New Purchases | The High Street Edit

I have little will power when it comes to Boots and their 3 for 2 offers, so I thought I would take the opportunity to pick up a few products that everyone has been raving about. 

Initially I only went into Boots to see the new and much hyped about Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes, however I nearly left empty handed when I couldn't decide what shade I wanted (Top blogger points for not walking away with the whole lot). Seductive Pink was the shade that caught my eye the most, the multi tonal, baked style blushers have quickly become a staple in the blogging world, consistently being compared to the infamous Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushers. At nearly £20 less than the Hourglass Blushers, I definitely think I will be collecting a few more of these. 

The Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude foundation has been on my wishlist even since I saw it being featured on Wish Wish Wish and I knew that I had to have it. After covering my arm in swatches trying to find the correct shade for my skin tone, I ended up with the shade Cameo firmly in my clutches. This lightweight, silk finish foundation just spoke to me as I am currently on the search for more lighter feeling bases as the seasons are starting to change and hopefully the weather will be getting hotter (we can wish). 

As a bit of a foundation hoarder, I had to really try my hardest to resist buying the L'Oreal Infalliable Matte Foundation, but after I said to myself "You don't need another foundation" I decided that nevertheless I wouldn't leave empted handed, so I instead opted for the L'Oreal Infalliable Mattifying Primer. For me, a primer should maximise my foundation longevity and smooth out any imperfections or dry patches, resulting in a perfect base for my foundation. 

After my recent successful shopping trip, I will definitely be heading back to my favourite beauty aisles to make the most of this offer.b

Have you had a chance to use the 3 for 2 Boots offer over the weekend? 

SHARE:

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water |

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | £4.99 | Link

If you haven't heard of micellar waters, then I don't know where you've been. After the hype around Bioderma back in 2013 everybody went on the hunt for a UK and much cheaper alternative. Even though Bioderma is more available in the UK than it was back years ago (When you'd have to cross the channel just to buy a bottle), I decided to give it's much raved about rival Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water a go.  

Micellar waters have quickly become a cult favourite of mine and for a good reason too. They remove make up effectively without stinging my eyes or irritating my skin. The Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is by far my favourite and after purchasing many, many bottles I thought it was about time I reviewed it. Even though it claims that it removes make up, cleanses and softens to skin, I wasn't sold by these claims so I was initially sceptical as to whether it would leave my skin feeling stripped and dry. To my surprise, the formula is fairly moisturising, leaving my skin feeling thoroughly cleansed and nourished. If you're a lazy girl like me you'll be pleased to know that this micellar water, like the majority of others, is non-rinse and easy to use, convenient for when you want to swiftly remove your make up without the hassle of using double figure amounts of products.

It melts away my make up in seconds and makes double cleansing much easier. I like to concentrate on my eye area, as the formula is hypo-allergenic and suitable for sensitive skin which means it works wonders when you want to remove stubborn eyeliner or mascara without stinging your eyes. If you're looking for a cleanser that leaves your skin feeling cleansed and refreshed, I'm sure the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water will be right up your street. At £4.99 for 400ml, this gigantic sized bottle will last you for months. Bargain. 

Have you tried the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water?

SHARE:

Guest Post | The Spring Nail Edit

    

(As I am currently 600 miles away, I thought I would hand you over to Call Me Amy to give you the latest Spring nail trend. I hope you're all doing well and I'll be back next week.)

I’m starting to see some glimpses of spring – anyone else ridiculously excited when they wake up to sun streaming through the blinds? I’ve really been getting into the spirit of spring, maybe a little prematurely (learnt the hard way it’s not quite no coat weather yet brrrr) and I’ve put away my dark and glittery nail colours in favour of some more spring like picks. Here are my top 5:

Nails Inc in Marylebone Road

This colour reminds me of gardens so what better colour for spring? I can’t wait to do a floral nail art pattern using it at some point in the near future!

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Huckleberry

This is such a lovely pale pastel blue colour and brightens up nails so much. I’m a sucker for Barry M nail varnishes and this is one of my favourites.

Illamasqua in Load

This is my only Illamasqua polish (and I only have it because it was a TK Maxx find – I would never pay full price!) but it’s the perfect spring colour and probably my favourite out of these five. It’s a cream/very pale yellow colour which just screams sunshine!

Essie in Roarrrrange

It wouldn’t be a very good top five without a pop of colour and here it is! I used to hate orange but I absolutely love it now and I’m addicted to wearing this on my nails!

Nails Inc in Kensington Square

Pink clothes wash me out so I have to get my pink fix in other ways and this beautiful pastel shade is perfect for spring nails.

SHARE:

Natural Make Up | Must Haves

Natural make up has never been my forte. I tend to pile on a load products all at once just to achieve a base that I would class as minimal. I stare in wonder at the five product face posts and I envy those who look absolutely flawless when they're just wearing a little powder and mascara. I, like many, don't have the confidence to go around bare faced, but over the last few years I have become a lover of lighter bases and less products on a regular basis. I have put together a few of my must have minimal make up products that I have collected over the last few months. 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer | £4.19 | Link | Infamous for it's lasting powder and high coverage, it is no wonder that this has become a staple in my make up bag. It conceals flaws and imperfections with just one swipe, perfect for when you want to hide those blemishes without the use of foundation. 

MAC Powder Blush - Mocha | £18 | Link | Described as a soft plum-pink, this shade is perfect for when you want to add a flush of colour to your cheeks and the matte finish doesn't cake or highlight any flaws. Even though this shade is easy to miss, it remains one of my all time favourites, a blush which I reach for whenever I'm in doubt. 

Benefit Gimme Brow | £17.50 | Link | Does anyone else feel naked without their brows filled in? I know I do, that's why this product remains a firm favourite of mine. This infamous brow gel, volumizes and tames unruly hairs, whilst adding a natural looking tint. Perfect for when you don't want to fill in your brows using a pencil, but still want them to have a defined arch and thickness. 

Balmi Cube Lip Balm - Strawberry | £4.99 | Link | SPF and UV protection are both important aspects to look for in a lip balm. If you're wanting to achieve a natural look, then what better way than to go naked on the lips. This lip balm is perfect for when you want smooth and nourished lips, without the need for excessive amounts of products. 

What are your minimal make up must haves?  

SHARE:

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow |

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow | £49 | Link

I have lusted after Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze and Glow for as long as I can remember. The endless positive reviews and the rose gold packaging made me want this compact even more, but at £49, was it worth the hype and price? Fortunately, I received this as part of Tea Party With Alice giveaway and as soon as I opened it, I knew that it was love. 

This contouring palette is a sculpting and highlighting duo that defines and adds glow to your complexion. At first, I was sceptical about the 'one shade suits all' as my skin tone doesn't usually suit many contouring shades, however I was pleasantly surprised. Even though I was told that the sculpting shade is matte, it has in fact got a slight shimmer and even though this didn't phase me (as glitter usually would), it did feel a little weird going out my usual 'contour shades have to be matte' comfort zone. The sculpt shade is cool toned, not too orange nor brown, perfect for creating chiselled cheekbones. I use my Real Techniques Cheek Brush to define my cheekbones, then I lightly dust it over my temples and down my jawline. The one thing I thought stood out about this duo is how fool-proof it is to use. You never feel like you're got OTT with your contour, however it still remains buildable for when you want a more chiselled, bronzy look. 

If you read my recent post on my favourite highlighters, then you would have seen that the highlighting shade has already been featured on my blog. Even though this highlighter has a lot of shimmer, I definitely find this to be one of my most subtle highlighting shades. The soft, golden toned shade gives your skin a glow and brightens your complexion, whilst remaining understated for an everyday look.   

Overall, this has quickly taken pride of place in my make up collection and I reckon it'll remain my top contouring product for a while. 

Have you tried any Charlotte Tilbury products? What are your favourites?

SHARE:

The Makeup Revolution Edit |

Makeup Revolution seems to be dominating the blogging scene at the moment with their affordable, yet high quality products that often resemble our favourite high end brands and products. Since their release this time last year, I have managed to get my hands on a few of their products, so I thought I'd give you the run down of my favourite items. 

The One Fluid Blusher in Pink Dew + Rush Me* | £3 each | Link | Until a few months ago, I was never a blush kind of girl, in fact blusher in every form never excited nor appealed to me. That was until I swatched these liquid blushers and fell in love. The silicone based, oil free formulas create a soft finish that is water resistant yet highly pigmented. Even though they can be rather messy due how runny they are, if you shake well and are careful when applying, you'll achieve a flawless finish in seconds. Out of the two, Rush Me is my favourite, the coral shade with gold glitter looks gorgeous against a natural tan, whilst Pink Dew is more of a baby pink shade with a little shimmer perfect for if you want a barely there, subtle look.

Highlighter Palette - Highlight* | £8 | Link | This product instantly caught my eye due to its resemblance to the infamous Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders, which at £48 more meant I was willing to give this dupe a go. This palette contain three different shades of highlighter a gold champagne, a peach bronze and a soft lilac shade, all three are easy to wear daily with a soft focus finish.   

Ultra Blush and Contour Palette - Hot Spice | £6 | Link | If you're after a palette that is great for travelling then this may be the one. With eight shades to chose from, ranging from a bronze to a coral highlighting shade. Even though there are a few shades that I can't see myself wearing, this palette is great value for money. Every shade is highly pigmented and can be worn daily, there is a variety of matte and shimmer shades, so you'll have every look covered. 

Lip Lava Intense Liquid Lipsticks - Tremor* | £2.99 | Link | Similar to the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks, I knew that at some point I would have to give one a go. I chose Tremor, a similar shade to Too Faced Melted Penny, a yellow toned pink shade which is both bright and wearable. Initially I wasn't too sure on the sponge tip applicator, but after the first application I noticed that they applied the lipstick precisely and evenly to the whole lip. The formula is comfortable to wear with a gloss to matte finish. 

What are your favourite Makeup Revolution products? 

*PR SAMPLE/GIFTED

SHARE:

Body Scrubs 101 |

Body scrubs are an all year round essential and I never seem to put the stuff down. Over the past few years I have accumulated a lot a few body scrub must haves and fails, so as we prepare for the hotter weather I thought I'd give you the run down of my favourite body scrubs. 

The Body Shop Mango Body Scrub | £13 | Link | Infamous for their body scrubs, The Body Shop is my go-to place when I want a scent to last on my skin. I especially like this in the summer because I feel like I can smell like fruit salad all day long, whilst having extremely soft, smooth skin. Even though I find the partner body butter to be too thick on my skin, it would be perfect for anybody that likes a fragrance to linger on their body. 

Lush Rub Rub Rub | £8.75 | Link | I did a full review on this body scrub back in November. Five months on and two tubs later, I'm still using this whenever I feel like I need an extra hand in getting my skin soft and smooth. I first started using this scrub when I had problems with *ahem* backne and from the first few goes I started noticing a change in the amount of impurities I had. During the Spring, my skin always goes a tad dry due to the change in weather,so as soon as I start seeing any dry patches appearing I lather this on and I'm good to go. If you're looking for a body scrub that you can really work into the skin and you want to see results instantly then Rub Rub Rub will definitely sort your skin out. 

Nip+Fab Circulation Fix Body Scrub | £9.95 | Link | Nip+Fab have been a firm favourite of mine these past few months, their glycolic skin care range sorted out my skin, so I thought I'd venture into their body care range. This body scrub is designed to be used post-workout to energise and revitalise the skin. If you're after a scrub that brightens the skin then this scrub will be right up your street, with a range of complex ingredients such as menthol and glycolic acid you can achieve glowing, toned skin in minutes. 

What are your favourite body scrubs for spring? 

SHARE:

Nars Creamy Concealer |

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer | £22 | Link

Unlike the majority of bloggers, I'm not your stereotypical concealer hoarder with an array of concealer to cover and correct all sorts of imperfections. For me, I'm a one concealer does all kind of girl and until I have an extra 30 minutes in the morning to get ready I think that's what I'll always be. 

In the past few months Nars has been my go-to brand and whenever I am near my local counter I always feel myself gravitating towards it. I am someone that, even though I deny it, definitely cave to hypes on a regular basis. I was on the hunt for a high coverage concealer that wouldn't crease or fade and even though I am still satisfied with my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer I thought it was time for a change.  After a long time searching, I settled for the Nars Creamy Concealer which comes in at a steep £22 in the shade Vanilla.

I am always a bit nervous when I try out a new concealer as their formulas don't tend to bode well for my skin type, they either accentuate my dry patches or add an unnecessary amount of oil to my face. To my surprise the consistency was perfect, creamy, lightweight and easily to build. The shade range is brilliant, catering for all different varieties of skin tones and I don't find that the concealers oxidise on my skin which means you don't waste your money buying a product that doesn't match your skin. However, I have found that certain shades go out of stock quickly. Like the title suggests, this concealer is creamy in texture and easy to blend despite its thick consistency. I am thankful that I don't have any under eye problems, but I do find that this covers blemishes like a dream and unlike the majority of concealers you don't need to constantly re-apply. This is a great all- round natural looking concealer which now has a permanent spot in my make up bag. 

Have you tried the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer?  

SHARE:

The Glow Getters |

One of my favourite beauty products would be highlighter as I find that my lacklustre skin craves it, my make up never looks complete without it and my contour doesn't work as well. As we're getting into the warmer months or hoping at least, I always opt for a lighter base with a semi-matte finish where highlighter can start performing it's magic on my skin. For me, a good highlighter is one that is super creamy on the skin, isn't overly glittery and just gives a radiant, effortless finish. As someone who is a little bit obsessed with highlighters, I thought I would give you a run down of my favourite ones to use this season. 

theBalm Mary Lou Manizer | £17.50 | Link | Initially I wasn't too bothered whether or not I got my hands on this as I usually find overly hyped products rarely live up to their expectations, however from the first sweep, I was sold. This buttery textured powder blends seamlessly into the skin leaving behind a subtle glow that can be built up to a much more intense look. As someone who prefers a more golden glow, I wasn't let down with this honey hued, multi tasking highlighter which can be used both on the eyes and cheeks. 

Topshop Highlighter - Horizon | £10 | Link | This product is one that you may be familiar with on my blog and twitter, as it feels like I never stop talking about it. Out of all four highlighters, Horizon is definitely the shade that is more of a highlighter/bronzer hybrid, however when you have a tan it sculpts and defines effortlessly leaving behind a glow that lasts for hours. Definitely one for someone who doesn't particularly like topping up on their highlighter throughout the day (Who does?).

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow |£49 | Link | They should definitely add emphasis to the glow part of this duo. Out of all my highlighters, I would say that this is the one that has the most shimmer. The warm golden toned highlighter provides a subtle brightening effect on the skin whilst complimenting your contour. When used with a light hand and my Real Techniques Duo Powder Fibre Brush you can achieve an understated sheen which is perfect for when the sun in shining. I would say this would be suitable for anyone looking for a shade that isn't too pink or too warm and perfect for a night out. 

Topshop Glow Highlighter - Polish | £9 | Link | Despite being sceptical about this product when I first bought it due to the light champagne, almost white shade that isn't normally my thing, it is actually the highlighter that I've nearly finished.  The creamy, almost mousse light consistency works perfectly for when you want a 'lit from within' look and a highlighter that blends into your foundation without leaving weird streaks. If I want to add an extra something to my skin I often use this under another highlighter for a much more intense look. 

What is your favourite highlighter? Have you tried any of these?

SHARE:

MAC Brave |

You're probably sick and tired of hearing about the Kyle Jenner lip by now, her infamous pout has been the topic of conversation for well over a year, is it lip fillers or is it make up trickery? Either way, I knew that at some point I'd be lusting after the fuller lip look and heading to MAC to find the answer. 

If you read my MAC Diva post back in January then you will already know that I was never a MAC lipstick kind of girl until recently. The formulas, the colours, the way they felt on my lips all put me off, however slowly but surely I have been building back up my lipstick collection. When I went into my local MAC counter, I was overwhelmed with the various shades that have recently being thrust into the limelight since the hype, I chose Brave, instantly falling in love. Nude lipsticks have never been my kind of thing, the concealer lip trend was never one I followed and since then I was scared of light colours that would wash me out. Initially, the satin finish of this lipstick put me off due to awful previous experiences with the formula from hell, however after trying this out on my lips several times I found that, to my delight the satin finish and formula had changed. Being a medium pink-beige, this muted shade is suitable for everyday wear, complimenting all skin tones. Not only do I feel like this makes my lips look a hundred times better, but I no longer feel like I need to avoid nude lips at all costs. Brave blends seamlessly onto the lips and unlike other MAC lipstick I don't find that this clings to any dry patches either, instead it is rather hydrating. I love pairing it with MAC Whirl lip liner in order to emphasise on my lip shade and make them look fuller. At £15.50, it may be a little steep as I'm sure there are similar shades on the high street for less, but every girl has to have one high end lipstick in their collection. If you're looking for an easy to wear, daily lip shade then I would 100% recommend Brave. 

What is your favourite nude lip shade? 

SHARE:

Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation |

Laura Mercier is a brand that I have been dying to try for some time now, their Silk Crème foundation being top of my wishlist due to the hype and the promises of a long lasting, glowing foundation. Their sleek tubes and simplistic designs had me hooked from the get go and after spending an extortionate amount of time in Space NK, I came out with a massive grin on my face and a new foundation in my bag. 

Unlike many other high end foundations, the shade that I picked up - Rose Beige - is a perfect match for me, a shade which is suitable for fair to light skin with cool undertones. Even though it states that this foundation is full coverage, I'd still say it was medium coverage, but extremely buildable. The finish is a semi matte satin finish with a thick yet creamy and hydrating formula which blends easily into the skin whilst covering any marks, blemishes or imperfections. The only downfall to this foundation is that if you're in a rush or you're somebody who only has five minutes to do your make up in the morning then this foundation may not be the one for you as you definitely need to blend until your wrist hurts. What made me fall in love with this foundation is that it is long wearing with or without powder and it photographs beautifully because it is contains no SPF. I take a pea sized amount on my Zoeva 102 Silk Finish brush and blend until I'm satisfied, then I buff over my powder and set with my Urban Decay All Nighter Setting spray to make sure it lasts all day.

Overall, the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation is definitely worth the hype and it's £34 price tag. I've worn it pretty much everyday and am pleased with the natural, glowing finish that it gives my skin. 

Have you tried this foundation? What are your thoughts on Laura Mercier?

SHARE: