Beauty TAG Skin Care

Wooohooo! This is the first time I have ever been tagged so I am very excited about doing this post!! Unfortunately skincare seems to be the part of beauty that I am most rubbish at, so this should be interesting. I would firstly like to say thank you to  Charlotte (who's blog will be linked below) for tagging me, I absoloutely adore her blog and read it all the time.

Describe your skincare routine in 5 words?
Lazy, Cheap, Simple, Optimistic and Lazy. Ok, so I cheated and used the same word twice but lazy is literally the best word to describe my skincare routine. I always start off with good intentions but slowly and surely I get lazy and end up dropping things from my routine. Most of my skincare products are quite purse friendly as well but I do really want to use more high end products. 

What's your skin type?
Pretty normal to combo to be honest. I do get patches of dry skin, normally around my nose and occasionally on my cheeks. I don't often get oily but when I do it tends to be on my eyelids and T- zone. 

Top Blemish Zapper?
This is easy. It has to be Lush's Grease Lightning. This stuff is magical! I recently did a review of this if you want more details.

Face Wipes, yay or nay?
Oh this is a hard one. As I said I am very lazy, so when I am feeling particularly lazy that is when the face wipes come out but on a day to day basis they are a definite no for me! 

Toner, yay or nay?
I do have a few toners, all of which I just switch between but I am not a massive fan of any of them. I do really want to find a good toner though so if anyone knows any good ones then let me know!?

High end skincare or high end make up?
I think budget make up brands do really great dupes for a lot of high end products so I would have to say high end skincare. I don't think high end skincare can be as easily copied as make up can. 

What's the most unusual skincare product you've tried?
When I was younger I use to swear by using toothpaste as a way to combat spots. I can't actually remember if it worked but what I do know is that it dried out your skin loads!!

Tell us your top skincare tip:
It would have to be drink lots of water and always take your make up off before you go to sleep! Both of these are things that my mum has been telling me for years and I have only recently started listening to them so thank you mum!!

So that is my first tag over!! Thanks again Charlotte for tagging me! When it came to choosing who to tag I had a really hard time, I read so many and just couldn't pick. I have managed to pick a few people though and they are:

                                                                 

                         Hannah from http://b-l-a-b.blogspot.co.uk/

                                Emily from http://www.britishbeautyaddict.com

                                           and Elena from http://dornroeeschen.blogspot.co.uk/

Hope everyone tagged joins in and hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,

                                                                    Laura xxx

My Recent Autumn Purchases

As usual I have been doing some shopping but for once I have stepped away from Boots and ventured into some other shops! So this post is just going to be a fairly random selection of clothes, accessories and candles that I have purchased recently! Also sorry this is late, the storm caused me to be stuck in Southampton for a little longer than expected which was lovely but meant I had no camera or anything!!

First up candles, and I got 2 candles from Village Candle's, Spiced Pumpkin and Brownie Delight. They were on offer in a shop called Cargo and couldn't resist buying them. My personal favourite is Spiced Pumpkin, it is literally the best thing I have ever smelt! The smell just reminds me of Christmas and I love that. I have been burning this one almost every night and the smell still lingers well into the next day. I have probably burnt this about 10-12 times and it still hasn't gone down too much which is great. Brownie Delight I bought because my boyfriend said he really liked the smell so I mostly only burn it when he is around but I do really like it. This candle is very very sweet and it does really smell like a fresh brownie out of the oven. If you like super sweet sickly smells then this is definitely for you. As you can probably tell from the photos these candles have obviously taken inspirations from Yankee Candles but I have actually heard that these are just as good, or even better as they have a stronger smell and burn more evenly (as they are double wicked). 

My favourite combo, tartan and fluffy
jumper. 

Next up is a few bits and pieces from Primark. I think autumn/winter fashion is what Primark do best and as trends change so frequently I love getting my winter essentials from here. One of my favourite things I have got recently is this super cute and comfy Fluffy Cream Jumper. I bought this in a size 16 as I really want to wear it oversized with fun wintery leggings and also over dresses but I think this would also look lovely fitted with jeans or skirts. Fluffy jumpers seem to be all over the place this season and I do really like the ones from Primark because they feel good quality but are really reasonably priced. 

Aside from fluffy jumpers a big trend I am completely loving is tartan! I placed an online Topshop order about 3 weeks ago now and ordered 2 pairs of their Tartan Leggings, one in monochrome and the other black and red. I vowed to myself to only keep the pair I liked the most but when they arrived I loved them both so I decided to keep them both. I think these leggings are really good quality (they feel like they will keep you warmer in the colder months to come) and also look great for so many ocassions. I wear them when I'm just slouching around the house but they are also perfect for dressing up with black boots and a fun top for a night out. 

Finally is this super cool Chain Cross Necklace that I also got in my Topshop order. I think this little piece was in the sale so was really reasonably priced. Ordering jewellery online can be hard as the photo doesn't always show how big or small it really is, so when I ordered this I did expect it to be slightly smaller and also not as 3D as it (I was quite hungover when I placed this order so that could have something to do with the misremembering of items). I'm glad the necklace does look how it does though because I actually really like it. I have been wearing it with just a simple black dress and also over jumpers to make them look slightly more dressy. This necklace is fast becoming one of my favourite accessories. 

So that is all for my little autumn related post. I wasn't sure what to title this because it is sort of just a random collection of things I love for autumn so I was at a little bit of a loss. What are you guys currently loving this season? And what do you think of A/W 13 trends? Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,

                                                                           Laura xxx

P.S- Tomorrows post is going to be a tag which I was tagged in yesterday!! 

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

When I first heard about this sponge being released I have to admit I was very excited and even set a reminder on my phone so that I could go out and buy it the day it was released. But as the hype got more and people started reviewing it for some reason my interest in this sponge just dwindled and I went on to lust over other beauty products. The other week though I was enjoying one of my many Boots shopping trips when I noticed I had collected quite a few points on my card and decided to spend some of them on a Real Techniques brush. I was initially thinking of getting the Powder Brush but when I saw this on the display my excitement return and before I knew it I was back home playing around with this thing!!


Firstly this is substantially cheaper than I was expecting it to be. Real Techniques are by no means expensive but this is only £5.99 which is a good 5 quid cheaper than anything else in the line. I already own a very cheap 99p ebay beauty sponge  that I really enjoy so I knew that this sponge was going to work on my skin but I what I really wanted to know was how it compares to my already loved sponge. I'm going to warn you know if you want to know any criticisms or let downs of this sponge you are reading the wrong post!!

1. I love how many different uses this sponge has. Obviously it applies foundation beautifully but it is also great for blending concealer, applying cream blushers or blending out harsh contouring.

2. The way your foundation looks after applying this is beautiful. Using a sponge helps create the most flawless looking foundation ever and the finish is just outstanding.

3. I have used this both dry, straight out the packet and also damp. When you use this dry it applies foundation great but dampening the sponge just makes it that little bit more soft and springy which just makes your foundation look even better!!

4. The flat surface side is the best invention ever (ok that is extreme). This edge makes it perfect for blending under your eye and just makes general application even easier.

My only slight criticism is that it is so hard to clean this sponge. Even when you have cleaned it, it still looks dirty. I am very prone to break outs so hopefully this won't cause me to break out!

As you have probably gathered from this I am a big fan of this sponge and as far as I am concerned it is incomparable to its rivals (sorry 99p ebay sponge). I think this is so cheap and is worth much more than £5.99 in my opinion so I would thoroughly recommend this!! Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,

                                        
                                                                              L xxx

October Lust List

So I did promise that my next post would be about my new favourite autumn non beauty related items, but due to technical difficulties that post is going to be postponed until Monday! Instead of this I still have a fairly non beauty related post in the form of my October lust list. I did one of these last month and only ended up purchasing one of the things from my list!! So here is what I am adoring this month.

1. Topshop Blue Angled Holdall- £40
2. Soap and Glory Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder- £11
3. Yankee Candle Paradise Spice Small Jar- £8.39

1. ASOS Cord Pinafore Dress in Black- £35
2. Oribe Dry Texturing Spray 75ml- £18
3. Boots Beauty Advent Calender - £30


So these are things I am dying to purchase this month!! It is my birthday quite soon so hopefully some people see this and take note!! And I'm sure I'll end up gifting myself some of these things as well. What's on your lust list this month? Have you got anything from my list? Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!

                                                                      L xxx

Mini Body Shop Haul Turned Massive Fail

So the other week I went into the Body Shop with a 35% off voucher in hand (found it on voucher codes, not sure if it is still available) and a few things in mind that I wanted. I had smelt an amazing smelling scrub in one of my friends bathrooms recently so I started off smelling pretty much everything in the shop looking for that, which I eventually did. 

The winning smell for me was the Vineyard Peach Body Scrub. I haven't had a good exfoliator for months now and the one I am currently using just isn't very good so I have been looking for a good replacement for while. I honestly haven't heard that much about the  Body Shop scrubs so I have no idea if they are any good or not but the smell just won me over. The scrub smells so sweet and fruity and I really can not wait to try it out. If anyone has used this scrub or any other Body Shop ones let me know how they are??

 Now this is when my shopping trip just went to pot!! What I wanted to get was the Elderflower Cooling Eye Gel. I literally love anything Elderflower related so when I saw this online I couldn't wait to get it. It claims to cool and refresh your eyes which is just what I need in my eye creams (being a student means a lot of late nights, and they are really used to study!). What I ended up buying though was the Elderflower Unperfumed Eye Gel. Firstly it's unperfumed so it doesn't even smell a little bit like Elderflower and secondly I have tried to find this on the Body Shop website and it literally isn't there so I have no idea what this eye gel even does!! I have looked all over the packaging and in the little leaflet thing on top but no still no clue what this eye gel even does!! Overall not good at all!! I have at least learnt a lesson from this, I will always double check what I am buying before I buy it. 

So quite an unsuccessful shopping trip for me really, hopefully the scrub turns out to be what I have been looking for though. I went on the Body Shop website earlier today and saw that they have an up to 50% AND an extra 40% off if you go onto voucher codes so I have placed a little order which should be landing on my door step soon!! Have you guys had any shopping fails recently??

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! 


                                                                            L xxx

P.S- Got a non make up or beauty related post coming on Thursday, will be involving the sweetest smelling candle ever and a very oversized fluffy jumper!

Current Favourite Lipsticks #1

When it comes to make up, the thing I find myself always wanting to buying is lipsticks. Matte, Sheer, Glossy, Pink, Red or Purple I love them all and that is why I am dedicating this whole post to lipsticks, and more specifically my current favourites. None of these are overally new but are just all ones that I have found myself reaching for the most over the last couple of weeks. Seen as we are talking about my favourite thing we better get started because I feel like this could be quite long!!

As You Want Victoria- Rimmel Moisture Renew
This was featured only last week in a mini haul but it has already become a firm favourite in my make up bag. This is one of the moisture renew lipsticks and you can actually really feel the difference on your lips, even when first applying it feels so balmy and hydrating on the lips. I think from the picture you can see how balmy and nice the lipstick looks and it looks even better on the lips. I think the raspberry red colour is perfect for this colder time of year and I love it for both daytime and nightime, basically a favourite all the time!! 

Stylish- Rimmel
This is a very non me colour, it has browny undertones which I normally shy away from but I thought I would be daring and try something a little new. I probably wear this one the least out of all of them but when I do wear it I love love love it!! This is a very neutral shade and I think it would look really nice on a lot of people, especially people with darker skin tones. The slight shimmer in it also makes the colour really pretty and that extra bit special!

Starry Eyed- Rimmel
I discovered this back in April when I borrowed it from a friend and immediately after giving it back I was in Boots buying my own. I wore this very rarely summer but now I have got it back out of the collection reading for autumn. This is a gorgeous purple berry colour which is just perfect for night time and going out. This goes on the lips quite a lot darker than it swatches so bear that in mind if you want this one!!

Heartbreaker- Sleek Matte
The only matte lipstick in my top 5 but very much a firm favourite. I think matte lipsticks are so beautiful and can look great on the lips if you keep them hydrated and reapply the lipstick regularly. This pinky red is just the most perfect colour in my opinion, I only bought it a few months ago and I have already used it countless times. If I don't fancy wearing this matte I put a gloss over the top for lovely glossy lips.

Chatterbox- Mac
This is by far my favourite lipstick, and not just now but of all time! I love this so so much and I have already got through a whole stick of this stuff which rarely ever happens! The colour is stunning, the application is amazing and the lasting power is great as well. I literally don't have enough good things to say about this. If you can only afford one Mac lipstick this is the one you should choose!!

Ok so that is enough of me chatting about my lipstick! The lipsticks I love change almost weekly so I think I will do a current favourites lipstick post quite regularly as I had a lot of fun writing this one! I did try and take pictures of these on the lips but I just couldn't get the right lighting! Hopefully next time I will be able to get some though, sorry.  Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!!

                                                                     L xxx

P.S- Tomorrow is a mini haul turned into a massive fail! If you are intrigued about how I failed at shopping come back tomorrow!!

Grease Lightning Review

For about 3 or 4 weeks now I have been breaking out left right and centre (yes literally all over my face!!), I have been trying so hard to work out what the cause is but I just can't!! It isn't horomonal, I haven't really started using any new products and I haven't been eating really unhealthily. So I still don't have a clue what is causing this horrible break out but I do have something which is making my skin a hell of a lot better. 

I have heard really good things about this product from all over the blogasphere so when my break out began I practically ran down to Lush to pick this up. I have always been fairly lucky with my skin and apart from the odd spot here and there I have had pretty good skin. Because of this I have no holy grail spot treatment that I turn to, so this recent break out left me searching for the perfect solution, which I do believe I may have found. Grease Lightning is a tea tree spot treatment which you apply straight to the spot. It is obviously a well known fact that tea tree is great for your skin, so I did already think that this product was going to be a winner. I used this for the first time when my skin was probably at its worst. I had multiple spots on my cheeks, as well as on my chin, forehead and nose (it was not a pretty sight make up free). I put this on before bed and went to sleep hoping for instant results, and instant results is what I got. After just one application this had already reduced almost all my spots and even got rid of some of the smaller ones, I was completely amazed my the results and my housemate even commented on how quickly it had worked!!

I have been using this almost every night since and I still really think it is working. I spray a bit of this onto clean fingers and then apply directly to the area that needs it. It creates an almost gel like mask over the top of the spot, you can really feel it drying on your skin and it does feel like a mini face mask for each spot. For me this is becoming my holy grail spot treatment and I completely adore it. I don't know if this works on everyones skin like it has mine but if you are looking for a spot treatment I would really recommend this product. I think this costs about £6 or £7 so it is fairly affordable, and as you are only using it on individual spots it will probably last a fairly long time. 

Have any of you tried this out? What do you think? Know any better products? I'm off to bed now so I'm going to slap some of this on my face, light a few candles and snuggle up with Game of Thrones!! Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed!!

                                                                   L xxx

P.S- Been loving lipsticks at the moment, my go to make up look seems to be a neutral eye and then a fun lip so my next post will be completely dedicated to my favourite lipsticks of the moment. I also decided to not just take swatches  but also take photos of them on my lips so hopefully you can get an idea of what these lipsticks really look like!! 

Autumn Make Up Haul

So surprise I went shopping! I actually headed into town not needing or really wanting any new make up but as soon as I stepped into Boots that very quickly changed!! I talk about how I love coral and pink colours all the time so for me when it comes to autumn time I have a distinct lack of autumnal coloured make up to choose from!! Boots had some really good products in stock though so I took full advantage of that and bought a few bits which will be perfect for the autumn.

First up I noticed that Rimmel had brought out their new Moisture Renew Lipsticks so I got 2, Vintage Pink and As You Want Victoria (£6.49). I think they may have had some sort of 2 for 1 or buy one get one half price deal hence why I got 2. I think both are really lovely autumnal colours and are also going to be perfect for the colder months as these lipsticks are suppose to be super moisturising on the lips, which is completely what your lips need in the autumn/winter. Vintage Pink is a lovely mauvey pink colour, this really isn't a colour I would normally pick up but something drew me to it and I thought I would give it a go. As You Want Victoria is a more 'me' colour and I already know I will love this lipstick!! The raspberry red colour is so perfect for this season and I think it would really suit so many skin tones. I haven't tried either of these out yet so I can't give you a mini review but I'm sure I will be able to soon. Have you guys tried any of the Moisture Renew Lipsticks? If so do you like them?

Next up I headed over to the Seventeen counter (who I think have been releasing some lovely products recently, I've got a review on one of their concealers coming very soon) to see what autumnal beauties they had on offer. One of my housemates showed me her Seventeen blusher the other day which was a stunning plum colour and I instantly wanted one! I didn't want the exact same shade as her so I went for a slightly more purpley toned plum which is aptly named Plum Pluff. First up I actually really like the packaging of this, I think it is super sleek and looks much more expensive than it actually is. When swatching this I found the pigment wasn't great and to get a good amount to really show of the colour I felt like I had to use quite a lot of product. Saying that I have only swatched this product, so when it comes to actual application it could be very different. This is only my third ever purchase from Seventeen so I am very excited to see how this rivals my other drugstore blushers.

Finally a not so autumnal purchase and it is the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in 120 Vanilla. I have wanted to try this foundation for ages as I have heard really great things about it but the packaging really puts me off. I hate foundations that don't have pumps as I find ones like this can get very messy very easily. I again haven't had the chance to try this out yet so I don't know if I will even like it  but I am excited to try it, expect a review at some point in the near future.

So that is all for my little shopping haul, I am going shopping again tomorrow so I may post a more fashion related haul later this week if I get anything of interest. As you may have noticed I have changed the location of my photos, I would love to know what you guys think of them? I know they aren't the best right now and I am really trying to find a good space in my new house for photos so I'm sorry for the inconsistency which shall be happening over the coming weeks. I'm sure I will find the perfect location soon!! Anyway ramble over, have a good day, thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed!!

                                                                    L xxx

P.S- My skin has been awful over the last couple of weeks and I don't have a clue why. Luckily though I have found a lovely little product which has been doing wonders for my skin, pop back tomorrow if you want to know more!!

Rimmel Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tint Review

This is one of those products that you just don't hear about. I got this for free when I purchased another Rimmel product in my local chemist and when I got home I searched the internet for reviews on this but hardly any came up. At first I didn't know if that was because it was rubbish or just one of those products that slips under bloggers radars. 

This product is really interesting and at first I was really unsure about how good it would be, but like most things it pleasantly surprised me. I got it in the shade Sunkissed Cherry, I'm not sure how many shades are available but where I bought it from there were only 2 colours. This isn't really a cherry colour at all, if anything it looks like an almost coral colour on your cheeks which of course I love.  The packaging, in my opinion, is very meh;  it looks quite cheap and doesn't make me want to buy it. But as always I didn't judge the product too much on its packaging and gave it a go. First off you only need a tiny amount of this product to achieve a really nice colour on the cheek. I have been using the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to apply this with but I also think it would go on really well with a stippling brush or something like that. 

Literally the tiniest amount of product goes a
 long way with this tint!

Application wise, I squeeze a tiny amount onto my hand and then apply with a brush, for me it goes on best if you apply with one brush and then blend with another one, such as the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. The consistency of this product is like nothing I have ever seen before so I can't really compare it to anything but what I can say is that it feels very soft and velvety on the skin. It applies really nicely and leaves a stain of colour on your cheeks which just doesn't budge all day. The finish looks almost powdery but not in a cakey way. 

Overall I really do like this product much more than I thought I would. This product falls somewhere in between a standard cream blush and the Benefit Cheek Tint, in that it leaves a stain on the cheeks similar to that product. This cheek tint is interesting more than anything but it is a really pretty colour and has a lovely finish so I would say give it a go!! I will certainly be buying this in as many colours as I can find. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed,


                                                                         L xxx 

P.S- I went on a little shop the other day so I will be posting a autumn make up haul tomorrow!!

Recent Favourites

So I haven't posted in an inexcusably long time, so first up sorry. I got caught up in refreshers week and then started a new job so I  just haven't managed to post. So as I missed September favourties and just didn't really post for most of September I thought I would just begin with the products that I have been loving in my very long absence!! 



So since I last posted the weather has turned very autumnal and so I have had to step away from the dewy foundations and coral lips in favour for matte foundations and a dark lip. Matte foundations are definitely going to be my make up essential for this winter I think and so far my favourite one has been the 17 Miracle Matte Foundation in Porcelain (£5.99). I bought this out of the blue because it was so cheap. I knew I wanted to try a matte foundation and I thought a cheaper one would be great as I didn't know if I would like it or not. Luckily I loved it and still do!! The finish of this is lovely, it is matte but not too matte that your skin looks cakey and horrible!! I have been wearing this fairly often over the last couple of weeks and I can see myself using it for a long time to come. 



One of my last posts before my extended absence was a mini Rimmel Haul where I picked up one of the Kate Moss Matte Lipsticks in 107 which is a stunning deep raspberry wine colour. This is fast becoming my new favourite lipstick!! The colour is absoloutely lovely and I'm sure it would look great on so many skin tones. I do really like that it is matte but you have to be so careful with matte lipsticks and make sure your lips are in lovely condition or they will end up looking super dry, which is not a good look. I am still on the look out for more winter lipstick shades so if anyone has any recommendations let me know?? 

Mascara wise I have been loving my Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Potion Mascara in Blackened Brown. As I have mentioned before I meant to buy this in just black but being me I just didn't check the colour and ended up getting this colour!! I have to say though my mistake turned out to be quite a good thing as I am really loving this off black colour. This really lengthens your lashes but doesn't add much volume, so if you are looking for volume maybe use another mascara as well as this one to create great length and volume. I have used this almost everyday as my day to day mascara and I can't imagine not using it now. I am also going to purchase this one in the black colour. P.S- my tip is to make sure you curl your lashes really well before using this otherwise it leaves your lashes looking very straight and long which I'm not a fan off. 

Make up wise they have been my stand out favourites but I have also been trying out a few new products so I'm sure I will have some reviews up for those very soon. Beauty wise I haven't added anything new into my routine so theres no change there. 

Onto random favourites now. Last month I mentioned that 2 of my favourite tv shows were coming to and end and since then both Dexter and Breaking Bad have finished. Breaking Bad was just amazing and after watching the final episode I was just speechless, I think any fan of the show will say that the writers ended it perfectly and I can't wait to rewatch all 5 series!!! The end of these shows has meant that I have nothing to watch anymore, so does anyone have any suggestions??

So that is all of my recent favourites, my next post will be a review on the Rimmel Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tint in Sunkissed Cherry I picked up a month or so ago so make sure you stay around for that!! Hopefully you can forgive me for my absence, I will be posting as much as I can now so hopefully that will make up for it!! Thanks and hope you enjoyed,


                                                                          L xxx

Quick Life Update

I have been very absent over the last week so thought I would do a quick post to update everyone. Basically I started back at Uni this week so over the weekend I properly moved into my new house. Moving in meant no internet for a little while so I haven't been able to upload anything but I do have a couple of posts ready to go so they should be up in the next couple of days!! I am also thinking of doing more lifestyle posts probably on some stuff to do with my house and also Uni so let me know if you want that?? A proper post will  be up this weekend I promise!! 

                                                                           L xxx

                     

Empties #1

I have been keeping hold of all my empty products for about a month now in order to collect enough things to do an empties post!! Finally I have about 6 or 7 things and I am going to give some mini reviews for them all and let you know if I am going to be repurchasing any of them.

So first up I have gotten through 2 make up removers, the Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Remover and Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover All Bright. The Simple one is really nice and feels just like you are rubbing water on your face. It gets off even waterproof make up and leaves your skin feeling great. I have mentioned how much I love Simple products before and this is up there with my top 3 products and I have already repurchased another one. Next up is the Botanics remover, this is an oil based make up remover and for me I didn't really enjoy this. My skin didn't like this at all and although it did get all your make up off easily my skin completely broke out so this a definite no no product for me. If you like oil based removers though you may enjoy it. 




I have also managed to get through 2 primers recently. My favourite of the 2 was Benefit's Porefressional. I got this sample sized one in a Glossybox back in April or May and I absolutely love it! I have never tried this before and just feel in love. It leaves your skin feeling like velvet and fills in any obviously open pores. I have not yet purchased a full size of this but I will be in the near future. The other primer was one from Marks and Spencers which I know isn't your first thought when you think of make up but this primer was surprisingly good. The Autograph Instant Radiance Primer is a much lighter primer and it really does leave your skin looking healthy and radiant. I wouldn't say that this primer helps your make up stay on for longer but it does really improve how your skin looks. 

My final 2 products are both shower things, a deep conditioner and also THE BEST exfoliator. The Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment has been a complete life saver for my hair this summer! Pop this on your hair and leave it in for a couple of minutes and your hair is left

feeling so silky soft. I only use this about twice a week so the bottle has lasted for quite a while. Deep conditioners do tend to be quite pricey so this is a great drugstore alternative. I will not be repurchasing this straight away but only because there is a couple of the other similar products I want to try out. My final empty and probably my very favourite one and that is Soap and Glory Pulp Friction. This was the very first exfoliator and still probably my favourite I just don't have a bad word to say about it. The feel is amazing, the smell is gorgeous and I love the packaging as well. I of course will be repurchasing this but I am going to buy some others as well as I want to try some new ones. 

Well that is my first ever empties post done and dusted!! I am off the nurse my hangover and watch the Celebrity Big Brother Final. Have you guys tried any of these products and did you like them? Also what posts do you want me to in the near future, let me know!!

                                                                      L xxx

Rimmel Make Up Haul

Yesterday I was wandering past my local chemist and noticed they stocked Rimmel and that there was some sort of sale on! I can not resist a sale so I was in there like a shot and came away with a little bit more than intended!!

The first thing I knew I definitely wanted was the Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation, I have seen this advertised and was really interested in trying it! I am not a massive fan of the packaging as I think it looks a bit cheap but I am loving matte foundation so just had to give it a go! I haven't used this yet but when I have tried it a few times I will upload a review! Because this was a new product they were giving a free product away and that was the Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tint in Sunkissed Cherry, I have never ever heard of this product and I admit if it wasn't free I probably wouldn't even consider buying it! Like I said I have heard nothing about this so I am actually quite excited to see what this is like.

Everytime I head over to the Rimmel stand in my local Boots or Superdrug they are always running very low on the Kate Moss lipsticks so when I noticed that they had a good selection I had to pick up oneof the ones I have been looking at for ages. Lasting Finish By Kate Moss in 107, is a very different shade than I would normally be drawn to. I am a lover of corals, pinks and the occasional red but any darker is new territory for me! This is a beautiful deep dark red wine colour, I think it will be perfect for autumn/winter and I can not wait to use it (from the swatches I am already in love). Lipliner wise I have never really used them much but recently I have been really getting into them so I thought I would try one of the Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Stay On Lip Contouring Pencil in 004 Indian Pink, this is such a pretty dark pink colour. I didn't buy it to go with the lipstick but I do think they would be a lovely match. 

Finally I was taken by a bright sparkly orange nail varnish!! I really need no more nail varnishes but this one just looked so fun that I couldn't resist. It is a Rimmel Cocktail Colour Nail Varnish in 120 Shirley Temple. I don't think I have ever seen these before so I am not sure how good quality it will be but the colour is just so bright and fun! I know brights aren't really in this autumn but I will still be doing a bright nail varnish for as long as possible.

So that is it for my spare of the moment shopping trip! Have you guys tried any of these products? and did you like them? 

                                                                        L xxx

Crazy Corals

When I first did a post from this series I did promise it to be a fortnightly thing but it hasn't actually turned out that way sorry!! I think I did the Purple Post about 3 weeks ago now but here is number 2 and to celebrate the last days of summer before autumn really hits I am going to be talking about all things coral! 

Barry M Lipgloss in 11
Now I have to admit apart from nail polishes I rarely stray over to the Barry M stand but this lipgloss is the one thing that will make me rush to grab it. I have probably had about 5 tubes of this stuff and I am still completely hooked. This lipgloss leaves a lovely sheer coral shine on your lips, it is perfect for wearing on its own but also great for layering over lipsticks. You have probably heard so many people talk about this but if you haven't already got your hands on this I would suggest you get it quick as it always seems to be out of stock at my Boots.

Maybelline Lipstick in Coral Tonic
I purchased this little lipstick about a year ago now and it probably started my coral obsession, as you can see from the picture it is nearly all gone!!. Maybelline aren't my favourite brand for lipstick but this one has really impressed me. The colour is super pigmented and leaves a really nice almost matte finish on the lips which I love. The lipstick feels nice and creamy on the lips, I have worn this loads through summer and I will still probably use it throughout autumn and winter. 

Benefit Coralista
This is my most recent coral purchase and also my first ever Benefit blusher. I only have a sample size but after this runs out I will be purchasing a full size one. I love layering this with other blushers to create a lovely bronzed glowy look. It has been my go to blush over the last couple of months and I'm sure I will keep using it for a long time.

Revlon Nail Paint in Siren
I got this nail varnish in a Latest In Beauty Glamour Box back in June and over the summer I have reached for it more and more. I mentioned this in one of my first ever posts months ago and it is still up there in my top 10 nail polishes. All Revlon nail varnishes I have are really good quality and last a really long time on the nails. 

Phew!! That is enough talking about corals for one day!! As I write this the weather has taken a very autumnal turn so the season for corals may be over but I will always fly the flag for corals no matter what season!! What's your favourite coral coloured product?? And what colour would you like me to talk about next?

                                                                           L xxx

Dirty Works Power Berry Detox Mask

This week a last minute pamper night involved a quick dash to Sainsburys to buy naughty snacks and to pick up some one use packet face masks. We couldn't find any of these anywhere but what I did find was a facial mask from the Sainsburys brand Dirty Works. I've seen this brand countless times but never thought of trying it. Obviously the packaging has taken inspiration from the likes of Soap and Glory, so although the bottle is very pleasing to the eye I wanted to see if the product lived up to it!

This mask claims to 'let your skin breathe again with this detoxifying face mask.' It is a clay mask that has berry extract in which aims to detox your skin and leave it glowing and radiant. I mentioned the Botanics clay mask in my monthly favourites and although this is also a clay mask it is slightly different. This isn't as hard and harsh, feeling me gentle and nourishing.
The berry extract gives the mask a lovely fruity smell.



After using this a couple of times I wouldn't say it has done anything amazing to my skin. After washing it off it does leave your skin feeling softer and cleansed but I don't think it deeply detoxes my skin. Overall this is a nice face mask but nothing special. If you aren't looking for something deep cleansing just something to leave your skin softer and cleaner than this is for you but if you need something more deeper and clarifying.



This is normally £4.99 but I think at the moment you can get a 1/3 off this! Have you guys tried this or any other Dirty Works products, let me know!


                                                                         L xxx

Mini Revlon Haul

It is no secret that when it comes to make up I constantly buy unnecessary items that I really don't need but this time I did need these things (sort of). Whilst in Boots the other day I was about to check out with just 1 product when I suddenly saw the Revlon stand and there was an offer of 2 for £10 on nails, lips and mascaras. Now I have wanted to try to Revlon Lash Potion Mascara for ages and this is normally £9.99 so the second product I got I was going to get for 1p!! Such a bargain!! My friend also picked up this mascara as well as a Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain  which are normally £7.99 I think, so we both saved over £7.

I really didn't need anything else but as I love my Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya so much I decided to try another one. I was swatching colours for ages and so many of them are so pigmented and lovely. I eventually decided to get Sorbet which is a dark pink colour with an almost purple undertone. 

I only bought these products the other day so I can't give a review of any sort yet but after I have tried the mascara for a while I will do a review. Have any of you tried this mascara, if so what do you think of it?

I am not sure if Revlon are doing this 2 for £10 deal everywhere but it was on in the Southampton branch if not then there is a buy 1 get the 2nd half price deal on in all Boots across a lot of make up brands on at the moment!


                                                                             L xxx

P.S I have just had a look at the mascara I bought and I accidentally picked up the shade 03 Blackened Brown and I wanted Black so make sure you always check the colour!! Silly me!

Back To School Make Up Essentials

I luckily don't start uni again for a couple of weeks but I know loads of people do go back this week so I thought I would pick a few make up bits that are great for school. These are either products to pop on in the morning or ones that are perfect for carrying around with you in your bag all day. Personally when I went to school/college and even now when I go to uni I tend to wear very neutral subtle make up.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

This is the most perfect foundation for school. It gives a good amount of coverage without looking cakey but also really brightens and wakes up your skin. It is great for those early mornings where your skin may be looking a little dull and lifeless. The price tag is also really reasonable so is perfect for students on a budget like me! This foundation is also really long lasting so you don't need to worry about running to the toilet in between lessons to touch it up, a big plus in my book.

No 7 Stay Perfect Mascara
This is a great day to day mascara. It leaves the lashes looking lovely and separated without and also stays on for hours without smudging. If you love really full false looking lashes this properly isn't for you but for a super nice everyday long lasting mascara it is great. This is the cheapest mascara, I think it is about £13, but as you don't have to touch your mascara up all day it does last a fairly long time


Maybelline Baby Lips
Literally about the 100th time mentioning these but I do think they are really useful for school. I don't like wearing anything to bright to classes so something with good colour but also quite subtle is great. This leaves a lovely amount of colour on the lips but also keeps them hydrated all day (and there is nothing worse than dry lips!!). I would just chuck one of the colour lip balms in my bag so I can just grab it whenever needed.



Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Sticks
I mention these in my drugstore starter kit and I am going to mention them again because I think they are just awesome. When you are in a rush for school in the morning you don't want to spend ages doing a complicated eye look where you have to blend colours together for ages so these are just great. They apply really easily and if you don't want to mix some colours together you can easily to do it with your finger, so you don't even need a brush! The two colours I have (Bulletproof Beige and Bad Girl Bronze) are really nice neutral colours which I think are the mist appropriate for school/college. If you want to see swatches for these go look at my drugstore starter kit. 






                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Lychee and Maybelline Color Show in Peach Pie

I remember when I was at school nail polish was a real no no but at college I think it was more allowed. Either way I think neutral colours are the best for school situations, both of these are really lovely colours. Peach Pie is almost clear and gives just a glossy pink tone colour on your nails. Lychee though is much more opaque and is a nice almost nude colour. The Gelly Hi Shine paints are all super pretty and leave such a lovely gel finish. They are really long lasting as well.









So they are my essentials for going back to school! I know when I start uni again I will using all these products loads!! What are your school/college/uni essentials? comment below! 

                                                                     L xxx