The Weekend Post #9: Short But Sweet

I haven't had much free time on my hands this weekend - hence why this is only being written at almost ten o' clock... Ooopss! - but I wanted to keep you a little up-to-date on what I've been doing this weekend and what my plans for the rest of the week are.

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I have an exam on Friday (and I am NOT looking forward to it!) so I will be dedicating most of my time to revising this week, so if posts become a little sparse don't panic because as soon as I've got the exam over with it will all be back to normal.
I am also in the process of creating some (more exciting) blog posts, so keep and eye out for those!
Also, if you have any requests (reviews or more fashion posts) then please do say in the comments and I will try my best to do them!

Monthly Favourites | April

This month has been jam packed with new releases and I found it quite hard to keep up, but I've managed to whittle my favourites down to a few items I've been using non-stop. I've been breaking out some more Spring-appropriate choices so here's what I been loving...

Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya. (also mentioned here) If you haven't already heard that Revlon have released some NEW lip butter shades, then where have you been?
Juicy Papaya is a peachy coral shade and it leaves my lips with an even wash of colour. Their new shades don't contain any glitter, which is a bonus for me as I'm not too keen on lipsticks with glitter, and there are some brighter options if you prefer a more bold lip.

Natural Collection Blush in Peach Melba. This stunning peachy shade will add a nice subtle colour to your cheeks, and I've been finding myself reaching for this recently. As cheap as chips and good quality as well, some people might avoid the Natural Collection stand and head straight for the higher-end brands, but believe me, you need this in your stash

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh. (also mentioned here)
A captivating light scent that's perfect for this time of year. Very fresh and feminine with notes of

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Polish in Lychee. (full review here)
Nudes are what everyone's talking about, and Barry M's Gelly nail polishes are some of my favourite ones to choose from. Lychee is the perfect nude that will suit a lot of different skin tones. I am very pale at the moment and it surprisingly looks okay. I'd uuhhmed and ahhedd in the shop about purchasing this particular shade, but as I loved the formula for their gelly nail polishes I thought I may as well give it a go. I am very happy with this and it's been featured on my nails a lot this past month.

Soap and Glory Face Massage Mini Mitt. I bought this a while back and never got round to mentioning it on my blog! How?, I don't know... I love to use this handy little 'gadget' in the evenings with a dollop of cleanser to give my skin a nifty 'deep clean'. It's made of soft silicone, so it would be suitable for people with sensitive skin. I massage my face in circular motions which will help to cleanse my skin and remove any dirt from my pores too. It'll remove any dead skin cells and leave your skin feeling instantly refreshed and squeaky clean! And the best part is, it's only £4 from Boots! So if you fancy a little pamper without spa prices, this is for you.

So that concludes my April Favourites, I've also been loving my Stila Convertible Colour in Lilium, but as I mentioned it in my last favourites post, I thought I better not ramble on about it too much! (If you'd like to hear my thoughts on the Stila Convertible Colour then click here)

The Makeup: New Purchases

I like to change my makeup routine up quite a lot but once Spring is here I like to whip out my coral lipsticks and peachy blushers ready for a glowy and healthy makeup look. Hidden away are my deep reds and raspberry shades, and out come some more Spring-appropriate choices.

First up is 'Pink Punch' from the Models Own Ice Neon Collection. This super bright pink is getting me really in the mood for Summer and I can guarantee you this will be on my nails for the foreseeable future. Beautifully opaque in two coats, but it's not incredibly matte. It does say matte effect on the bottle but sadly it's not as matte as I would of liked.

Revlon have recently released some new shades of lip butters and with me being a huge fan of them already, I had to pick up at least one of their new shades. It has the same qualities of the original lip butters, a soft, creamy butter-like texture, hydrating and pigmented on your lips. How could I not resist? Juicy Papaya is a warm-toned peachy coral shade and instead of having shimmer in it (like the rest of the lip butters do), it's just one block of colour. Overall the pigmentation isn't fantastic, it's just a nice sheer lipstick to add a subtle wash of colour to your lips. Other shades that have been released are: Wild Watermelon, Pink Lemonade and Sorbet. All ideal shades for this time of year and I'll look forward to picking up some more soon.

Something else that's been on my wishlist for a while is the Rimmel Lasting Finish Soft Colour Blush in 'Santa Rose' and it wasn't until the other week that I managed to get my mitts on it. Santa Rose is a stunning muted pink/peach shade, and for £3.99 you can't really go wrong. It adds a subtle, healthy glow to your cheeks. This is a blusher I reach for on a daily basis, as it's great for everyday wear. The packaging isn't anything to rave about but as long as the product itself is good, then it doesn't really matter (although a beautifully designed casing always ticks all the right boxes for me).
A few days ago I purchased my first Mac lipstick (I'm hooked already by the way) and I wanted to pick a shade that would be easy for me to wear, so I went for Patisserie. A brown/pinky nude shade and I know a lot of people hate this phrase but, it is a 'my lips but better' shade. Sheer on the lips, so it's perfect for everyday wear and would probably please people who don't even like lipsticks, as you can't feel it on your lips. For my first Mac lipstick purchase, I am very happy and I look forward to my next buy!

The Fashion Post #4: Calling All Cats

Fun and quirky printed tees are some of my favourite things to wear. Easy to style and comfortable to wear, what more could you want? Cats are being featured on Forever 21's a lot recently, so here's the verdict.

1. Forever 21 Cat Mirror Compact £2.40

This dainty compact mirror is great for just throwing in your handbag, and for £2.40 you can't really say no. This adorable cat print is also on a makeup bag and some tweezers, so you could have all matching accessories!

2. Forever 21 Let's Get Cray Muscle Tee £10.50

Muscle tees in my opinion, are a Summer staple, so why not stock up on a few ready for the warmer months? Forever 21's tops are always such brilliant prices too, ideal if you're on a budget. This top worn with a bandeau underneath and some denim shorts is a stunning laid-back outfit, great for hot sunny days.

3. Forever 21 Multicoloured Cat Muscle Tee £10.50

Forever 21 really are making it easy for us aren't they? Another muscle tee, I hear you say? Yes. I really do have a soft spot for them! Loose-fitting and this crazy cat print makes this top even better. A mixture of different types of cats in a spectrum of colours will add a pop of colour to a simple look.

4. Forever 21 Cat Tee £7.25

If you're not one for bright colours or bold prints, but want to jump on the 'cat tee' bandwagon, then this is for you. A plain white top with a lovely black cat print, and as you can see in the picture looks fabulous with a neon skater skirt and would suit some pastel shade jeans.

5. Forever 21 Cat Phone Case £7.40

There's so many phone cases out there but I think this one stands out from the crowd. It comes in lovely blue and pink shades and the cat has a little bow tie as well. Aww Anyway, enough aww-ing over a phone case! This is definitely one to add to your collection and I love how it's ears stick out at the top. This will add character to your phone and protect it at the same time.

The Weekend Post #8: Benefit They're Real in ELLE

I'm a huge lover of Benefit cosmetics but I've never had chance to try out the They're Real mascara. With claims to volumize, curl, lengthen, lift and separate your lashes. What more could a girl ask for?
Well when I saw that this months edition of ELLE had a free sample size of the Benefit They're Real mascara, I snapped it up. You can actually buy this size at Boots for £9.50, and I've stared at it many a time whilst in the queue however, the magazine was only £4 itself, mega-bargain!

 I will do a review of this once I've had time to try it out but I merely wanted to alert you of this (as it's too good to miss!).

Will you be picking up this months ELLE?

The Makeup: Currently Coveting #1

My makeup wishlist is getting bigger every day and I thought I'd share a few items with you that have been on my mind recently.

MAC Extra Dimension Skin-finish in 'Definitely Defined' £21.50
As described on the MAC website, this is a silvery soft rose shade with shimmer. These can be used wet or dry and they have two different shades in them, so you either mix them together or use them separately. I love pronounced cheekbones so I think this would be an ideal product for me!

L'Oreal Confetti Top Coat £4.99
Basically... heaven in a bottle. This reminds me a lot of mini eggs and a slick of this over a cute pastel shade, you're ready to go. Bang on trend for Spring and adds a little somethin' to a plain polish.

Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss £14.50
Benefit have recently released these new lip glosses, eekk, I am so excited! Anything that claims to plump your lips has my heart beating a little faster than it should do. A small selection of shades but one to please everyone, from crystal clear to bright fuchsia.

Benefit World Famous Neutrals Eyeshadow Kit £23.50
This has been on my radar since it arrived in Boots stores, the 'most glamorous' nudes palette stands out to me most, as it has a perfect selection of shades whether you're going for a neutral every-day look, to a more severe night-out look. Quite pricey, but it contains 4 powder shadows and 2 of their famous crease-less cream eyeshadows so you can't really complain.

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil £30
This claims to leave your hair with "a smooth feather-soft feel with a trace of shine". I've never spent this much on a hair product before and sadly, I don't think I'll be dishing out a few tenners any time soon but you never know...

The Nails: MUA vs Essie...

Whilst I was browsing Superdrug the other day, I noticed that MUA have re-designed their nail polish bottles. I was actually quite shocked at how similar they look to the Essie bottles. I love how simple and professional-looking the Essie bottles are I didn't even know brands could make a product look so similar, obviously the MUA ones are smaller in size, and the packaging is a little more 'plastic' as you can see in the photo.

The price and quality of the products do differ though,  the quality of MUA is no way near as good as Essie but they do have a pretty selection of shades available to have a gander at. MUA's Pistachio Ice cream is incredibly similar to Essie's Mint Candy Apple. MUA's are priced at £1 each (a complete bargain if you ask me) and Essie's are £7.99.

A great factor with Essie's nail polishes are the brushes. I know every time I talk about Essie I mention this, but they really are fantastic quality and MUA have a lot of catching up to do if they want to beat them.
So there's my thoughts on the new MUA packaging, do you love or loathe it?