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?

My top 5 Eyeliners

Just a quick post following my very first YT video (insert scared, nervous face here). Below you will find the swatches of all the products mentioned.

Back to front: Topshop: Magic Liner, M.A.C Coffee pencil. M.A.C Powersurge pencil. Benefit Bad gal, Avon Supershock

L to R: Topshop: Magic Liner, M.A.C Coffee pencil. M.A.C Powersurge pencil. Benefit Bad gal, Avon Supershock (please excuse the smudgy mess of this one- it was pretty much blunt and I couldn't find my sharpener haha)

As you can see they all vary in colour, with some being muted brown (Coffee), gold (Powersurge) and black tones (Bad Gal) and some being more intense blacks (Magic Liner and Supershock).  In my video I go into more detail about my views on these products and why I like them!! Please check out my first ever YT video (please excuse my not so brilliant camera and also the bizarre face I appear to be pulling in the below thumbnail haha).

Thank you for watching/ reading!! x

Laura Mercier: Mineral Flawless Face Kit

Heelloooo!!!!!
So I went shopping to get the Laura Mercier Mineral powder today and managed to pick myself  up a little bargain!!! I LOVE Laura Mercier products and was also looking for a new concealer as well. I have heard to many good things about LM products, but they are quite expensive and so had been putting it off. Up until now I have been using the 'Bare mineral foundation' in fairly light, and I cannot express how much it has helped my skin. However after seeing a YT video from the hilarious Estee (essiebutton- if you haven't seen her, you need to get her in your life right now), and seeing how much she loved the LM one, I decided to take the plunge (my Bare minerals one is pretty much empty anyway). The only thing I was slightly dubious about was the price (it retails at £31) and I was worried in case it broke my skin out and ended up being a waste of money. So when the sales lady told me about their starter kit I became rather excited. So what's in it??

Well to say your get your moneys worth is an understatement! This pack contains a full size secret concealer, 2 full size brushes, Mineral primer (30ml), Mineral powder (4.8g) and Mineral illuminating powder in starlight (4.8g). 

Mineral Foundation 4.8 g (Normal price £31 for 9.5g):

This is a travel size version of this highly praised product and is perfect for a trial period. It will also be brilliant to decant some of the full sized one into when it runs out and use that for travel purposes or to have in my handbag for touch ups. I have the colour 'real sand' and cannot wait to try this properly. The lady in the shop put it on me and I couldn't even feel it was there, it looked gorgeous!

Secret Concealer- Full size

This product by itself usually retails at £18.50 for 2.2g. The sales assistant told me this is a really good under eye concealer as it contains oil (which our under eyes don't apparently- I didn't know this). LM concealers are highly praised among lots of professional makeup artists, so I cannot wait to try this out!! (I also brought the Secret Camouflage concealer for a facial concealer as I have been wanting it for ages. That's a whole different blog post though).

Mineral powder foundation and Secret concealer 

Mineral Illuminating powder, starlight 4.8g

I don't think you can buy this product separately, as I couldn't find it on their website, and to be honest it is simply stunning!!! It can be used as a high light on the cheek bones, on your decolletage or anywhere you just want a gorgeous glow. It does contain tiny glitter particles, but they catch the light beautifully and doesn't leave you looking like you just stepped out of Twilight. It really is gorgeous!! I tried to do a swatch but its so light (and my camera is so rubbish) that you couldn't see it. 

Mineral illuminating powder

Mineral Foundation Primer 30ml (normally £28 for 50ml)
I cannot wait to try this primer. I have heard so much about their normal foundation primer, and I didn't even know they made a mineral version!!! WOOOHOOOOO. Enough said!!

Blending Brush (normally £31) and Secret Camouflage brush (normally 22.50)- both full size.

I cannot believe these 2 full size brushes came in this pack (I also didn't realise how much they usually retail for until I sat down to write this post). Such a bargain!!! The buffing brush is really soft and feels so smooth when you use it with the foundation. It is one of the shorter brushes they sell, so don't be put off by thinking its not full size, because it is!! 

The secret camouflage brush is also full size and is the perfect size for carefully applying your concealer. 

Top: Blending brush.
Bottom: Secret Camouflage brush

This kit comes inside a clear makeup bag with an instruction leaflet on how to use everything!! What more could you want?!!

All in all this kit is amazing and is incredible value for money!!!! I brought this kit for £50 from Jarrolds in Norwich but I cannot find it in any major on line suppliers. I did however find it on a different website being sold for £94 (crazy)!! I was told this is a limited edition thing so once its gone, its gone!! My advice would be if you see it, snap it up!!! Below I have broken down how much the kit would have been worth if I had brought these products individually for the amount of product I got.

Mineral Powder : 4.8g £15.67 (usually £31 for 9.5g)

Foundation Primer. Mineral:  30ml £16.80 (usually £28 for 50ml)

Secret Concealer: Full size £18.50

Mineral illuminating powder: 4.8g (not sure how much this would be as I don't think you can buy it separately 

Secret Camouflage brush: Full size £22.50

Blending brush: Full size £31.00

Total cost (excluding mineral illuminating powder in starlight): £104.47

If I brought these all full size and payed full price: £131

Remember I only spent £50 on this!!

So my verdict: If you want to try LM products this is a brilliant place to start!!!! If you see it, snap it up and enjoy it!!! 

I think after a while of wearing these I may compare the powder to the Bare Minerals one. Let me know if you would like me to do this?!

So have you tried any of these products? What did you think of them? Would you like a review on them? 

The hair product I just keep going back to!!

I was sat here asking myself what are the products I simply keep going back to and keep buying?! I will be honest there aren't many that I go back to time and time again! However there was one thing that jumped out at me straight away and I got rather excited about, so excited in fact, that I decided I wanted to share it with you. It might seem a bit random but its the 'Johnsons baby spray conditioner- no more tangles'. Now I can hear you all thinking realllyyy????? I promise you, it is brilliant!

Now I love this product so much, that I am on about my 4th bottle (if I remember correctly) and the best bit is that at just £3.35 for 200ml it is a BARGAIN!! 

I feel like I need to explain why I began using this in the first place. I have very sensitive skin, especially my scalp and most shampoos cause me to itch like crazy (not an attractive look). I think alot of time time it is down to the concentration of perfumes in the products and as a result I rarely buy anything with a scent to it. I went through a phase where my scalp was really bad and after trying lots of medicated shampoos, I found that baby shampoo was the best thing (and much cheaper). I now alternate between a moisturising shampoo from avon and a baby shampoo as my hair is also very dry. Whilst perusing the baby isle in boots (come on now we have all been guilty of having a wonder through that isle, admiring the clothes we could buy our children, not that I have any. That makes it worse doesn't it), this mint green bottle caught my eye. Now as well as having to be careful with shampoos, I also have to be a vigilant with the hair products I use afterwards, as they irritate just as easily. I really wanted a leave in conditioner and had been having major problems with my fine, tangly hair. I hate it when I wash my hair and it takes me ages to comb out my tangles, I always feel like I'm pulling my hair apart : (. So this product immediately made me want to try it not only is it a leave in conditioner but it is AMAZING at ensuring my hair doesn't tangle up!! Now you might be wondering if its any good on thick hair but friend also tried this and she said she noticed a massive difference with how much easier her hair was to comb too (her hair is super, super thick). 

When my first bottle of this ran out (its lasts forever), for some reason I didn't buy a new one straight away. However within 2 weeks I went a brought a new one, because I realised how much it really does help my hair!!! In those 2 weeks I had noticed more tangles than I had had in months! Now every time I wash my hair I towel dry it and spray this all over my hair before I brush it and my brush glides through so easily. 

I honestly adore this product (as if you couldn't tell hehe)! There is a cream version too, which I have also tried but for my fine hair I prefer the spray one, as it doesn't weigh my hair down in the slightest. Well done Johnsons!!!!

Have you tried this product? What is the hair product you always go back to? I really would love to know!!!!!! 

PS: Sorry for this rather excitable blog post!!! I have rambled and am now rather excited (sad I know) whoops! 

Top 5 everyday Lipsticks!

Sorry for lack of posts this weekend, I have been a very busy little bee. I thought about this post long and hard and decided I really wanted to do my top 5 everyday lipsticks. This was an easy one for me as I simply went in my handbag and pulled out the 5 lipsticks that are always in there and that I always go  between.

L to R: Rimmel Kate Moss collection in 03, M.A.C Hue, Avon Pout, M.A.C Shy Girl, Revlon Gentlemen Prefer Pink 450.

Ok so they are all pretty much nude colours (except the Revlon one), but they are all very different. 

Rimmel 03:

I am not usually a fan of Rimmel products as I find they tend to make my eyes in particular really itch, so I was slightly dubious about trying their lip products. However I swatched this in the shop and loved it. I find this lipstick is my "my lips but better" lipstick. Its a soft brown based nude and is very creamy and highly pigmented. This can go on quite thick if your not careful so I tend to pat it on my lips and I find this works brilliantly. This retails at £5.49

M.A.C Hue (Glaze):

I am not going to dwell on this one for too long as everyone goes on about it. I think the picture above shows how much I love this product, as there is hardly any left (insert your saddest face here). This is a pink based nude and is one of M.A.Cs Glaze finish lipsticks. It offers a very sheer but buildable colour on the lips and looks simply gorgeous!!! This retails at £13.50. 

Avon Pout:

This particular one is from the Limited edition 'Little Red Dress' collection (only the packaging is limited edition) but the colour is available in their permanent collection too. This lipstick really reminds me of Hue but has a bit more brown to it. It goes onto the lips beautifully and doesn't tend to sit in the cracks of the lips (a massive bonus). I really enjoy wearing this lipstick as it gives a tiny bit of colour without making me look very made up. This retails at £7.00.

M.A.C Shy Girl (Cremesheen):

Currently my favourite lipstick, this provides a beautiful glossy, sheer but strong colour. It is a peachy nude and is the newest one to my collection. I have worn this pretty much every day since getting it through the 'back to M.A.C.' scheme and simply cannot get enough of it!!! I am really enjoying wearing peach and coral colours throughout my makeup as a whole at the moment and this really compliments everything. This retails at £13.50

Revlon 'Gentlemen Prefer Pink':

This was my first Revlon lipstick and I think it is stunning!! Its a beautiful bright pink that can be worn very sheer for daytime or built up for a more dramatic evening look. This lipstick is really creamy and easy to apply and best of all it lasts on my lips really well!! YAY! This retails at £7.99

L to R: Rimmel 03, M.A.C Hue, Avon Pout, M.A.C Shy Girl., Revlon Gentlemen Prefer Pink.

I simply cannot make my mind up, which one of these is my most fave, I love them all!!!! What are your Top 5 everyday lipsticks?! 

I went shopping, whoops!

Soooo you know how it is, a few days off, a moment of boredom and somehow you find your way into the middle of a shopping centre, where before you know it you have spent money on things you didn't really need! We have all been there right?! Well thats pretty much what happened to me today whoopppssseeeee!!! On the good side though I did actually buy some bits I needed and had been looking for, for quite a long time. So I thought I would show you what I brought. Im only going to show you the cosmetics as I will probably end up reviewing them after I have used them (let me know if you would like me to). I did buy a cute summer dress, oversized blue shirt to wear over the top and a long cardigan that was a £7 bargain in the sale as well but didn't really know if anyone cared that much about seeing those (again let me know if you actually want to see them), so I chose not to show them!! Anyway I am really rambling now so here goes!!

L to R and top to bottom: Clinique City block Sheer 25 spf, Models Own Ibiza Mix, MeMeMe Dew Pots: Willow Whisper, Sleek eau la la liner in Melba and Tonic.

The 2 products I initially went in to buy were the Clinique City Block 25 SPF and the Models Own Ibiza Mix nail polish. As some of you know I have recently been suffering from some adult acne on my lower cheeks and as a result got refered to a dermotologist who prescribed me some cream. When I got given it she told me I had to buy a sunscream/ face protector to wear alongside it (to be honest, I should have been wearing one anyway..... tut tut tut to me). I have always been aware of the importance of wearing a face protector each day, but to be honest it seemed really boring (and quite frankly I had more exciting things to buy). However recently I have been really going through a skin phase, which I'm sure has been started because of my acne. I am suddenly more aware of my skin and the importance of looking after it. I had read a few reviews about the Clinique one and it seemed quite a good match for me so I went ahead and purchased it. I will let you know what I think about it soon! 

The next product I initially went to get was the Models Own Head Kandi nail polish in Ibiza Mix. As this is limited edition I was really desperate to try and find it. I have seen so many beautiful pictures of this on peoples nails and was really excited to try it myself. So when the 3rd Boots store I went to finally had it, I grabbed it got rather excited! I cannot wait to try it out!! YAY.

So the rest of my purchases were all a bit random, but things that were on my wish list but just hadn't planned to get today!! As I am sure many of you are aware Sleek make up have brought out some new multi purpose liners, which can be used on eyes, lips, brows and body. I have read about 2 reviews of these (they only came out this week) and thought the shade range looked brilliant. So when I went into Superdrug I picked my self up a couple. 

The first one that caught my eye is a coral colour called Melba. If you have read my March Favorites post you will know that I am really loving my 'Shy Girl' lipstick from M.A.C. This colour would look super underneath this lipstick and will give it a little more colour. As I am going to a wedding this weekend, I wanted to find a liner that I could wear underneath this lipstick to help it last a little longer, and this looks like the perfect thing! The other one I got is called Tonic and although it looks black above, it is actually a beautiful green shade!! I brought this thinking that it might look nice on the eye, underneath M.A.C Club eyeshadow! I shall let you know how I get on with these, as I am sure I will do a review (see below for swatches). 

The final thing I got was something I had been thinking about buying for a while. but couldn't make up my mind about. However when I saw it on offer with £2 off, I thought to myself, why not!!! 

This rich cream eyeshadow from MeMeMe is in the colour 'Willow Whisper' and is super creamy. I am really sorry for the big hole in the middle, I opened it and accidently stuck my finger in it without thinking (whoopppsss, new blogger alert)!! This cream eyeshadow has a beautiful texture and a really good colour payoff,. I just hope it lasts as well on the lid and doesn't crease too much!! I shall let you know how I get on!

Top to Bottom: Sleek eau la la liners in Tonic, Melba and at the bottom MeMeMe eye shadow in 'Willow Whisper'.

I cannot wait to try these products out...YAY!!!!!!!

LUSH: Lip Scrub in 'Sweet Lips'

For years and years my lips have been something I have battled with, they are soooooo dry!!! In fact when I was learning to drive at 17, I remember my rather odd driving instructor saying to me mid way through a lesson 'Wow your lips are dry, you need to start moisturising them like my wife does' and there was me thinking I was paying him to teach me how to drive not give me beauty tips. Little did he know I always had 2 chap sticks in my bag and moisturised them with my facial moisturiser every day!! Anyway, don't know why I just shared that with you, but it really stuck in my head!!! So on with the review. To cut a long story short I have been searching for the perfect combination to keep my lips smooth and hydrated especially through the winter months. About 3 months ago my friend and I ventured into LUSH (a shop I previously had never had the desire to go into) and I asked the sales assistant to show me some lip products. When she mentioned a lip scrub that not only exfoliated your lips but tasted really good (obviously a key element haha) I couldn't wait to try it.

As you can see it has a very bitty consistency but I love this product!

So the verdict.....I can honestly say, this has become a part of my regular beauty routine and teamed up with my Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream,  this have saved my lips!! When you open the pot it smells like sugar, probably because that is a key ingredient, it is after all marketed as a 'sugar lip scrub'. It comes in 3 flavours of which I chose the 'Sweet Lips' which smells of Vanilla and chocolate and it is simply gorgeous!!! The other flavours are Mint Julips and Bubblegum (this one is bright pink).The consistency is very bitty and you can clearly see the lumps of sugar in it. I was worried it may be quite sticky, but surprisingly it isn't at all. A little word of advice though, always take it out of the pot by pinching it between 2 fingers, otherwise it goes everywhere (I learnt that one the hard way, whoops)!! Then I simply apply it to my lips and rub it all over with my fingers, giving my lips a really good scrub. I have heard some people use this with a toothbrush or flannel to help the exfoliation but my finger works well enough for me. Once finished you can wipe it off with a wet flannel or tissue (the sales assistant told me you could lick it off your lips afterwards but surely you would then be eating all the dead skin with it, plus licking your lips usually makes them drier), put some lip balm on and there you have it, super smooth lips!! I have had this pot for 3 months and use it every other day and as you can see it barely looks like I have touched it. This makes my lipsticks look a million times smoother. I would defiantly repurchase this product and cannot wait to try out some other LUSH products!! If you know of any other brilliant LUSH products then please let me know, I am compiling a little list for myself haha!

This product retails at £4.95 for 25g and I think it is a brilliant investment! Well done LUSH!!!

TRESemme Split Remedy: Leave in treatment

I brought this product about a month ago after casually perusing my local drugstore shelves (as you do). I am always on the look out for a magical hair product that will miraculously repair and maintain my hair (we all know this doesn't exist, but I can dream can't I)!! This particular product was new and on offer, which made me want to try it even more. On the back of the packet it claims to 'repair split ends by up to 80% after just three uses'. I am not 100% sold on this product. My main concern was the 'repair' claim. We all know you cannot repair split ends, you can only seal them until a time where you have them cut off. They will never repair themselves fully, it is only hair after all, its not that clever! However having said that I have noticed a difference in my hair, it feels a lot smoother and the ends do look a lot healthier (it does say on the front 'for visably smooth and manageable hair', so I guess that bit is accurate). Whether or not it is doing anything for my split ends is debatable, but who knows!

So what is the actual product like? 

1 pumps worth (its blurry I know...I need a new camera)

The product itself smells divine, its that sort of sweet, flowery smell that all their products have! It is quite thick in consistency and a little goes a long way!! I find 2 pumps is more than enough for my hair, but the directions recommend 2-3 depending on thickness and length of your hair (or so I assume). I am generally a fan of TRESemme and already use their heat protector religiously (it smells so good and works brilliantly). This product doesn't leave my hair feeling or looking greasy, which is a big bonus for me as I have pretty fine hair. 

I think for me I am on the fence with this product, I love the smell, it definitely does something, but I'm not entirely sure what!! However if your simply after something that makes you hair smell good and feel super smooth, then this is it! 

Let me know if you have used it and what you think? 

Hellooooo!

I am really, really, really, really enjoying writing my blog!! There is something really exciting about doing it! I am aware I have become an annoying please RT twitter person, but getting new subscribers and followers makes me super excited and I love it!! YAY!!!! I didn't even expect to get the few followers I have already got and am like an excited little 4 year old now!! Whooooopp! Anyway if you could pass on my blog I would be superdooper grateful!
I am currently making a list of new blog posts to do, and my list is getting rather long. Is there any posts people would specifically like to see, if so I would love to hear them, either post a comment or tweet me...yay!!!

Anyway I know this is a silly post but I'm so excited and I wanted to say hiiiiii!
xx

What is in my daily makeup bag?

So I have no idea if you are interested or not, but I love reading these blog posts, so thought I would do my own!!

In my daily makeup bag I have:

• Bare Minerals (starter set- foundation, concealer and mineral veil in fairly light).
• Another foundation Bourjois Healthy Mix (shade 51)
• Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream lip protector
• Bobbi Brown corrector in light bisque
• Urban Decay original primer potion (mini size)
• M.A.C Mineralize Skin Finish in Blonde
• M.A.C Sincere blush
• Jemma Kidd Dewy glow in iced gold
• Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer (shade 51)
• Collection 2000 Big Fake Lash mascara in Ultra black
• Maybelline Colour Sensational cream gloss (shade 137 Fabulous Pink)
• Clinique bottom lash mascara in black/ brown
• M.A.C brow pencil in Fling
• M.A.C eyeliner in Coffee
• Benefit High Brow

You may have noticed I have 2 foundation/ concealer sets in here! I use my Bare Minerals when I am at work (simply because its quicker and I don't wear much makeup to work, also it allows my acne to breathe a bit and clear up). However if I am busy in the evenings or at weekends I wear my beloved Bourjois foundation and concealer. I always make sure I highlight and alternate between my M.A.C Mineralize Skin Finish (limited edition) and my Jemma Kidd dewy glow. Both of these are brilliant products and look beautiful as a highlight colour at the top of the cheeks, under the brow, down the bridge of the nose and on the cupids bow.The Jemma Kidd product is a cream product and so is super easy to work with, so easy in fact that I have hit pan on it : (! I don't have a contour shade in here simply because I don't always do it for day to day wear.

You may have noticed there are no eye shadows in my bag. This is because I use my M.A.C palette and alternate between some different shades in there. 

My M.A.C palette

As you can see my palette is a jumble of lots of different colours, I have collected (and I use them all, just not at the same time haha). I do tend to use the left hand side of this palette more, as they are my daily shades. On a typical morning I will use Shroom (bottom left) all over my eye with Patina (bottom row, second from left) blended into it for a bit of colour. I then use my coffee eye pencil to line my eyes and then mascara. Finally I use Benefits high Brow under my brows (obviously) and sometimes in my water line, just to counteract the redness when I'm tired. Before I run out the door I throw on some lip protector, grab my bags and fly out the door (usually forgetting something)

My makeup bag is from my beloved Cath Kidston (I literally adore these products....I am secretly a flowery housewife waiting to come out..wooohooo. My poor boyfriend)!  Anyway so there you have it, my daily makeup bag and all its goodies! So what are your daily products?!!

Pretty new polish!!

So a bit on an unscheduled post but I couldn't resist!!! I was a little naughty today and went on the hunt for some new matt nude eyeshadows and came back with............wait for it................. nail polish (no shock here as you have clearly seen the title of this post and can see the photos haha)!!!! Not entirely sure that was part of the plan, but hey ho....and no eye shadows in sight on the way home, whoops!! All in all I brought 4 new nail polishes, which are all slightly similar, but they were all on offer (that makes it better I think, right?). Anyway so I was just sat here and decided to use one of them, it took me ages to decide which one but eventually (with my eyes closed) I picked one up and it was the 'Models Own' Mystic Mauve. First impression....STUNNING!!!!

Mmmmmmm Can I eat it?!! (excuse the out of focus shot)

I am going through a major shimmer phase at the moment, which I can honestly say I don't usually go for!! Something has come over me since Christmas and I am well and truly in the middle of this shimmer phase!! This colour is soooo lovely. I have 2 coats on in this picture but to be honest it only needed one. I'm a little OCD about my nail polish and have to do at least 2 coats, even when it only needs 1 (WHY?!!!!). Anyway what do you think?? Here are some better photos:

Its soo pretty! This picture doesn't do it much justice as its a lot more pinky in real life with purple undertones!

You can see some of the pinky/ purpleness in this shot, but its even better in person.

As I have said under the photos, it has pink/ purple undertones and looks different in different lighting!! I got this for £5 from boots!! What do you think!?

Top 5 Everyday Makeup Brushes!

I have come to the conclusion that I have far too many makeup brushes, but they all serve a purpose (in my eyes anyway)! Whittling them down to my top 5 was easier than I thought it would be (quite shocked by that). There are certain ones I usually every day, because they are brilliant and I could eat them up I love them so much!

L to R: M.A.C 219,  217, Real Techniques dome shadow brush, buffing brush and blush brush

Now I know I have only included 2 brands in this post, but I do own lots of other. However these honestly are the ones I use every day, over and over and over again!!

The M.A.C. brushes:

219 Pencil Brush

217 Blending Brush

The M.A.C 219 and 217 are both brilliant brushes! They are super soft, easy to clean and allow you to work really easily with the products you are using. I use the 219 (pencil brush) to put a highlighting eyeshadow shade in my tear duct area. It allows be to put the shadow in the correct place and blend it out, without making a real mess of it. I also use it to take shadow under my eye, or smudge eyeliner (there are a million uses)! The 217 is the classic M.A.C brush, that I am sure everyone has heard of, so I wont harp on about it too much, except to say I LOVE it!!!  It blends product beautifully and allows me to create a variety of looks. I couldn't be without it now and I recently purchased another one so that I always have a clean one! The pencil brush (219) retails at £19 and the blending brush (217) retails at £16. My only advice with these brushes (particuarly the 217) is to make sure your reshape it after cleaning it as the bristles have a tendency to splay ( I use the Brush Guard Makeup brush protectors).

The Real Techniques brushes:

Dome Shadow Brush (part of the Starter set)

Buffing Brush (part of the Core Collection set)

Blush Brush

I would be super dooper lost without these amazing brushes!! I HATE with a passion and scratchy brushes that feel horrible when I use them. These brushes are the softest thing I have ever had the pleasure of owning and I cannot recommend them enough. I own pretty much all the brushes (except the powder brush and brow groomer- they are on my list). These apply makeup beautifully and are brilliantly multi- purpose.  I got given both the 'Starter Set' and the 'Core Collection' by my sister and have found a use for every single brush in them. However the dome shadow brush and buffing brush really stand out for me. I use the dome shadow brush every single day to apply my eyeshadow. It is the perfect size for my eyelid and allows me to pack lots of product on without it being too much. 

The buffing brush is one that I have found a million uses for! I have used it with mineral foundation, liquid foundation, cream to powder foundation, highlighter, bronzer (you name it, I have tried it). If I could buy this brush by itself, I would!! Having 2 of these would be amazing!! Plus it is soooooo easy to clean, which I wasn't expecting!

The Blush brush, again is a good multi- purpose brush. You could use this for powder, bronzer, highlighter or blush! For me it is the perfect size for blusher and I love the way it feels on my face (soooooo soft)! It blends the blush in beautifully and really allows you to build up the colour and blend it into the rest of your face. I haven't even touched my other blush brushes since getting this (which says a lot, considering I usually change my brushes up a lot)!!! 

I got these brushes from love-makeup.co.uk (but you can also get them in boots in the UK). Prices do vary, depending where you buy them, but the cheaper price on love-makeup is put up by the delivery charge. I got my 2 sets for £20.99 each and the blush brush for £9.99!! I cannot recommend these enough and am super excited to try the new brushes, which are coming to the UK soon (you lucky Amercian readers already have them)! Check out the real techniques website for more info on the new brushes and the brilliant tutorials on how to use each brush/ collection!

So what are you most used and favorite brushes?!!! I would love to know!

Thank you!!

I just wanted to say thank you to my new members yay.....super happy face right now!!!!!!!!! I am really enjoying blogging and cannot wait to do more! Please help me gets lots of support and follow me on twitter @beautyandpearls!! Now to You Tube or not to You Tube (I'm scareeedddd)!

mwah xxx

Top 5 (and a half) nail polishes

Bonjour!!!

Soooooo I woke up today in a bit of a nail mood, I fancied a change (yet again) and couldn't decide which one to wear! Then I became inspired and decided to do my top 5 nails varnishes, which then turned into 5 and a half (not to sure if this works, but it sounds ok in my head)! Soooo anywho, lets gets straight into the little pots of pretty coloured paint!!
I have a variety of colours that I have chosen, from a variety of different brands (both drugstore and higher end).

From L to R: Models Own 'Nude Beige',  Avon 'Fuchsia Fun' and Barry M 'Raspberry

From L to R: Barry M 'Peach Melba', Avon 'Aqua Fantasy' and OPI''Play the Peonies'

So above you can see the pretty paints. I am quite surprised at myself to be honest, I used to be a pinks and red girl but recently I have been slightly more experimental (should I be concerned)?! I will start with the top 3!!

L to R: Models Own 'Nude Beige', Avon ' Fuschia Fun' and Barry M 'Raspberry'

Now aside from the badly painted nails above these are my most favourite colours all year round!!  They go with pretty much any outfit and make me feel smiley and happy (which is never a bad thing)!! All 3 polishes are quite different though:

Models Own 'Nude Beige': This polish is really easy to work with, which is brilliant when you are as clumsy and impatient as I am!!! It is quite a thick consistency, so just be careful not to have too much on your brush. I find the more coats I do, the darker the polish gets, which means you can adapt it, which I think is great! The only slight downside (although it doesn't bother me) is the smell, is it me (and my very sensitive nose), or does this have an odd smell to it?! Having said that, I don't care and will repurchase this again and again! It is the only Models Own polish I own and I cannot wait to go and get some more! This polish retails at £5.00 (BARGAIN)!

Avon 'Fuschia Fun': This polish really surprised me!! I will be honest, I initially brought it because it was on offer in my Avon catalogue (yes I am that cool, but its got some brilliant stuff in it)!! I was on the market for a new pink (as if I don't have enough already) and the glitter in this really drew me to it! It is a really pretty bright pink and has really tiny particles of glitter in it, which looks really pretty in the light! It is quite a watery consistency and needs a few coats (this one had 3 coats), but its a bargain and last really well! I brought this for £3 when it was on offer in the catalogue!!

Barry M 'Raspberry': This is my HG nail polish and I am already on my 2nd bottle!! I literally adore this colour! It looks lovely in all seasons and can be adapted so well (I have worn it with so many different shades of glitter on). It goes on really easily and is a brilliant consistency. You only need about 2 coats to get it looking gorgeous! As with any red colour, I would advise using a base coat, otherwise it will stain slightly. According to the Superdrug website this retails at £2.99, although I really thought I paid more than that!

L to R: Barry M 'Peach Melba', Avon 'Aqua Fantasy' and OPI (mini) 'Play the Peonies'.

Please don't judge the awfully painted nails in the picture above (this was painted using my left hand and we all know how hard that is when you are right handed)!

Barry M 'Peach Melba': This is such a pretty colour, and as one I only tend to wear in the spring this drugstore one does me just fine! This is quite a different consistency to the other Barry M one already mentioned and it requires a little more concentration to apply. You need about 3 coats of this colour, otherwise it can look very patchy. However that being said I think it is such a pretty colour it is well worth the time!! This retails at £2.99

Avon 'Aqua Fantasy': I'm going to be honest, this is not a colour I would usually go for, but I saw it on Sam from Pixiwoo and fell in love with it! It is such a pretty colour and when I fancy something different this is usually the one I go for. The picture above doesn't do it justice as it actually looks a lot paler on the nails than it does in this picture (think I may need a new camera)! Again it is quite tricky to work with and needs a few coats, but once you get the hang of it, its fine!! I brought this for £3, but it depends if you buy on line or in the catalogue and what offers they have on.

OPI 'Play the Peonies': Now this is my half nail polish because I got it in a mini set (Nice Stems) when it was on buyapower.com. This is such a cute nail polish and I love it. I wore it last week and had so many compliments on how pretty it looked!! This requires a few coats (I gave this one 3), but it looks beautiful afterwards!! I have no idea if you can buy this outside of the gift set or full size (let me know if you have any idea), I have looked on line but got rather confused (its been a long day)! 

Anyway those are my 5 and a half top nail polishes. What do you think?!! If you were wondering I use the OPI Nail Envy as my base and top coat and I adore it!!

So what nail polishes do you recommend? What are your favourites, let me know!!!

March Favorites

So here is the hit list of my most loved products in the crazy month of March!!

My favorites!! 

From front to back:

1. M.A.C Shroom eyeshadow palette refill 
2. M.A.C Patina eyeshadow palette refill 
3. M.A.C Brow pencil in Fling 
4. Topshop Magic Liner
5. M.A.C: Sincere blush 
6. Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum: Shade 51. 
7. Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer: Shade 51 
8. Jemma Kidd Dewey Glow in Iced Gold 
9. M.A.C Lipstick in 'Shy Girl' 
10. Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque
11. Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream
12. Argan Magic, Intensive Hair Oil
13. Sanctuary Hot Cloth Cleanser
14. Sanctuary 5 minute Thermal Detox Mask

I have been loving so many products this month and have been having so much fun using them. Alot of these I have had a long time and have not brought all of these this month (that would be crazy expensive)!! I love rediscovering products and find nothing more satisfying than using something up (is that slightly odd?)! So let me do a quick run down!

Eyeshadows:

Shroom       Patina

I have been wearing these eyeshadows EVERY day (slightly obsessive I know)! They are both beautiful day colours that i find really flattering on my skin tone. I tend to use shroom as a base all over and Patina through the crease and in the outside corner.

Fling Brow Pencil and Topshop Magic Liner:

I would be lost without my Fling brow pencil. it is quite simply my brow colour in a pencil and I love it. Its really easy to work with and is fool proof (in other words made for me and my clumsiness) and leaves your brows looking natural but neat. 

As for the Topshop Magic Liner, this is so easy to use and is again a fool proof product. This makes my morning makeup so quick and with as little fuss as possible (I am always in a rush to get to work and cant be bothered to faff about). This stays really well and does not budge!!

M.A.C Sincere blush and the Boujois Foundation and concealer:

I have done reviews of both these products already so please check further down my blog. Basically I love these products!!

Jemma Kidd Dewey Glow in Iced Gold:

This product is brilliant and is so flattering. It really sits beautifully on the skin and looks very natural. The shimmer in it is minimal and the colour is really good for paler skin. As you can see from the picture below, I have had this for a while and have just hit pan : (!!

 If you have darker skin you could try this product in the shade Rose Gold as I have heard that shade is super for darker skin tones.

M.A.C Lipstick in 'Shy Girl':

This is such a beautiful color!! I had never owned a peachy lipstick (I know, I know...I think I have had my head in lala land for far to long)! Anyway they just never appealed to me, despite having heard lots about this particular one from M.A.C. I went and saw my friend and she tried this lipstick on me and it was love at first sight. I really didn't think it would suit me, but it looks so pretty on!!!! LOVE IT!!!!! I did get this through the back to M.A.C scheme as well which makes it even better in my eyes (everyone loves a freebie)!

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque and the Hydrating Eye cream:

My under eyes have been sooooooooooooo dry recently (probably due to my dry skin anyway and the yucky english weather). I find Bobbi Brown products wonderful and I have been eager to get their corrector for as long as I can remember! It just so happened when I went to get it my eye cream had also run out. The lady tried them both on me and the results are great!!! My under eyes are so much more hydrated and appear so much lighter and lovely!! Luckily for me as well they had 10% off woohoooooo!!!

Corrector in Light Bisque     Hydrating Eye Cream

Argan Magic: Intensive Hair Oil:

I have had major problems with my hair for the last year or so after a really silly hairdresser did something naughty to it and I ended up with straw for hair!! However it is all back to normal now and is actually in better condition than it was before (don't know why I felt I needed to explain this haha)! Anyway I had been thinking about purchasing the Moroccan Oil but really couldn't justify the £30 to myself (its seems sooooo expensive for some oil, or is that just me?)! Anyway I was in TK Maxx and I saw this in the hair section for £6.00...bargain!! So I thought I would give it a whirl! This has made my hair so soft and has reduced the frizziness brilliantly!! I am in love with it and will repurchase for sure!!! 

The Sanctuary Hot Cloth Cleanser and 5 Minute Detox Facial Mask

Both of these products seem really good. I have been using them for about 2 weeks now (although I only use the mask about twice a week) and I have had no bad reactions or anything like that! The Hot Cloth Cleanser really takes my makeup off and leaves my skin feeling really clean, which I love!! I really feel like it is doing my skin some good! 

As for the face mask, this seems to clean my skin out well and I have noticed my skin seems alot brighter and healthier since I have been using it!! 

So these are my March favorites! I hope you have enjoyed reading this. Let me know what you think of any of the products if you have used them!

Avene Eau Thermale: Skin Recovery Cream and Extremely Gentle Cleanser

I hear alot about these products over the last couple of months some good things and some bad things. When my cleanser ran out I decided to try this Avene one as they are marketed for sensitive and irritated skin. 

As you can see, the packaging is simple and to the point. I like the fact you can see how much product is left, as I am rubbish at telling when things are nearly finished!! This is really good at removing my makeup and gets everything off really well. The only thing I don't like, is that sometimes it can be quite tricky to work with. The consistency is almost sticky in texture and I find when I put it on a cotton pad and put it on my face, it tends to make the cotton pad fall apart (if that makes sense), then I end up with cotton wool all over my face and look ridiculous (I can hear you laughing)! I'm not to sure why this is, but I find it highly frustrating! However I am not one to give up with something after the first problem, so instead of using it to remove all my makeup, I now wash my face with my Hot Cloth Cleanser from the Sanctuary and then use this to remove any makeup left over (usually mascara panda eyes and some foundation near my hair line). This seems to be alot more effective, as I don't have to move it around my face as much! The thing I do really like about this is how gentle it is, it hasn't irritated me skin at all and leaves it feeling very soft.

Ok so onto the moisturiser. I initially brought this because my previous moisturiser was irritating my skin and making it quite greasy, which was not helping my acne issues. Having tried the cleanser and knowing that it didn't irritate my skin I decided to look into their moisturisers. One of the reasons I was drawn to them is that they claim to be good for skin which has become sensitive due to dermatological treatments (which mine has). With this in mind I brought the Skin recovery cream, calming formula. 

Since using this, I have noticed a dramatic difference in my skin, it is smoother, softer and my acne is clearing up (this is not purely due to this cream, but I am sure this has played its part). You don't need much of it, in order for your skin to feel soft and lovely, a little goes along way (and this is coming from someone who used to pile it on to make it as moisturised as possible, with the end result being I looked like a very shiny ball)!  I don't find this product at all greasy and it doesn't sit on top of my skin. In fact it soaks in beautifully and provides a lovely base for my makeup. However this is purely on my skin and it might not suit everyone!

My only problem with these products is the price. The cleanser sells for £8.00 (which isn't too bad for 200ml) but the moisturiser sells for £12.50 for 40ml (a little steep in my eyes). However I would pay this price again, as the results on my skin are brilliant. Both of these products are available in boots in the UK.

So all in all I would purchase the moisturiser again, but as for the cleanser, I am not so sure!! What do you think??