip liner

I have had this quite a while but rediscovered it after sifting through my makeup collection. I had forgotten how much a loved it and how much difference a lip liner makes. This is a lovely soft, light brown which looks lovely under so many colours.

PRIORI: Lash Recovery Serum

Ok, so first thing first, I got sent this from PRIORI after they read one of my posts a while ago as a thank you (no that previous post was not sponsored in any way shape or form and nor is this one)!  So with that cleared up, lets get on with the review.
I hadn't actually heard of this before they sent it to me and I will be honest in that I went on line to see how much it retailed for pretty quickly and read some reviews. To my shock it retails at around £80! I couldn't believe my eyes. However having tried it, it is brilliant!
So what is it? It basically aims to produce the appearance of more full lashes and eyebrows within 2 weeks. I have been using this for about 2 months now and it truly has made a difference.
I have noticed the most difference in my eyebrows, as they used to be pretty sparse and look a bit flat. Since using this they have become fuller and where I had gaps before they seem to have gone!! It has meant that my eyebrows are a alot easier to shape.

As you can see from above the product looks very much like a mascara. However instead of a mascara brush on the end it has a small little brush to brush over your eyebrows and lashes. It makes application really easy and I really like the design. The only downside is that a couple of times a little bit has gone in my eye and it does sting quite a bit, so be careful of that!!

So aside from the price, this is a brilliant product. Is it worth the price tag?! I think it is, but I would definitely have trouble spending the £80 on it, purely because to me, that is a lot of money.

What do you all think?

xx

Korres Lip Butter

As you may well know, I am a Lip product junkie! If someone told me to choose between lip products, concealer or mascara to take to a desert island, I can honestly say I would take lip products every time. My only problem is that I must have very sensitive lips, because if a product (usually lip balms) is too greasy or oily I get really red all around my lips and trust me it is not a good look!! So I have to be extra careful when choosing a lip balm. Having just moved, I was looking around my local town (trying to spot chemists that sold good makeup mainly), when I saw a Lloyds pharmacy. I have never lived near one of these so was very surprised to see they stock really high end skin care and some makeup. One of the brands they stock is Korres, which I had heard a lot about from You Tube (I was VERY excited and I swear the sales assistant kept staring at me, thinking I was slightly odd). So naturally I picked up a product, which happened to be these gorgeous lip butters.

Korres lip butters in Jasmine (right) and Guava (left).

These lip balms are so moisturising and feel really nourishing. I went through a phase of using the eos lip balms, but always found I had to keep using them constantly otherwise my lips felt dry! These however last on my lips so well and really leave them feeling smooth and nourished. I am honestly in love with them!! I loved the first one I brought so much (Jasmine) that I went and brought another one (guava) to have around the house. They both have a subtle colour to them (although these 2 are the more frosty of the collection), whilst Jasmine has a pink shimmer, guava is a very pale white shimmer. I cannot wait to try the others in the collection, especially the brighter coloured ones.

So have you tried these or any other Korres products?
These retail at around £7.00

xx

Yves St laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation

When this foundation first came it was surrounded my much anticipation and hype in the beauty world, so naturally I went out I went and got a sample from my local YSL counter. Quite honestly the sample lasted me about a month (it was a very generous sample, which I thought was brilliant). It meant I had time to really see how my skin reacted and check the colour (B40) was right. I fell in love with this foundation after the first wear!! Here is why:

Le Teint Touche Eclat in shade B40

1: Its coverage can be what ever you want it to be! If you apply a tiny amount it can be fairly light, but if you add a little more it is definitely medium to full buildable coverage (I use 2 pumps).

2: It lasts  a good 10 hours on my skin, which to me is amazing!!! My makeup always ends up half way down my face, but not with this!

3: There is a really wide range of shades to choose from, which for someone as pale as me, is brilliant!

4: The packaging is sleek and feels very expensive. 

As you can see once I finished my sample, I went and brought a full sized bottle. I have been using this for about 2 months now, so I can honestly say its brilliant (and I have hardly used any). I find it covers my acne scarring really well but doesn't look cakey in the slightest. The finish is slightly dewey but still slightly matt (does that even make sense)! 

On buying this I also rediscovered my old trusty favourite YSL Touche Eclat. I used to use this all the time from the age of about 17 till I was 23 ( I dread to think how much I spent on them)! I don't actually know why I stopped using it, although I'm guessing it was the cost. Anyway, together these 2 are amazing and compliment each other beautifully. I can honestly say no matter how tired and dull my complexion looks before hand, this stops it in its tracks!! 

Le Teint Touche Eclat in shade B40 and the original Touche Eclat highlighting pen in shade 2 .

So have you tried either of these? If so what do you think, has it caused your skin any problems? How long do they last on your skin?! I would love to know.

Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation costs around £28.00 and the original Touche Eclat pen costs around £22. 

xx

New layout!

With my very basic technical (if you can even call it that) skills, I have attempted to give my blog a make- over. I would love to know what you all think! If I could, I would redesign it from scratch with HTML, but unfortunately I have not got a clue about web design..grrrr bleugh!! If any one knows how I can do this, please let me know..HELP!! haha. 

Please leave any comments or feedback below! xx

My most loved mascaras

I am a girl who goes through mascaras like most people go through shower gel. I simply cannot help myself buying a new one a month into another one and then throwing the one I was using away, whilst convincing myself it must be off by now so I really need this new one. Is this only me??!! I think I might have a problem. Whenever I see a new one in a shop, all wrapped up in its shiny new packaging, shouting "BUY ME, BUY ME...I'm all shiny and new", I can't help but do as I'm told and buy it!!! I think this is border line crazy right?!
Anyway back to the point, no matter how often I buy a new one,  I always end up going back to my trusty most loved 2 (obviously new ones, not the yucky old ones that have been stuck in the bottom of my makeup draw for a long time, loosing their nice popping sound). So what are my favourite 2? Well the first one is the Bourjois Volumizer and the other one is the Avon Super Curlacious mascara. I LOVE both of these and go back to them time and time again!

I swear it is purely a coincidence that these both have pink labels!!

Boujois Volumizer

I love that fact that this mascara has 2 settings on it. Number 1 'prepares your lashes for 3D volumizing' (apparently). I just like this one because there are no clumps and their is minimal product on the wand, which I love. Number 2 creates volumized lashes and the wand has a lot more product on it, perfect for nights out or special occasions.  When I first tried this I couldn't figure out how it worked, but finally I sussed it!! When you use number one, the wand is pulled up out through the tubing of number 2, which in turn removes any clumps and excess mascara! GENIUS...ok this might be really simple, but it totally took me ages to figure out!!! Any way basically I love this and will continue to re- purchase time and time again! Its on the slightly more expensive side at around £10.99, although it is currently on offer in Boots for £5.99....BARGAIN alert! 

Setting number 2

Avon Super Curlacious mascara

This mascara is a beautiful every day one and one that I adore. I find it to be clump free, light weight and give you really natural lashes! The wand is curved, which helps to create that curled effect and leave your lashes looking super pretty. This mascara is very affordable  at £8.50 and is quite often on special offer.  I have tried quite a few Avon mascaras and this is most defiantly my favourite. Its simple, beautiful and doesn't smudge. 

So what is your most loved mascara?!!! I would really love some good recommendations!

Please don't forget to subscribe, it would make my day! Also you can follow my randomness on twitter @beautyandpearls

My Daily Skin Routine

So I promise not to go on about Louise (@uandyourskin), this whole blog post but this skin regime is mainly thanks to her and her amazing knowledge and explanations of skin, so thank you (if you don't know who I'm on about , take a look at my old posts). I have finally found a skin routine that works for me and my skin seems to be thriving on it, so I thought I would share a quick post about the products I use and why. Before I do that I will give you the low down on my skin and my problems. I have pretty combination skin, oily in some places, dry in others, spot prone, some redness, scarring and I  get these little pieces of skin on my chin (sounds horrible), where apparently my skin is overcompensating for itself (that probably made no sense). So as you can see, my skin is one big fat pain in the bottom!! I have tried every skin brand under the sun and for every skin type known to man. Until recently I didn't understand my skin at all, and to a certain  extent I still don't, but I am getting there. So here are the products I have been sticking too for the last few months, and I can safely say I will stick with them for a long time to come. 

Cleansing: 

In the morning I tend to be quite boring and wash my face with 1 pump of the PRIORI gentle cleanser to wake my skin up a bit. In the evening however, I tend to do a 2 step cleanse. I use the PRIORI gentle facial cleanser to get most of my makeup off, followed by Avene extremely gentle cleanser to remove any little bits of mascara left. I start by wetting my face and taking 2 pumps of the PRIORI cleanser rubbing it all over my face and eyes and washing it off. I then do this one more time (usually with 1 pump) to get any excess off. Following this I take some of my Avene cleanser on a cotton pad and run it over my eyes to check all my mascara is off. I do like the Avene cleanser but only for my eyes, as I find it tends to dry my skin out if I use it all over my face. The PRIORI one, however is brilliant and removes makeup beautifully, whilst not stinging my eyes. I have currently run out of my PRIORI cleanser and as I have just moved and have no money ( can you hear the tiny violins) I brought a cheap drugstore one from Boots and I HATE it, it feels horrible...YUCK!!!!!! : (

Treatments: 

Following my cleansing process I use a treatment on the areas most spot prone and a little red. I was using PRIORI perfection gel all the time, but as I am getting low I purchased the Vitage Correct and perfect skin serum as well (this was actually an accident, but its just as lovely as PRIORI). I actually apply the Vitage one after my moisturiser but I apply the PRIORI one before. The PRIORI one really helps to reduce my redness and even my skin tone a little, I have also noticed a slight improvement with my scarring too (whoop whoop). I have noticed a massive difference since using this as the redness at the top of my cheeks has gone down a lot! The Vitage one is more aimed at blemishes and although I have only had this a couple of weeks, it is very effective at fighting them straight away! 

Moisturiser: 

I have 2 moisturisers at the moment, my day time one is Vitage skin defence with spf30 and my evening one is VICHY norma derm nuit Anti- imperfections. The Visage one is brilliant for the day time as it contains Spf30, which means I don't have to apply one separately (until I had this I was using Clinique city block). This is brilliant as its £22 and is dual purpose, which means better value and less bottles on my sideboard, always a bonus! I also really want to try the moisturiser from the PRIORI coffee berry range, but this is a little expensive for me at the moment (sob sob)! In the evening I use the VICHY moisturiser because it helps rejuvenate my skin for the following day (its also very naughty to sleep with spf on....tut tut). Its a lovely consistency and it leaves my skin feeling really nice. I also use an eye cream in the form of Bobbi Brown Hydrating eye cream. At £29.00 this is fairly expensive but I have had it 5 months and it is only just getting near the end, so its good value!! 

So there you have it, my daily skin routine. I do also use the Caudalie Beauty Exlir occasionally, but its not something I use every day, so I didn't include it. I know most of these are from the same brands, but they truly are brilliant products and I cannot recommend them enough!! After all, we only have 1 skin, so look after it, its worth the money! 

So what is your skin routine? What are your HG products and why?! I would really love to know. 

Non- beauty related blog post: Random but fun!

Excuse the randomness and the non- beauty related post but having just moved into a house with my boyfriend, I have become a bit of a homemaker (just picture Mrs Beaton in her apron with her mop...although not so old fashioned). Anyway, having finally moved in and got most things sorted, I have finally begun to get down to the fun bits!! For those of you that don't know (why should you, I don't think I have ever mentioned it), I was brought up vegetarian and have never eaten meat, although most people find that a little strange. My Mum and Dad were always lucky enough to have a big garden and so always grew their own vegetables and fruit. There is something very scrummy about home grown vegetables being used in some good home cooking, in my opinion anyway! So naturally when we moved into our house, we both decided we wanted to try and grow some. However there were 2 problems, firstly the garden is the size of a pin and secondly we are temporarily renting so I didn't really want to start a vegetable patch up, to have to stop it in a year. Soooooo when I was at my sisters the other day, we went in her shed, found some pots and compost and went to the garden centre! I wanted to get some spinach seeds and some herbs (rosemary, mint, basil, thyme, parsley), but also ended up buying a pepper plant and a chilli plant, all of which were in the sale woohoooo!!!  My Mum had already given me 2 tomato plants in pots, and my sister gave me a courgette plant and an aubergine plant, all of which they had grown at their hosues! So I have spent the last day or two, potting them, watering them, starring at them and hoping that every time it rains a miracle will occur and I will go outside and see lots of red tomatos, peppers and lovely vegetables (this has yet to happen)!! SIGH : (

My Little Vegtable/ herb area! whoop

My tomatoes, coming on my tomato plant..they will eventually go red woohooo!!!

My little herb window box....I WANT THEM TO HURRY UP AND GROW!!! This was a bargain, the whole set, box, tubs, labels, seeds was meant to be £11 but I got it for £2.90!! I had to have it! It is now sat in my kitchen window, although I do keep putting it outside during the day to get some light.

All in all, I am very excited about my little vegetable/ herb area!! The whole thing cost me less than £10 to set up and I already have about 10 tomatoes coming up, 2 courgettes, a dozen chillies, and 3 peppers!! I think in the long run this will be well worth the money and will hopefully save us some! I am really enjoying looking after my little plants.  Next on my list, winter lettuce, although I need to see if I can grow it in pots! I am also determined only to buy plants and seeds in the sale and their are some brilliant ones at the moment.

Anyway, if you have read all of this very random blog post, well done!!! haha! Let me know if you would like to see more of these and if you grow your own vegetables!! I am welcome to lots of suggestions, hints and ideas!

I am off to plan my next, beauty related blog post, which will be up later this week!!  Have a wonderful day, you lovely people. : )

July Favourites

First of all let me start by saying I am so sorry for the major lack of posts recently, moving house, moving job and completely relocating has taken over my life and has meant no spare time at all. However I am all settled and cannot wait to get blogging again..woohoooo!!! I didn't get to do a June favourites, so I thought there was no better time to start than  to go straight in with my July favourites!! Enjoy!

Back to front and Left to right: Moroccan Argan oil conditioner, PRIORI Gentle facial cleanser, Moringa shower gel, Advanced Acidophilus, Dior Poison, M.A.C girl about town, M.A.C cream colour base in Hush,Chanel Vitalumiere Eclat, Silver bracelets, Real techniques detailer brush.

Organix: Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner:I first heard about this brand through an American You Tuber  who goes by the name of Chelsea Wears ( Go visit her channel, I love her dry sense of humour, brilliant! http://www.youtube.com/user/ChelseaWears). At the time I didn't realise you could get it in Boots over here, so went searching on the Internet, where it was really quite expensive (I'm no millionaire).  However whilst being rather naughty and looking in Boots for bits and bobs to satisfy my irrational spending needs I saw it out the corner of my eye and got VERY excited (imagine Tom Cruise declaring his love for Katie Holmes on Oprah...yes embarrassing right)!!!!! Anyway I used it, I loved it, I finished it, I repurchased it!! it leaves my hair super soft and manageable! It is available in bigger Boots stores in the UK for £6.99, although if you go in TK MAXX they do stock some of the other ones from the range at a cheaper price (usually £4.99), so keep your eyes peeled! 

The Body Shop: Moringa Shower gel

Someone brought a set for me years ago and it had this shower gel in it. I literally could not get enough, it smells sooooooooooo good! The Body Shop is not somewhere I can get to easily (I live in the middle of no where and have to travel 10 minutes just to find a food store..yawn), but when I went to Braintree Freeport outlet shopping centre a couple of months ago, I noticed they had opened a Body Shop discount store..woohooo!! Needless to say I ended up stocking up on this beautiful product. My boyfriend even commented on how nice it smelt! I find this really moisturising and a little goes a very long way!!

PRIORI Gentle Facial Cleanser:

I have mentioned this product, along with another one a few blog posts ago. I got recommended this by Louise from 'U. and your skin' in Norwich (again I have mentioned her before...AMAZING). I have been using this for about 2 and a half months and it is still going (although its nearly run out)! This product removes my makeup amazingly well and doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or horrible. I only need 1 pump to remove all my makeup and then I tend to use one more after wards just to make sure its all off. I have troublesome skin and this has not caused any breakouts or dry skin! This is a little expensive, but it lasts so long, which in my eyes makes it worth the price tag. This product retails at £22 for 180 ml.

SOLGAR: Advanced Acidophilus (Probiotic):

Whilst on my pursuit to understand my skin, Louise (U. and your skin....I will stop mentioning her soon, I promise), explained to me how my body, diet etc all effects my skin. We decided that it would be a good idea to try taking probiotic tablets (herbal), in the hope that it would help with my digestive system, which ultimately has a massive effect on my skin. This is my second tub of these and I have noticed a difference! I ran out for about 3 weeks, and couldn't get to the herbal store to get some more. In this time, I started getting spots, which I hadn't had in ages and my skin started looking a bit yucky (although as always this could be down to a variety of things and not just these). However as soon as i started taking them again it started to get a bit better. Who knows? All I know is that I will not be without these again!!  I paid £14.99 for a pack of 100 and I have just found out you can get them online. 

Dior Poison perfume:

This used to be one of my most loved perfumes and I have got through so many bottles over the years. However I kind of forgot about it for a while, until I came to move house a few weeks ago and suddenly it popped up! I have been wearing it non - stop ever since and LOVE it!!! That is quite simply all I have to say on that!!! This retails at £46 for 30ml. 

Silver Bangles:

I am sorry to say, I have no idea where these came from as they were a gift, but I adore them. I have been wearing these non- stop!  Each bangle has a quote on it, I have the following ones:

LIVE.... as though heaven is on earth.

LOVE....as though you have never been hurt before.

SING....as though no one can hear you.

I think there is one that says dance too but I'm not too sure. I just think these are a little quirky and I love them!!! 

M.A.C Girl About town: 

This is such a beautiful colour! I am usually a nude girl through and through but recently I have been loving slightly brighter colours! I got this one through the back to M.A.C scheme they run and have been wearing it non- stop since. I love the fact I can build it up or sheer it out for a less full on colour. This is fast becoming one of my most loved lipsticks. 

Real Techniques detailer brush: 

This brush came in the Core Collection set and until now had been relatively unloved. However I had seen the beautiful Pixiwoo girls, using it for lips and decided to try it with my Girl About Town lipstick. I have to say the finish this brush gives is beautiful. It is the perfect size for lips and I just love the shape. I have used lip brushes in the past that have been a nightmare and had really put me off lip brushes, however this has given me hope!! Its a great shape, easy to clean and the bristles are super soft!! Well done Real Techniques!!!!  I cannot wait to try the 2 latest brushes when I can afford them! Woohooo! This kit cost £20.99 for Love- makeup, but is now also available in Boots in the UK. They are also available in the US and many other countries. 

M.A.C Cream Colour base in HUSH: 

I have had this quite a long time and it is always a product I go back to. I love the colour and the look it gives my skin, especially in the summer. Its a beautiful pinky colour and is such a beautiful highlight. I have used quite a lot of this (as you can see from the giant hole in the middle where I have hit pan)! This retails at £14.50 in the UK for 3.2g.

Chanel Vitalumiere Eclat in B20 with SPF 10:

I got given this at Christmas and as excited as I was, I rarely use powder. However with the hot weather we have been having recently I have found myself reaching for it, just to keep my makeup in place a little longer. It is a very light weight powder, which doesn't feel heavy on my skin. The colour is really good, which is bizarre as I have the matching foundation in the same shade and it is far too yellow for me!! The only down side of this product is the price, as at around £45.00 for 13g, I'm not sure I would repurchase! 

I hope you enjoyed my July favourites! Again I am sorry for the lack of posts recently, but I have a lots planned! On the agenda to do are my everyday skin products, whats in my shower, top 5 M.A.C lipsticks and many more. If you have any suggestions or things you would like to see, please leave a comment below!!

Don't forget to follow me on twitter  @beautyandpearls and follow this blog!!

Also go and check out the U. and your skin website http://www.uandyourskin.co.uk/ and follow Louise on twitter @uandyourskin! She is lovely and is such a sweet person (and no she isn't paying me to write all this lovely stuff about her)! 

No 7 Mineral Loose Powder Blusher

Its that time again, where good old Boots have their £5.00 off No7 vouchers, now who doesn't love a money off voucher! This time I decided to try something completely different and this rather large box caught my eye.

Mineral perfection blusher in Rose Pink. 

Inside this rather large box, you not only get the pot of mineral blusher but also a kabuki brush to apply it with. The concept of including the brush with the product is a very good marketing idea. However in reality the brush is soooooooo scratchy and really rather irritating. I used the brush once, before reaching for my Real Techniques buffing brush instead.

The product itself is very sheer and I found you need quite a bit of product to build up the colour. It is however a very light pink anyway, which I think is partly why you have to build it up. It does have some light shimmer in it, but it is very subtle and is really quite pretty. I tried to do a swatch for you, but it is so light it didn't show up, with my rubbishy camera (I am looking into getting a new one).

The colour is very pretty and would suit light skin tones. Currently it is only available in 1 other colour which is soft damson, and I would be interested to try to see the pigmentation. This is the first mineral blusher I have tried so I cannot compare this to the bare minerals ones or any others. However part of the idea behind mineral products in general is that you can build them up accordingly. My one other niggle with this product is the poorly designed pot. Most mineral products have a lid inside which you can open and close to shut off the product, but this one doesn't. Annoyingly this means that all the product floats around in the top of the pot so you have to be super careful when opening it. 

I do like the colour of this blush and will defiantly use it regularly. This product retails at £9.00, but I got it for £4 with my voucher. Would I pay full price....probably not in honesty, but for £4, I am not complaining. 

Have you tried this blusher or any other No7 mineral products. If so what do you think?! Have you tried the soft damson colour? 

Review: Pedikur products

Recently I have heard a bit on the grapevine about Pedikur products and was rather intrigued. I contacted them on twitter to ask if I could purchase their items in store anywhere and they kindly offered to send me some to review. Now quite frankly I don't know anyone out there that would turn this down, so I agreed, but only under the understanding that the review would be 100% honest and uninfluenced. So here it is!! 

L to R: Pedikur Hand and foot lotion and spatula (included),  Pedikur herbal cream.

Hand and foot lotion: 'Dry skin and callus remover for hands and feet'- 200ml £16.00

This was the product that I was most excited about trying, it claims to remove dry skin and calluses, and stays true to its word!! I found there to be something very therapeutic about putting this on my feet and scrapping off the dead skin, using the spatula a little while later (sound horrible I know but honestly  its therapeutic). This is the closest thing I have found to an at home pedicure treatment! The little spatula that comes with it is perfect for getting rid off all the dead skin, which in turn left my feet so smooth and soft. My only problem with this product is that its a little tricky to use, but to be honest at home pedicure treatments are never particularly easy, as lets face it, feet are not the easiest thing to reach and maintain by yourself! You receive an instruction pamphlet with this bottle which shows gives you instructions in photos (you can also view this online, along with a list of ingredients-super helpful). The general idea is that you put the product on cotton wool and put it on the bottom of your feet. Now obviously the cotton wool doesn't stay very well on the bottom of your feet and I tried many ways of getting the bottom of my feet to face the air (which usually meant I was rather uncomfortable and looked rather odd). However the instructions suggest wrapping your feet in clingfilm to keep the cotton wool in place. As ridiculous as it sounds, it worked (needless to say my boyfriend thought I was nuts)! After a while you remove the cotton wool and clingfilm and used the spatula to get rid of the dead skin. I found the second time I did this a lot easier than the first and a lot quicker as I had mastered how to do it effectively.

Despite the tricky application process, this product is brilliant. It does exactly as it says on the tin and left my feet smooth and soft. This can also be used as part of a manicure on your cuticles in pretty much the same way (minus the clingfilm), and in honesty it gives my Sally Hansen cuticle remover a run for its money! I have used this product quite a few times and have barely used any of it, so I think it is worth the hefty £16.00 price tag (which is pretty much 1 pedicure session in a salon to put it in perspective) and I will defiantly repurchase this!

Herbal cream: 'Moisturising hand and foot cream with Sage, Thyme and Rosemary'- 75ml £10

This cream is designed to go hand in hand with the lotion and helps to maintain the effects the lotion has had on your feet and cuticles. This smells very herbal (obviously) and is really moisturising. When I got sent these, they also sent the cotton moisturizing socks £2.50, which are designed to be used at the end of the whole process to lock in moisture. I used this cream on both my hands and feet and I found it to leave both feeling super moisturised and smooth. The socks defiantly helped with my feet but the cream was just as effective on my hands as any other hand cream I have used. I have used quite a few creams on my hands and as much as I love this, I don't know if it stands out as being majorly different to any others. However for my feet it works better than others that I have tried, so it depends what you want from it. My one niggle is the price, as I find £10 a lot for a hand and foot cream, but thats just me. Despite that if money isn't an issue, I would defiantly pick it up and give it a go!

All in all I do really like these products and would defiantly repurchase the lotion and possibly the cream, although only for use on my feet. These products are marketed both to consumers at home and in salons and I can defiantly see why salons use it, as it is very effective!! Currently they are only really available on their website www.pedikur.co.uk, which is kind of annoying as you then have the £3.65 delivery charge on top of your order. 

 I would love to know if you have used any of their products, if so what did you think? Did you find the lotion easy to use or a little tricky?!

Georgie 

xx

Most loved products from the month of May!

So its that time of the month again where everybodys blog feeds are filled with the best products of May. So I thought I would add mine into the mix.

Back to Front, Left to Right: Clinique Colour surge quad in 'Pink Chocolate', PRIORI 'Perfection Facial Gel', Bourjois Magic Nail polish remover, Essie 'Cute as a Button', EOS Strawberry sorbet lipbalm, Essie 'Ballett Slippers', No7 Nourishing Lip Shine' 

Clinique Colour Surge eyeshadow quad in 'Pink Chocolate'.
I have had this quad for about a year now and I used to adore it. I stopped using it so much over winter (mainly because I went through a phase of not using anything else, so had to ween myself off it) but I recently found it lurking in my drawer and got VERY excited. These eye shadows are beautiful!! They are soooo creamy and pigmented, they blend beautifully and look stunning on!! I LOVE THEM!!!! I really want to get another Clinique quad!! This retails at £25.00, in comparison to 4 M.A.C eye shadows which would set you back over £40.00.

PRIORI 'Perfection Facial Gel'.

I got recommended this product by Louise who owns the 'U.and your skin' skin lounge in Norwich. After having a treatment in her skin lounge (which by the way was so relaxing I nearly fell asleep), she recommended this product for me for a variety of reasons. The main reason was to help even my skin out after my acne left lots of scars and redness and to minimise any acne that may occur. I have used this twice a day for about 2 weeks now and I love it. I am really beginning to notice a difference, especially with my redness around the tops of my cheeks, my nose and my cupids bow. I am using this alongside PRIORI's 'Gentle Facial cleanser' , which is brilliant for removing makeup and leaves my skin feeling super clean! I would really recommend checking out their products, and if you live in Norwich you should book an appointment with Louise for a skin consultation, she is simple amazing!!! You can book in for a consultation with her and she will get to the bottom of any skin issues or concerns you have, through asking you lots of questions and from that will plan the best steps forward for you through facials etc. Anyway I could go on about her for ages. If you don't live in Norwich sorry for that rant haha, you should definitely check out the PRIORI range, they are wonderful!!!! This product retails at around £29.00 and is totally worth it!!

Laura Mericer 'Secret Camoflauge' concealer.

This is my new favourite concealer. I love the fact that it comes with 2 shades and you can mix your own colours up, which at this time of year is perfect!!! This covers blemishes really well and stays in place. I have had no problem with this slipping and sliding throughout the day. The other bonus is that it is definitely not a cakey concealer and goes on really lightly whilst still covering my acne and scarring!! I went on line to see how much this was, as I cant remember but I cannot find it anywhere....have they discontinued it?!!!!!!!!!!! 

Bourjois 'Magic Nail Polish' remover. 

My new favourite way to remove nail polish. This gorgeous little tub is fuss free, quick, easy and clean!! I am awful at using cotton pads to take off nail polish and usually end up with it all over my hands. This is so easy, put your finger into the sponge move it around and hey presto, your nail polish has gone!!!!! BRILLIANT!!!!! I sometimes use a cotton bud just to go around the edge, but that's just me being slightly OCD.  There really isn't much else to say about this as it speaks for itself! This retails at £4.99.

Essie Nail polishes in 'Cute as a Button' and 'Ballett Slippers'.

Both of these colours are highly talked about colours from the Essie range but both are new to me! I picked these colours up this month and have literally worn them non stop! They are both super pretty and I find they last really well on the nail.  The only downside is that they require about 2 or 3 coats to get a full coverage. Ballet slippers is a very white based colour with a tiny hint of pink whereas 'Cute as a button' is a coral shade perfect for Summer. These are from the Essie range at Boots and cost £7.99.

EOS Lip balm in Strawberry sorbet.

I ordered this from the http://www.naturisimo.com sale. I have been desperate to try these since seeing them all over You Tube. I can honestly say I adore it! It tastes so fruity and refreshing but isn't overpowering (something which I hate in a lip balm). It really moisturises my horribly dry lips and provides a really subtle sheen to the lips, making them look really healthy! I love it so much I have just ordered another one in Mint. In the UK these retail at £5.75 but to my knowledge are only available on line.   

No7 Nourishing Lip Shine. 

The packaging to this looks so similar to the Clarins instant lip perfector and has already been compared to it by so many people. However I cannot do a comparison as I couldn't justify buying the Clarins version. This No7 one though is really pretty. It has a subtle pinky/ coral colour to it and makes my lips look naturally shiny. I am not too sure how long it lasts on the lips as most lip products last about 2mins on my lips as I am constantly drinking!! The packaging is really cute, the lid especially is quite quirky and stands out with it gold pattern all over it. This costs £10.50 at Boots, but they are currently doing their £5 No7 vouchers, so if you get one of those its only £5.50, which is a bargain!!

So there you have it, my May favourites!! What are your most loved products at the minute?!

My new obsession......Essie and Revlon!!!! (I feel this may be a downward slope)

Just a quick post to let you know how stupidly obsessed I have become over nail polishes and in particular Essie and Revlon. I never used to be that bothered about nail polishes, in fact up until about a year ago I had 4 or 5 that I used and that was it. However once my Blogging and You Tube obsession began my eyes were opened to how versatile and pretty nail polishes could be...thats when it began!
I first went down the Revlon route as I had heard so many amazing things about their nail polishes and had never even considered them before. These polishes are affordable and come in a wide variety of colours. So far I have picked up only a few but I LOVE the ones I have. Boots have also begun to have dedicated Revlon nail stands, which is VERY exciting. In fact I tweeted a pic of one a few days ago, so go check out my twitter page @beautyandpearls.

L to R: 211 Charming, 010 Top coat, 607 Hazy, 030 Gray suede,  100 Buttercup,  380 Elegant

When I heard that Essie were coming to Boots in the UK, I was sooo excited!! I had been wanting to try them for so long, having heard so much about them, but I couldn't seem to find them anywhere locally that stocked them. It took me a while to find a Boots that stocked them and I ended up getting them in Coventry about a month ago. Since then my local Boots have started stocking them and I have become obsessed!!

L to R: 12 Tea and Crumpets, 99 Mint candy apple, 14 Fiji, Let it shine top coat, 77 Chinchilly, 73 Cute as a button

I cannot wait to get more Revlon and Essie polishes soon. I really want to try Sand Tropez and Peach Daiquiri from Essie. What are your recommendations, I would love to know?!

Avon Super Shock Eye Shadow Pencil duo

I like to consider myself a fairly low maintenance sort of a girl (to a certain extent), especially when it comes to getting ready to go work. Often I don't have much time to do my hair and makeup before running out the door (this can sometimes result in me looking like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards, always a good look)! The little time I do have, I like to use to make sure that any makeup I do manage to get on my face (I'm not usually awake enough to do it properly at 6.30am), stays in place as long as possible. So whilst indulging in my favourite past time, looking through the Avon catalogue, I came across these cute dual ended eye shadow pencils.

Top to bottom: chocolate melt and cream dream,  princess pink and royal velvet, green dream and hint of mint.

I have collected these over the last few months, after initially falling in love with the first one I got (chocolate melt and cream dream) and am hoping to get the last one in the collection very soon (a silvery one called moonshine and starry night). These pencils are so creamy, highly pigmented and soft, which makes them really easy to blend on the lids. I would advise using a really good primer underneath (I use Urban Decay primer Potion), as this product does tend to move slightly and will occasionally crease (but only slightly). Each pencil has a lighter and darker shade, which make them brilliant for smokey eyes. These work really well on their own or as a base for eyeshadow. The great thing about these is that by using them as a base you really intensify the colour of the eyeshadow you use over the top. For example I have used the green dream shade underneath M.A.Cs club eyeshadow, which creates a super dark evening look. As you can see the packaging of these pencils is very sleek and looks a lot more expensive than they really are. My only niggle with the packaging is the lids as they have a tendency to pop off occasionally ( I actually ended up splitting one of the lids by trying to push it on so that it didn't pop off...whoops).

This product is marketed as being waterproof and the Super Shock range are renowned for being long wearing. These defiantly last a long time, I have applied this first thing in the morning and they are still there when I get home at half 4 (BRILLIANT). The colour may is less intense after this period of time but I think you will always get that no matter how long lasting something is!

The best selling point for this product in my eyes is the price point. These usually retail at £7.00 but are pretty much always on offer in the Avon catalogue and I have brought mine for anything between £3-4.50, which is brilliant!!! These are also available on line to buy at www.avon.uk.com but are currently not on sale. The green one (which is not a Super Shock one, but is exactly the same....I don't understand this) is currently on sale for £3.00 (BARGAIN), and the others are £7.00. 

Top to bottom: chocolate melt and cream dream, princess pink and royal velvet,  green dream and hint of mint.  

I have grown to LOVE Avon products, and would happily try their stuff out all day. I think recently they have begun to bring out some brilliant stuff and they are beginning to get a really good reputation (very different to how it was a few years ago when people associated Avon with grannies and rollers). I would love to see them bring out some makeup for acne prone skin, such as foundations and concealers. I am also really eager to try their eye shadow palettes, but I have so many from other brands, I'm not sure I can justify the expense. If you have tried any let me know what they are like?!

So have you tried these, what do you think of Avon products?! I would love to know

xxx

My Skin Journey

Hey de hey! I'm just letting you know about my new YT video I posted today. I'm not going to lie it was a hard one to film and I think it took me about 5 attempts!! I have wanted to flm this video since starting YT but in honesty have felt too self conscious to do it (silly I know), however I decided my skin is my skin and I that's all there is too it. There is so much emphasis on covering up your imperfections (I am the worst for this) but sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we are all beautiful in our natural form (CHEEESY I know, pass me the stick bucket haha). Anyway it's basically my skin journey, what treatment and remedies I am pursuing and my feelings about it all. It's a bit ramble so whoops!!
Anyway I hope you enjoy it!!! I would love feedback and if you want me to do follow ups, please let me know!!

 

 Don't forget to subscribe to my YT, follow me on twitter (@beautyandpearls), follow me on Instagram (beautyandpearls) and become a member of this here blog haha! Xx

Collective Haul (with a silly amount of nail polishes)

I have been a very naughty lady recently and have indulged a little too much in the hobby otherwise known as shopping!! Whoops.
I go through phases with my shopping habits, some months I will unintentionally buy lots of skin care, other months it will be eye shadows, this month it was nail polishes!!!
I never used to be a massive nail polish lover, I had a few that I always used, but never really bothered to explore new colours or brands. However in the last year I have become addicted to them and have gone from having 4 or 5 to having a silly amount, which I cannot even bring myself to count!!! So of course it made so much sense to buy more this month (Urrrmmm really)????? If you would like to see more (and other non nail polish items from Topshop, Body Shop, Caudalie, Bourjois and Dainty Doll) please check out my new YT video!! Don't forget to become a member on here, subscribe to my YT (if you like what you see) and follow me on twitter!! I hope you enjoy it!!

I would love to know your nail polish recommendations. Please leave a comment telling me your must have nail polish colour below or on the video!
xx

Battle of the Mineral Foundations!!! Bare Minerals VS. Laura Mercier minerals

Laura Mercier (gift set size) Mineral Powder, Bare Minerals Original Mineral Powder

About a year ago, my friend started going on about an amazing new foundation she had started using, and  how she thought everyone should try it. Needless to say that we ended up at the Bare Minerals counter that day to get me colour matched. I ended up buying their starter kit, which I think was about £45 for 2 shades of foundation, a concealer, mineral veil and 2 brushes. I used this continuously over the summer (I had to purchase a full size one) and found the effects on my skin to be amazing. My acne started to heal, I didn't notice as much redness on my face and it gave my skin a brilliant finish. I did however stop using this over the winter, as my skin was too dry and it seemed to show up all the horrible bits of my complexion. Fast forward to February 2012 and I was back on my minerals (the makeup kind obviously). I had noticed since I had stopped using it, that my skin was flaring up again (although this is no doubt in reality, down to a variety of factors) and decided to give it a try again. The dry skin was still there and I was having the same problem, which was when I heard about the Laura Mercier version. So off I went into the city to pick up a sample. I am officially now hooked!! This makes my skin look flawless, natural, its helping with my acne (in my opinion) and most importantly it doesn't cling to my dry patches (this amazed me)!!
So I thought to myself why not do a post comparing the two foundations. Below you will find both pros and cons of each and my personal preferences. I hope you enjoy it (sorry for the massive, silly ramble you have just read haha whopseee. You have to set the picture though haha)!

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder £31.00 for 9.5g :

Pros:

• Provides a buildable, medium coverage.
• Covers up redness and evens out skin tone beautifully.
• I personally cannot feel this on my skin.
• Provides a natural finish (so many people have commented how naturally pretty my skin looks with this- even my dad, which says a lot as he hates makeup).
• Provides SPF 15.
• Lasts for roughly 7/8 hours on my skin without having to touch up.
• I can use cream products such as blusher and concealer over the top without it going cakey or looking funny.
• This is also a treatment (so the sales lady told me) so it wont aggravate your skin. She also told me if your one of the naughty people that doesn't take your make up off before you go to bed (tut tut) this wont clog your skin as it will act as a treatment over night. I think this has a really positive effect on my skin.
• The swivel insert in top of the pot makes it easy to close off the minerals to stop it coming out. The ridge in the middle is really easy to hold and turn.

Cons: 

• If you want full coverage, you have to use quite a lot of product. 
• Its a little on the pricey side, but you do get a lot of product for your pennies.
• To my knowledge this only comes in about 6 shades in the UK. 

Bare Minerals Original Minerals £24.00 for 8g:

Pros: 

• Contains SPF 15.
• Provides a buildable, medium coverage.
• I felt my skin looked really natural (although I didn't get any comments on this, unlike the L.M). 
• Lasts for about 7/8 hours on my skin without touching up. 
• This is also sold as a sort of treatment. The minerals are supposed to improve the appearance of your skin over time (which I think it does).
• There is also a mineral, powder concealer which comes in the starter set. This covers well (although I wouldn't advise using it under your eye as it really creases). 
• This is available in about 20 shades, varying from very pale to darker coloured skin, which is brilliant. 
• This is an expensive, yet affordable mineral foundation, coming in cheaper than the L.M. However you have to bare in mind you also get 1.5g less of product with this cheaper price. 

Cons:

• Unlike the L.M one the swivel insert in the top of this is rubbish and really hard to swivel back round. I found it so hard that I don't even bother now and the minerals just float around in the top, which can be very messy!!
• I found this shows up dry patches really badly : (. 
• This can go cakey if you use a cream concealer or blusher over the top.

The travel size L.M (came in a gift pack) and the full size B.M

As you can see both of these products have pros and cons and in my eyes are good for different things. I am currently using the L.M one as I find it slightly more diverse because I can use it with cream products.  

If you were wondering which shades I use I have the shade 'Real Sand' in the L.M and Fairly Light in B.M (I am an NC15 in M.A.C). 

The only thing to keep in mind is the price point as L.M is £7.00 more expensive for an extra 1.5g. However I personally am prepared to pay this as I think the product is slightly better. 

So which one is you favourite? Do you like mineral foundations?! I would love to know your thoughts!! 

What's in my bag?!

Hey guys
Just to let you know I have uploaded my 3rd You Tube video!!! I hope you enjoy it!

I would love to know what videos you would like to see!! Please leave a comment below and let me know x

Boots Botanics" Moisturising Sugar Scrub.

In this huge looking tub you get 450ml of product for £5.87

I go through phases with body scrubs, sometimes I will use them for months on end and then I wont touch them for another few months. I used my last body scrub up ages ago and never got round to buying a new one. However a few weeks ago my skin was feeling very dry and flaky so I decided I needed to purchase a new one (this was long overdue)! In all honesty I went into boots to buy the 'Soap and Glory Flake Away' body scrub but I couldn't justify the £7.00 for 300ml when this one looked just as good and you get more product for less money. Quite often I think you may more just for the fancy packaging, personally I am more about the product than the packaging when it comes to shower things (I am not so easily pleased with make up though, it needs to look nice too haha).

Please excuse the finger marks- I forgot to take a picture before I used it (WHOOPS)!

So what can I say about the actual product? It is sooo creamy and moisturising and feels really rich on my skin. The consistency really reminds me of really thick honey, kind of solid but gooey at the same time (is that makes sense). You can definitely feel the sugar within the product, but its not at all sticky, which I was slightly worried it would be. I personally have found I really don't need much of this product as a little goes a long way, which is brilliant! It leaves my skin feeling really soft before I have even applied moisturiser, which is a huge bonus. 

If your on the market for a new body scrub I would really recommend checking this one out, its brilliant value for money and the product itself is a million times better than I could ever have expected. 

What is your favourite body scrub and why?