Sunday, 30 March 2014

Holy Grail Product | Smashbox Photo Finish Primer 'Light'

It's been about a year since I learnt and started using a face primer and understood exactly what it could do for my makeup throughout the day. So today I wanted to tell you about my holy grail primer which I have found and fallen in love with.


The Smashbox Photo Finish Primer is one I had heard about from watching YouTube videos from across the pond way before Smashbox was readily available in the UK. It was a definite love or hate product as there was a mixture of good and bad reviews. When a smashbox counter was installed in my local Boots, it was one of the first products I wanted to pick up, so I did and haven't looked back since.


I use the 'Light' version as I hate the feel of anything too silicone and it feels more of a cream then anything. You only need the tiniest amount and it covers your whole face. I use mine along with Benefits Porefessional and can honestly say it makes a complete difference to my makeup throughout the day.


Although a bit on the pricier side retailing at £25.00 from Boots, I feel it's so worth it that I will keep going back and repurchasing. I have tried other drugstore and high end primers but nothing compares so at this moment in time I've only got eyes for this one.

Have you tried any Smashbox primers? What's your favourite primer?




Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Brand Focus | Urban Decay



I like to read a post where someone goes in depth into a favourite brand of theirs and shows what they own from that brand. I wanted to do one of these posts and this time it's for Urban Decay.



Urban Decay Get Baked Palette
I hate to start off with bad news but unfortunately this palette is now discontinued. It was my very first Urban Decay product I ever bought a fair few years ago. I can't even remember buying it to be honest. It's a very strange palette as it consists of three neutral shades and a bright turquoise. I haven't yet made use of the blue colour but as a neutral loving girl myself I have made full use of the three other shades.



My heart still yearns for all three Naked Palettes but for Christmas my sister got me the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. I was so happy that although I still remain without the full version I had some sort of naked palette in my possession. It's basically a slimmed down version featuring six shades, four which are never before seen colours and they are all matte which is nice to have as most my shadows have some hint of shimmer in them,


Another Christmas present from my other sister was the Naked Flushed Palette. Besides my MAC blusher palette which I put together myself I don't own any other face palettes, just eyeshadow! So receiving this was a nice addition to my makeup collection. It's made up of three products, a bronzer which is the perfect shade not too orange and not a dirty colour, a highlight which is not too glittery and a blush which is the nicest pink shade. This palette is great for travelling as you've got three products and it won't take a lot of room up in your bag.



Finally is possibly one of the best range of eye pencils I have come across so far. Available in 52 shades you're bound going a favourite or two. The consistency of these pencils are amazing. So soft and creamy which is good for blending but wait 30 odd seconds and they won't budge an inch. As well as having such good staying power they are surprisingly easy to remove with a normal eye makeup remover. I only own two colours but will definitely be adding more in the future.

Do you own anything different from Urban Decay?





Sunday, 23 March 2014

Tag | The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger

I can't quite remember who's blog I saw this on now but I've already done a couple of tags on my blog which you can find here. I actually really enjoy writing these kinds of posts so do let me know of any other tags going around.




Name a beauty regime you rarely do?
I try so hard to remember to exfoliate twice a week but I haven't found one I love so I've kinda slipped into hardly ever doing it!!

Is washing your brushes something you do regularly?
I try to deep clean them at least twice a month. Spot cleaning I admit I should do more often!! Total beauty sin I know!!

How long will you last with chipped nail polish?
Less than 24hrs!! I can't stand chipped nail polish, if I'm in the position to remove it straight away I will if not then I will be hot on it as soon as I am able to.

How long will you put off buying/replacing a nail polish, even if you need it?
If I have enough Boots points then straight away ha! If not usually til payday!

What is your worst beauty habit?
Having crappy makeup storage and misplacing a lot of makeup. I really need to invest in the Alex 9 Drawer.

Name something non-beauty related you put off doing all the time?
Cleaning! Whether that be my laundry, dishes or my room ha!

When going somewhere, do you leave getting ready until the last minute or not?
Depends on what I'm doing. Usually I get caught up watching TV or YouTube and then have to rush to get ready. But if it's something important then I will make sure I leave myself enough time.

Can you commit to spending bans?
I would like to say yes but I'm not sure. I'm going to IMATS in June and have told myself not to buy any makeup unless it's essential like concealer etc. so we shall see how that goes.

How organised is your makeup and nail polish collection?
My makeup is somewhat organised although I need bigger storage as my collection grows. This also means I have lost bits of makeup from not having enough storage space. My nail polish on the other hand is all tidied away in my Helmer drawers from Ikea.

What is the longest amount of time you have gone without writing a blog post?
It was a couple of months but not willingly. I had started a new job which my shift took some getting used to, then on top of that my laptop I shared with my mum and dad decided to pack up. With neither my mum, dad or me being able to afford to fix it I was stuck!! Then along with my new job came slightly more moolah so I decided to invest in a iPad Air (which I'm paying monthly!!)

I tag anyone that wants to do it! Have fun!!




Friday, 21 March 2014

Gift Guide | 2014 Mothers Day

Not long now til it's time to spoil that special woman whether it be your mum, aunt, step-mum, mother-in-law or grandma. I thought I would lend a helping hand and just show you a few possible gift ideas for those very special ladies in your life.

I've chosen a range of beauty related products for this gift guide and will do a few more later with different genres. They vary in price so there's something for everyone.




I know my mum is very into making sure her hands are nice and soft so this would be perfect for her. It contains three of their new hand creams, including their limited edition Rhubarb & Rose, which are perfect for throwing in your handbag and using when you're out and about.

I've chosen a picture of the Gwen Stefani Set but any OPI nail polish is what I was going for. They have such a huge range of colours there's bound to be something for everyone and also don't forget their base coats, top coats and nail treatments they sell.

Skincare is a big thing in most womens life. Why not treat your mum to a luxury skincare brand. I've only recently dabbled with Elemis but so far love it and I think my mum would love it to.

I couldn't do a gift guide and not mention Jo Malone Candles. The one I particularly love is Sweet Almond & Macaroon. It smells amazing and they will definitely love it if they are into sweet/bakery smells.

A nice fragrance is a perfect gift this Mother's Day. I decided to pick a Philosophy one as I sometimes think it's a brand that gets forgotten about for their fragrances amonst all the bigger names. So next time you're in a boots have a sniff!!

I obviously couldn't not mention Lush and their array of gifts for Mother's Day. A lovely little gift set like this one is perfect and has everything they could need to pamper themselves and have a relaxing evening in the bath. And a bonus is she gets a tin to then store her stuff in.

Sunday, 16 March 2014

Wishlist | NARS

NARS is one of a few high end brands I have yet to purchase from but am very excited when I do eventually buy my first product from them. In the meanwhile I thought I would show you my wishlist of what I can't wait to get my hands on...




First up is the infamous NARS Sheer Glow Foundation which I have read review after review on and have mentally fallen in love with. I love that it leaves you with a dewy finish as I'm definitely not into the matte look. I also love that there is such a big range of colours to choose from.

NARS Satin Lip Pencil is the first NARS product I physically tried out. My friend had bought one in a bright pink colour and I knew straight away I needed this product in my life. Said to be highly pigmented whilst still hydrating the lips, it is definitely high up on my wishlist. I also included the picture in a orange shade as I want to inject orange into my lip collection this summer.

Next is the NARS NARSissist Eye Palette but I can't seem to find it online anywhere so I'm guessing it was limited edition and is no longer available so I'm just going to say NARS Eyeshadows in general I'm very interested in trying. I've read so many positive reviews about the NARS Duos so I may splash out on one of them.

Maybe one of the most well known products is the NARS Blush more particularly in Orgasm. I may just be giving in on the hype here but as people regularly compare it to Sleeks Rose Gold Blush which I own and bloody love, I really want to try the high end version.

Finally is NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base something I've only recently heard a lot about, especially on YouTube. After months of using MAC Paintpots and Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoos as my base I want to go back and try products specified for doing so. I've used a few drugstore versions so would like to try a high end one.

Do you own any of these items? 
Are there any other NARS products I should add to my wishlist?

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Review | Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoo Metallic Pomegranate

With the hours I work a quick everyday makeup look is my best friend. When I'm working a early shift I'm up at 3.30am and it's not the kindest time to be doing makeup. That's why the Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo has become my holy grail product. Especially my newest addition 70-Metallic Pomegranate.







Now for a girl who stays safe and sticks with neutrals this is a pretty big move for me. I bought it on a whim as I already own 35-On And On Bronze and 40-Permanent Taupe and decided I needed to inject some colour. I'd seen a few reviews on this colour and thought I'd give it a go.

It's a burgundy red shade with gold glitter, definitely something I would normally avoid. I apply some of Benefits Stay Don't Stray and then pack on the color tattoo, but so it's not so prominent I blend it out up into my crease. 

It has quickly become my daily eye colour and surprisingly I love it. It makes such a change to my usual bronze/neutral eye and in my sleep deprived state it is definitely a winner. They are available from Boots for £4.99.

Have you tried this shade or any others?



Monday, 10 March 2014

Brand Focus | Benefit Sampler Sets

Hands up who loves Benefit?? I do I do I do! From their cute packaging and one liners to the actual products itself I would have to say Benefit is one of my favourite high end brands. Now we all know the curse that comes with amazing high end brands is the price and sometimes it just seems a little too much for a product that might end up not working well for your skin. That's why I love these little beauties that Benefit have come out with at Boots.



First up is Full Glam Ahead. This set contains a sample of Stay Don't Stray, High Beam and Bad Gal Lash. I've previously tried Bad Gal Lash and High Beam so these were a bonus but what I really wanted to try was the Stay Don't Stray. I've only used it a couple of times but so far I love it.


Next is Coral My World which has Coralista and Sun Beam, two products I haven't tried before. Coralista is the box blusher I wanted to try the most after owning Sugabomb and Thrrrob. Sun Beam, I haven't been too interested in but we shall see.


Finally is Tan About Town, containing Some Kind-A Gorgeous, Hoola and Bad Gal Lash. Again Bad Gal Lash I've tried previously but the famous Hoola bronzer I've wanted to try for a while. I think I'm a tad too pale for the Some Kind-A Gorgeous at the moment as it's in medium but I will definitely try it out in summer.

These sets at a bargain price of £9.50 are such a good idea if you want to try out the products before splashing the cash. I would definitely recommend them so make sure you keep an eye out at your local Boots as they pop up from time to time, usually in the queue by the tills!

Have you tried any of these sets before??



Wednesday, 5 March 2014

2014 Oscars | Best Dressed

I guess by now there are probably a million and one posts on the Oscars and what we are most interested in...the fashion! But I thought what the heck I'll show you all my favourites. And the Best Dressed at the 2014 Oscars goes to...


Sandra Bullock wearing Alexander McQueen


Kerry Washington wearing Jason Wu


Jennifer Lawrence wearing Dior


Idina Menzel wearing Very Wang

There were so many amazing dresses at this years Oscars and to be honest I haven't seen a lot of "Oh god, what was she thinking?" dresses. I love how a lot of the dresses were quite plain with not a lot happening on them, sometimes the plainer the better in my book!

The men all looked very dapper in their suits, my two favourite were the following...



Leonardo Di'Caprio wearing Armani



Zac Efron wearing Calvin Klein

Who were your best dressed at the 2014 Oscars?

Monday, 3 March 2014

February Favourite Blogs


Wow, this year already feels like it's flying by. It's already March and soon enough it will be summer (and my birthday!!!). I thought I would do another post on my favourite blogs to keep up with during the month of February.



First up is Laura over at Belles Boutique. I've been a long time follower of Laura and have loved her blog for what seems like years. It's so exciting to be following her pregnancy journey and can't wait to see her little man when he's born. Her photography is amazing and the content keeps me coming back for more everytime.



Next is Zoe NewLove. Again another blog with amazing photography, nice clear shots really draws me in and makes me really listen to what she has to write. I especially love her reviews. They are trustworthy and definitely make me want to add a few items to my future shopping list.



Finally is Adrienne aka the ever so popular The Sunday Girl. What I love most about her blog is her reviews (can you see a running theme on what I love about blogs here?). She puts so much detail into them and although very full of information it's not boring, which can sometimes happen with a lot of content!

So there are my favourite blogs that I loved reading during February. Be sure to go check them out and follow if you aren't already!

Who have you liked reading last month? Leave a comment so I can go check them out!!