Micellar waters.

Every beauty blogger will have heard of Bioderma, at some point, but since it's not available to buy so easily in the UK many drugstore brands are creating their own versions. I've picked up two versions, one from Garnier and one from L'Oreal.

 Both of these micellar waters claim to cleanse, smooth and be suitable for sensitive skin. They're both suitable to use on your eyes, lips and face and are described in pretty much the same way, on the back of the packaging. I like to use one of these in the evening to remove my makeup with a large cotton pad and my face always feels cleansed and fresh. At first I thought I would have to wash my face after using it but they both do a great job of removing my makeup, even mascara and eyeliner. I usually use 2-3 large cotton pads just to ensure my face is completely free of makeup, so I'd advise you buy some of the large cotton pads or some facial cloths to avoid having to use an excessive amount of tiny cotton pads.

 So, which one should you buy? Well, strictly speaking, I don't think there is a whole lot of difference between the two, which isn't surprising as L'Oreal and Garnier are actually owned by the same company. If someone handed me two cotton pads with them on I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference. However, if you're wanting the one that's best value for money then go for Garnier's offering, as you get 400ml for £4.99 whereas with L'Oreal you only get 200ml for the same price. Overall, I think these are both worth the money as they both do a satisfying job.

What do you think of micellar waters? 

Benefit gimme brow.

Whilst on a shopping trip in my local town centre I headed into Boots - surprise, surprise - and stumbled upon the Benefit counter. Of course, whilst I was there, I noticed their new product: gimme brow. After umm-ing and ahh-ing over it for a bit, I took the plunge and purchased it.

 It's described as a brush-on fibre gel that adheres to skin and hairs for fuller-looking brows. Simply, comb the brush through your brows to build up colour and shape them however desired. My eyebrows are quite fair and recently I've been leaving them natural but sometimes I've caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, whilst out and about, and noticed they could benefit from a bit of filling in. I went for the light/medium shade which is perfect for me and I have medium blonde hair. It retails for £17.50 which is a little pricey for what it is but compared to other benefit products it's quite reasonable and I can see this lasting me quite a long time, too.

 Well, I've used this a few times now and, it's fair to say, I absolutely love it. This type of product is so much easier than using a powder to fill in your brows because you simply just comb it through and you're done. So, if you struggle with other brow products or you simply don't have much time in the mornings, then give this a go.

L'Oreal colour riche extraodinaire liquid lipsticks | New in

L'Oreal is probably one of the last drugstore brands I'd expect to buy a lipstick from but after seeing these new liquid lipsticks, I just couldn't resist. They're very similar to the glam shine stain splashes which came out at about the same time last year but I think they're slightly more pigmented.

 The name liquid lipsticks could confuse you as they're not really anything like lipsticks. L'Oreal describe them as having the 1) colour intensity of a lipstick, 2) magnifying shine of a gloss and 3) softness of a balm. They're formulated with oils, designed to catch the light. They're enriched with lotus flower, argan, camelia seed and rose canina fruit oils which help to give the formula a nourishing feeling and silky soft finish.

 I picked one up in the shade 'Rose Melody' which is just my kind of colour. A rosy pink that's natural enough for everyday wear. Although I think the formula is quite gloopy, it applies easily and really does last a long time before I need to re-apply. It isn't too sticky and has a creamy texture that, once applied, makes your lips feel lovely and smooth. If you find lipsticks too high maintenance but don't get on with glosses then try these, as I think they sit perfectly between the two.Another thing I love about these is their smell, I don't quite know how to explain it but it's quite sweet and a bit fruity. These retail for £8.99 in Boots and come in an assortment of shades. I've noticed some brighter shades too, which I might have to pick up for Spring and Summer.

What do you think of these new liquid lipsticks?

Batiste dry shampoo | Review

Dry shampoo is one of those products that I just don't know what I'd do without. I always go for Batiste because I find it works best for me (I've tried others and they just aren't for me). One of the things I love about the Batiste dry shampoos is that they come in so many different scents/flavours. I have three different ones at the moment: Blush, Oriental and Cherry but there are so many to choose from and you can buy ones designed for different coloured hair too.

Batiste (from left to right) Oriental, Blush and Cherry

Dry shampoo is great for people who have oily hair and is quick and easy to use in between washes. Batiste is designed to target any oil and grease that's in your hair, making it feel and look fresher. Just spray throughout your hair (mainly at the roots), massage into your hair and then you're done. The only annoying thing is that it can leave a white powder in your hair so if you have very dark coloured hair you'll probably want to go for the ones that have a hint of colour in them. Aside from that, dry shampoo is a staple for me and I think it's worth a try if you hate that dirty hair feel in between washes.

Thanks for reading.

xxx

Lush Cinders | Review

I don't really tend to shop at Lush all that often but when they bring their Christmas products out there's no stopping me. Lush really do have the best choice of bath bombs etc to choose from around this time of year and yes, I do go just a tad crazy.

Lush Cinders Bath Bomb £2.45

Cinders has actually been a Christmas product for a while now and pretty much everybody and their cat raves about it however (up until now) I'd never known what all the fuss was about. This just smells absolutely divine, it's basically Christmas in a bath bomb. It contains; almond oil; sweet orange and cinnamon leaf oils which blend together perfectly to make a spicy but fruity scent. On top of the bath bomb is some popping candy which crackles away whilst you're in the bath; Lush say it's to sound like a fire crackling away.
  This bath bomb is a little smaller than what you'd normally expect from Lush (I'd say Honey Bee is the perfect size for a bath bomb) but it is cheaper, so I guess you're not missing out.
  Cinders turns the bath water a yellow-ish colour and the popping candy on top begins crackling and snapping away soon after the bath bomb has fizzed away. As with all Lush products I've tried, the smell does linger in the bathroom but, unfortunately, not very well on my skin.
  Cinders is by far one of my favourite bath bombs I've tried from Lush and I can guarantee I'll be picking lots more up before Christmas!


Thanks for reading, let me know in the comments what your favourite Christmas product from Lush is! :)

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette | Review

Since I already own the Naked 2 palette, I was pretty sure I didn't need the Naked Basics palette but after days of drooling over pictures of it on Instagram and seeing it featured in peoples YouTube videos, I went ahead and bought it. Six, gorgeous, shades all housed in a dinky palette. What more could you want? 

UD Naked Basics Palette £20

Venus: Shimmery off-white

Foxy: Light yellowish beige

W.O.S (Walk Of Shame): Creamy seashell pink

Naked 2: Pale taupe

Faint: Warm brown

Crave: Plain black

The palette includes six shades; five of which are matte that are neatly packed into a dinky little palette. The packaging is very sleek and - as you can see in the picture above - there is a large mirror which makes this palette perfect for travelling or carrying around in your makeup bag.
  Usually, I like to use; W.O.S/Foxy all over my lids; Naked 2 in my outer corner; Venus on my brow bone and on the inner corner of my eye and Crave as an eyeliner. I do occasionally use Faint after Naked 2 just to darken the crease slightly and it's also a great shade for filling in eyebrows. Overall, I think this is a fantastic little palette that contains everything I need for a simple eye look. I don't think darker skin tones would probably like this as much but for paler skin tones - e.g: me - it's definitely worth the money.
  Now onto how much it costs. Well, this palette costs £20 and -unlike the other naked palettes- you don't get a free brush or lipgloss/primer. Personally, I think £20 is a good price to pay considering MAC single eyeshadows are £12.50 each!
  If you've always wanted to try one of the naked palettes but always found them quite pricey, then this palette is for you. It offers a selection of seductive nudes that are must-haves for everyday makeup.

Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mists | Review

Whilst out shopping last weekend, I made my way into Victoria's Secret and bought some of their body mists and because they smell soo delicious I thought I'd do a little review on them.

Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mists £11 

I literally spent about half an hour wandering around the store sniffing every single perfume and body spray there was in sight. I went for "Pure Seduction", "Mango Temptation", "Hello Darling", "Love Spell" and "Pure Daydream". My mum actually loved "Pure Seduction" so much she went back and bought another one!

Pure Seduction- Red Plum & Freesia

Pure Daydream- Pearl Orchid & Pink Currant

Hello Darling- White Nectarine & Peony

Love Spell- Cherry Blossom & Peach

Mango Temptation- Mango Nectar & Hibiscus

 On the bottle it says "Refreshing formula is infused with conditioning Aloe Vera calming Chamomile. Spray on for a sexy touch of scent". I spray one on before I leave the house and it lasts so long, which I wasn't expecting from a body mist. They're all very light and fresh scents to wear and I would really recommend getting yourself down to Victoria's Secret as soon as you can to check these babies out. The packaging is very simple and it looks so pretty lined up with the rest of my body mists, and I completely understand why these are so talked about. They retail at £11 each but they do have offers on, and if you can't make it to the store, you can buy them on eBay.

Thanks for reading and if you have any blog post requests then please do ask me in the comments! :)

Monthly Favourites | August

Well I can't quite believe that August is over - It seemed to last ages - so of course that means it's August Favourites time! With the Summer holidays, I've been off school all of August and still haven't returned to school yet (I am dreading the 9th of September) so I've had lots of time to try out new products and see whether I like them or not.

Victoria's Secret Body Mists (review coming soon!) £11
I have quite a large collection of these (5 to be exact) and I can't get enough of them, Victoria's Secret is definitely the place to go if you're looking for a long-lasting body spray and a huge selection to choose from. In the Summer I don't tend to wear much perfume because body sprays are much lighter and more refreshing in my opinion. Even with Autumn/Winter coming up I will still be wearing these because they are just too good (and pretty) to be hidden away at the back of my drawers.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Gradual Tanner (full review here) £5.35
Although I don't find it impossible to get a bit of a tan in the Summer, I always still manage to look a bit pale, so I've been using this gradual tanner everyday to give my skin a glowy and healthy look. I will warn you though, even though it's only a gradual tanner it will leave you with cheesy wotsit fingers if you don't give your hands a wash after application. Yes, I've been there.

Maybelline Baby Lips (full review and swatches here) £2.99
As I'm sure EVERYONE knows by now, Maybelline Baby Lips were finally released here in the UK, Superdrug and Boots were selling out so quickly I found it hard to find them at first. My favourite out of the four I own is 'Peach Kiss' because it's only a little bit tinted so it's great for school and days when you don't feel like wearing too much makeup. They do a great job of keeping your lips moisturised and soft and they're such an affordable price too, because sometimes I think tinted lip balms are a little bit over-priced.

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub £4.99
I always like to use a lip scrub before applying any lipstick, to make sure my lips are soft and there aren't any dry patches, that the lipstick could cling to. This bubblegum one from Lush is my favourite because of it's sweet scent, I'm not too keen on the taste of this but I'm willing to overlook that. It smells just like the Snow Fairy shower gel and the Cotton Candy bubble bar too, and this lip scrub is available in different flavours if bubblegum isn't your thing.

Rimmel Blush in 'Santa Rose' £3.99
This has been one of my go-to blushers over August, a light peachy shade that adds just a hint of colour to my cheeks. Perfect for those 'no makeup, makeup days' and it's in the tiniest packaging too. This is such a bargain price and is worth it if you're on the hunt for a neutral blush for school.

And there's my August Favourites! Thanks for reading and tell me in the comments what you've been loving this past month!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in 'Soft & Gentle' | Review

'Soft & Gentle' has been on my wishlist for ages, and whilst browsing the MAC counter at the weekend I went ahead and bought it, and I am so glad I did. On MAC's website it's described as; "a glided peach bronze" which is just my kind of shade for a bronzer/highlighter. It retails for £22 which I do think is over-priced but it's such a gorgeous product.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in 'Soft & Gentle' £22

A stunning shimmery highlighter with chunks of glitter to add some sheen and colour to your face. I like to apply this - lightly - like blusher and blend it out over my cheeks, but people with a darker skintone could use this more heavily. 

 You can use this product in a few different ways, as an eyeshadow, a subtle highlight or you can create a very bronzed look by using it a bit more heavy handed. Another thing I adore about 'Soft & Gentle' is how well it catches the light and makes your skin look so glowy and healthy.

 This product is huge, weighing in at 10g (the amount of product) and I'm sure it's going to last me a long time. The packaging is very simple - which I love - and it looks so pretty on my dressing table or stored in my makeup collection.
 The powder feels very smooth but as I said it does contain some chunks of glitter, which would usually put me off but it looks lovely on and I just love using this!

What do you think of the MAC MSF's?

New In | Maybelline Baby Lips

It's unbelievable how excited I actually got when I heard that Maybelline Baby Lips were being released in the UK, and I went a little crazy in Superdrug when I saw them. I picked up 4 of them; Pink Punch, Cherry Me, Minty Fresh and Peach Kiss. Everyone is going crazy for these and Superdrug were selling them like hot cakes, plus they're currently on offer, 3 for 2 so they're an absolute bargain!

Maybelline Baby Lips £2.99

(apologies for the bony hand)

Pink Punch
A bright bubblegum pink shade, that is surprisingly quite pigmented with a few swipes on the lips.

Peach Kiss
This is my favourite of the bunch, it just adds a subtle peachy tint to my lip which is perfect for everyday wear.

Minty Fresh
There isn't much to say about this really, as it doesn't tint your lips in any way but I love the minty smell! It's very refreshing and makes your lips look glossy too.

Cherry Me
I can see myself wearing this a lot in Autumn/Winter time as it's a beautiful cherry red shade which will go perfectly with a smokey eye look around Christmas time. It looks a bit darker on your lips in my opinion as well.

Overall I'm very impressed with these lip balms considering they're only £2.99 each! I love the colourful packaging of each of them as well. All of them are so soft to apply and feel lovely and smooth on your lips, and Minty Fresh has an added bonus of SPF 20. They claim to moisturise your lips for a full 8 hours, which I haven't tested out myself but they sure do make your lips feel hydrated.


Have you tried the new Maybelline Baby Lips?

Monthly Favourites | July

Yes, another month is come to an end and it's time for me to show you my favourite beauty bits and bobs, that I've been using over the past few weeks. I will warn you though that this months favourites aren't going to be that exciting, because I'm saving up for a shopping trip so I've been using some old favourites recently.

Revlon Lip Butter in "Cotton Candy" £7.99

I have been wearing this stuff on my lips an awful lot recently, a perfect sheeny pink shade that manages to keep your lips hydrated and looking luscious at the same time. I won't ramble on too much about it, as I'm sure everyone of you will have heard about the Lip Butters before but it's a lovely balmy texture and fuss-free to apply. A delightful bubblegum pink shade with a touch of shimmer, perfect.

Boots Coconut & Almond Intensive Hair mask £1.99

Particularly in the Summer I always need a tad more moisture in the ends of my locks, to avoid the frizzy look. With this being cheap I wasn't expecting a miracle but after a few uses I can tell a difference in the feel of my hair. I apply this to the ends of my hair, leave for a few minutes and rinse out. The next morning your hair will feel super soft.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer £23.50
This is actually one of the very few bronzers I own - surprisingly - and it's been hidden away in my stash for a while, until I decided to give it a go for some contouring and I fell in love, again. It's very pigmented so you don't need too much product on your brush and it's great to contour your face with without looking dirty. I like to apply a small amount using my Real Techniques Contour Brush whilst pulling the 'fishy face' and blend it out to look more natural.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in "Half Baked" £14
Half Baked is a very shimmery golden bronze shade which I've been using on the outer corner of my lids daily this month. I was expecting this to be a pain to apply (because of thee shimmer) but it applies very easily and it has a very smooth texture. The pigmentation is great too, I would definitely getting the Naked 2 palette as all of the shades are fantastic.

Bourjois Bronzing Primer £9.99
I did a full review - here - on this, but I had to include it in my favourites for this month. As all of you in the UK will know, the weather has been very hot this past month so due to this I haven't been wearing a full face of makeup everyday and this primer has come in very handy. I apply this (using my fingers) all over my face, making sure to blend it well and then go ahead and use a BB Cream over the top for a perfect Summer makeup base.


Non-Beauty Favourites

Hay Day (Available from the App Store)
I've been spending so much time on this app - warning it's very addictive! - and it's free too.

Watermelon!
I've been eating Watermelon like crazy at the moment, but at least it's healthy!

Skater Skirts
I never used to be a skirt fan but this Summer I haven't been out of my Skater skirts. I have three in total - note to self: buy more - two from Topshop and one from New Look. They go with EVERYTHING and look so pretty as well.


Phew. That was a long post, what have you been enjoying this last month?

The Makeup: Bourjois Bronzing Primer | Review

When I first heard about the new Boujois bronzing range, I was so excited to try their new products out and the main product I was drawn to was their bronzing primer. I've always wanted to try the Clarins Instant Self Tanning Primer but I thought I'd give this a go first!

Bourjois Bronzing Primer - £9.99

It mattifies your skin leaving it feeling very smooth and helps to even out your skintone. It's soft velvety texture makes this primer so easy to apply to your face but bare in mind, you really don't need much of this (especially if you have pale skin like me) otherwise your face will look a little orangey, so I can see it lasting me a long time.
The only thing that I'm not too keen on with this product is the "chocolate" scent, but you can't smell it once it's on your face.
It has been compared to Chanel Bronze Universal but this is more of a mousse texture rather than a cream product and I find it's much easier to use as a base. As far as adding colour goes, I'd say it does pretty well at giving my skin that bronzed and healthy glow, but it all depends on what products you put over the top.
It says on the Bourjois website that it contains Cocoa beans and Orange Blossom elixir to help hydrate your skin and add radiance too.
Overall I'm very pleased with this bronzing primer, it comes in at £9.99 which isn't cheap but it's not the most expensive I've seen.


Will you be trying out this primer? What do you think of it?

Monthly Favourites | June

Yes, it's that time of the month again where everyone is sharing their favourite beauty products that they've been using the past month, so here goes... This months favourites include some newbies and a few old friends that have made their way back into my routine.

Essie Nail Polish in Fiji- This shade has been gracing  my nails mainly this month. A milky pink shade that I think looks very sophisticated and I don't have any other shades like this in my collection. It suits pale skin tones (i.e-me) but if you had a tan, it would emphasize the colour a lot more. It does go streaky on the first coat but once you've put 2 coats on, there isn't a streak in sight.  As you know I love the brushes and formula of Essie nail polishes and they have never disappointed me yet.

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-In Conditioner- I'm sure almost everybody will have those days where your hair is so dry or you find it hard to get a bush through, I certainly do (especially after blow-drying my hair). To help get soft and smooth feeling hair, I've been using this Dove leave-in conditioner. First of all the scent of this is just heavenly, I like to spray it mainly on the ends of my hair to make them frizz-free and then go through my hair with a brush afterwards. It can be used on wet or dry hair too, perfect to reduce frizz, tame any flyaways and hydrate your hair.

Juicy Couture, Couture La La- It's described as a sweet blend of Mandarin and white florals on Juicy Couture's website, it's probably more for Spring time but I like to wear this kind of scent any time of year really. The bottle that this comes in is gorgeous, a pink ribbon and diamantés what more could a girl want?

Rimmel Stay Matte Face Powder- Every beauty blogger must have heard about this face powder at some point, Tanya Burr (and many others) swear by it and it's a bargain too. A light dusting of this, concentrating on my t-zone is all I need for shine-free skin - almost - all day.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer- Despite my love for the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, as I came to an end of one of my (many) tubes I decided to try something new. The Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation is one my favourites so I was expecting good things from their concealer. It covers very well leaving no signs of blemishes or under eye circles, it has a slightly thicker consistency when compared to the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer which I think I prefer.

So that concludes my June favourites, what have you been loving recently?

Essie Sunday Funday | Review

I was so excited when I realised Essie had released their new Summer collection; Naughty Nautical and I couldn't wait to check out their new shades. All of the shades really stood out to me, but Sunday Funday (awesome name, I know) in particular.
Almost all of their new shades contain shimmer, which I think is a very pretty and girly effect and there's no extra effort required. On Essie's website Sunday Funday is described as a 'tangerine coral crush shimmer' which is basically this shade in a nutshell. It reminds me of Essie's Cute as a button, just with shimmer.

Essie Sunday Funday £7.99

Sunday Funday is a bright pinky coral, that's perfect for Summer. This shade reminds me of holidays, and it's a great way to inject some colour into your outfit/look. As you know, I am a huge fan of the Essie brushes and formulation and this shade is opaque with two coats (but you could most definitely get away with one). As far as longevity goes, it doesn't last very long before chipping but that depends on what top coat you use. In my opinion every beauty blogger needs a shade like this in their collection, it's a Summer staple.

What are your thoughts on the Naughty Nautical Collection?

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara | Review

When it comes to mascaras you can always rely on Maybelline to release the latest. I had passed over many of their previous mascaras and as soon as I spotted this on the shelves, I thought 'another one?'. But something stopped me in my tracks, with new gel-mousse formula plastered all over the stand I had to check it out. So into the basket it went, and at a very reasonable £5.99 too.

                                                           Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara £5.99

So. What's the verdict? Well I'm a lover of long luscious lashes, and this mascara claims to give you 'Massive & Soft Volume' that's 'Non-brittle' and 'Non-flaky'. I was slightly put off with it having a bendy wand, as I like to have a firm applicator to apply any kind of eye makeup as it's hard enough not to get it all over, but surprisingly this doesn't bother me.
  Now onto the brush, well it certainly is one of the larger brushes I've used before which makes it quite hard not to end up with mascara on your brow bone. In my opinion, a bigger the brush, does not always mean bigger lashes. It usually just equals total mascara mess for me, however I've managed to master this brush reasonably well and I'm happy to say, I don't always end up with it all over (but it helps to have an eye makeup remover handy).
  This mascara says it will give you 'massive and soft volume' but it didn't give me massive volume, it's a very natural looking mascara so it's probably better for people who are just beginning to wear makeup. The new gel-mousse formula is one I haven't previously tried but I don't believe it made a huge difference to my lashes, but they don't feel as brittle as they would with another mascara. Overall, this mascara hasn't impressed me too much and I probably wont be re-purchasing it, however I am glad I got to try it out.

What do you think of this mascara? Have you tried any other Maybelline mascaras?

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Gradual Tanner | Review

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Gradual Tanner £5.35

I bought this after seeing it featured on Kate's blog, and I had to give it a go. Claiming to add a natural glow to your skin that will build up after a few days of application and moisturise your skin at the same time, I knew I was on to a winner. The smooth sweet-smelling lotion contains pure Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E, to keep your skin looking (and feeling) healthy.
It's fabulous to use any time of the year because it's totally up to you how often - and how much - of it you use. Incredibly easy to use, leaving you with streak-free sunkissed skin. Just remember to wash your hands afterwards otherwise you'll end up with orange hands.
The pump on the bottle keeps everything mess-free too. Remember though, it does fade so if you want to maintain that healthy bronzed look, it's probably better to apply it every other day.
It's very cheap at £5.35 from Boots and Superdrug but I managed to find it in Bodycare for an amazing £3.99! so - if you can - go to Bodycare first. Overall, I'm very pleased with this product and I'll most definitely be re-purchasing this and I'll probably use this all year-round from now on.

Monthly Favourites | May

Well it's been a busy month, I've had birthdays, holidays and exams to deal with this month so I've been using a lot of multi-tasking products in order to see me through the - long - days. Here's my favourite picks of the past month...

Bourjois Bronzing Primer £9.99
I've been coveting over the Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning for long enough, and I was so close to purchasing it until I spotted this in Boots. This primer aims to bronze, smooth and (obviously) prime your skin, which it does brilliantly. It's fantastic to use on a daily basis and it takes no time at all to get a streak-free bronzed complexion.

VO5 Dry Texturising Spray £3.49
Sometimes my hair just feels so limp and lifeless and I feel like I need to add a bit of 'texture' and 'rough-ness' into my hair in order to style it how I want. This product does thee job perfectly and, in my opinion, sits perfectly between a dry shampoo and a hairspray.

Bare Minerals Original Foundation £25
This foundation provides excellent high coverage - perfect for covering any stress-related spots - and I've been reaching for it a lot this month. A light-weight powder that leaves your skin looking makeup free butt also flawless. I seriously don't know what I'd do without this.

Original Source Lemon & Tea Tree Shower Gel £2.30
This refreshing blend of zesty lemon and tea tree helps to waken me up in the mornings, and it contains pure and natural essential oils to help keep your skin nourished and supple. Can you believe it that 10 lemons go into one bottle of this!

Bourjois Cream Blush £7.99
As soon as I heard about these on a few blogs and read a couple of reviews, I knew I HAD to have one. I went for the lightest (and most neutral) shade. Nude Velvet (01) will add a touch of colour to your cheeks and I've completely fallen for their cream-to-powder formula.

Have you tried any of these products?

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 Edit: 5 Product Face

We all have those days where we 'simply cannot be bothered' to do anything but we still want to hide those dark circles and those pesky spots here and there. Or maybe you're just in a rush because you've spent too much time lounging about in your onesie, when you should of been getting ready? Well here's a round-up of quick makeup products that you can throw into your makeup bag and do on the go.

Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream (full review here) £18
This bb cream will save a lot of steps, it has advanced water bead technology to help hydrate your skin and give you a natural, healthy glow. It contains sunscreen, aloe leaf juice (which slows the water loss from your skin), and will soothe and calm your skin covering any blemishes, uneven skintone and red-ness. No need for powder because the bb cream will take care of the oil.

Max Factor Eye Brightening Mascara £7.99
These come in three different shades, one to suit everybody whether you have green, blue or brown eyes. The formula contains light reflecting particles to instantly brighten up your eyes and the gem-toned colour beads will help enrich eye colour. As well as diminishing dullness this mascara will also give you long lashes and lots of volume.

Stila Convertible Colour £16
This is versatile, so you can use it on your lips and cheeks, so you don't have to faff about with lipstick. This creamy lightweight product will effortlessly brush onto your skin leaving you with a healthy pop of colour on booth your lips and cheeks. One to suit every skin tone and trust me ladies, you won't regret picking this up. I also talked about this in my March Favourites post.

Mac Omega Eyeshadow £12
Just run this through your brows to make them look a but tidier (obviously you may need a different shade but this is my particular choice) as I can't be going out without sorting my brows out! A soft muted beige-taupe shade, it's easy to use and you'll never look back once you've got within your grasp.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'Pink Gold' £4.99
I use this shade on a daily basis, it's excellent to use as a base for other eyeshadows to make sure they stay in place all day long. Or to use on it's own, the creamy gel-like formula makes these babies easy to apply and blend onto your eyelid. They come in a range of different shades so there's one out there everyone. A lovely long-lasting pop of colour that won't fade throughout the day either.