Beau MakeUp

I'm back!

2011-09-27T20:18:00.000+01:00

Well hello there, it's been a while hasn't it? I'm finally back in the blogging groove - I've been super busy for the last three months on an internship, but now that has finished, I'm back to uni on Thursday for my final year which will be tough going I'm sure.

I had the most amazing time interning in the marketing department of a company - I feel like a changed person (cheesy line I know) but feel like I'm ready to face the job world head on when I graduate!

I have kind of felt a bit out of the blogging loop - I've been reading the odd post and watching the odd video, but other than that I've been completely MIA. I've been about on Twitter a bit too but not too much.

But I'm back, the blogging mojo is back and I hope it won't be going again any time soon. My posts won't be as regular as they were in the past, what with uni and everything going on at the moment, but I'll be back all the same.

I hope you have all been well and made the most of the summer!

I'll be posting a Current Favourites post tonight or tomorrow (probably tomorrow as it's dark now and shooting pictures is always better in daylight).

I've found a LOT of new products which have become part of my daily routine and firm favourites - yet there are still the odd old product floating around which I can't stop using! :)

I've missed this! Until tomorrow!

Lots of love,

Natalie xxx

FOTN & Update!

2011-07-17T19:46:00.000+01:00

Wow, it has been a while! Over three weeks since I last blogged!

I have been so busy lately, I just haven't had the time. I've got so many new products to tell you about and just generally updating you about my life and things!

If you don't already know, I have recently started an internship/placement for the summer in the Marketing department of a company and I have been working my little socks off. My manager has given me the reins on a few important projects so I have been putting all my time into getting those perfect and blogging has pretty much been put onto the back burner for now.

But I'm trying to get into a routine of getting in from work, relaxing for a while then getting some posts written. I do miss it so much and keeping up with all you gorgeous lot!

I hope you are all having a great weekend - I will leave you with a FOTN from last night. It was my sister's 23rd birthday so we went out for drinks and some bowling (which I suck at by the way - big time!).

Products used:

Estee Lauder Double Wear in Ecru

Mac Studio Finish concealer (NC20)

Mac Cream Colour Base in Hush

Mac MSFN (Medium)

Dior blusher in Burnt Cinnamon

Nars Laguna bronzer

Mac MSF in By Candlelight

UDPP

Nars Alhambra e/s duo

Mac Concrete and Carbon e/s

Collection 2000 Extreme liquid liner (the blue one)

Ardell Demi Wispies lashes - these are stunning and stayed on all day and night!

Cargo eyeliner pencil in Black.

I have a couple of posts planned that I want to do soon so will get a wiggle on with taking some photographs!

I'm always about on Twitter (@beaum_natalie) so feel free to tweet away!

Lots of love, Natalie xxx

Product of the Week.

2011-06-24T16:54:00.001+01:00

I thought I'd start a regular post telling you all about my favourite products of the week. I always really enjoy reading about products that you guys are enjoying and getting some ideas of the next bits I'm going to buy.

My favourite product this week is one I haven't had for long, about 4 days but I really love it already.

The Nivea Visage Pure and Natural Day cream was on offer in Sainsbury's for just under £3 so I couldn't leave it there on the shelf - especially when there has been a recent news article that Kate Middleton was spotted picking up a pot of this in Boots (just realised my last two posts are products that Kate Middleton has supposedly used!).

But it really is a lovely face cream. I'm not keen on it as a day cream as it is intended to be used as it is quite think but I really like it as a night cream and haven't used any other cream since getting this!

It contains ingredients which are 95% natural, Argan Oil and Aloe Vera. No parabens, silicones, colourants or mineral oils. So this may be a great face cream if you have slightly more sensitive skin - but it does have a scent to it which I'm not keen on but it's not a horrible smell, just not the nicest thing I've smelt.

There is an anti wrinkle option available, as well as a dry/sensitive skin option. I have the normal/combination one but it is quite a heavy cream so I tend to stick with it for the evenings. I'd really like to try out the cleanser and toner from this range just to see what they are like.

Have you tried this range? What is your Product of the Week?

Love, Natalie xxx

NOTD

2011-06-23T15:12:00.001+01:00

After hearing lots of speculation that this was the colour Kate Middleton wore on her nails for her wedding day - I had to hunt it down and get one!

The colour in question is Bourjois Rose Lounge. There was no hunting involved and I managed to snag a bottle from Boots for £5.99. They are currently on offer for 2 for £8.

2 coats + topcoat

It is a truly gorgeous colour and will be perfect for days when you want a more toned down nail.

I was looking for work appropriate nail colours (I just recently got an amazing marketing placement for the summer with a fantastic company - so I am so excited to start that) and think this will be absolutely perfect.

If you have any other work appropriate nail colour ideas, do share them!

Love, Natalie xx

Affordable Summer Lipsticks.

2011-06-20T12:34:00.001+01:00

As the summer slowly edges it's way closer, my choice of lipstick slowly gets a bit brighter.

A sunny day is the perfect opportunity to break out the pinks, corals and bright reds.

(top to bottom)

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Luminous Beige £5.19

This is the only nude I own that I actually wear alone. I'm not a fan of the Gosh Darling concealer lip but this nude is very pretty and is so moisturising which gives is a lovely glossy finish.

Revlon ColorBurst in Peach £7.99

I love this just lightly patted onto the lips for a gorgeous peach tint. It looks so pretty with a clear gloss or a bit of Vaseline over the top.

Maybelline Colour Sensational in Sweet Pink and Ambre Rose £5.19 (usually £7.19)

These two colours are very close but have very slight differences. Ambre Rose is slightly more peachy where Sweet Pink is, as the name suggests, more pink.

These are all available from the usual stores - Boots, Superdrug, supermarkets, online.....

What are your favourite summer lipsticks?

Love, Natalie x

Muji Storage Solution.

2011-06-19T17:31:00.000+01:00

While in London last Saturday with the lovely Emma, we sat in Costa on Oxford Street and hunted down (with the help of Google Maps) the Muji store. Muji do just about everything (well, within reason) storage wise and even have a few clothes, beauty products such as face washes, and even cute little packs of cotton buds and cotton pads.

I'm sure you have all heard about the Muji acrylic storage drawers which a lot of beauty bloggers/vloggers have to store their collections. But I found the drawers to be a bit too thin and didn't think they would hold much.

Space is very limited in my room so I have to make the most of what space I do have.

I got some of PP Vanity Cases which are a lot bigger than the acrylic storage and are stackable. I would have like some drawers with the storage but beggars can't be choosers!

This little pot has 6 small compartments which fit all of my makeup brushes perfectly and some eyeliners/mascaras (or anything else which is tall and skinny). This was just £2.95 and while it might not be as pretty as some brush storage solutions, it certainly is very practical!

These are the vanity cases which come in a variety of sizes. The larger size was £4.50 and the smaller one was £3.25.

The larger size boxes are great for palettes and foundations, while the smaller one houses all of my blushes and other cheek products. It would be fantastic if the boxes were transparent, but still, I'm not complaining.

They are made from a very durable plastic which isn't flimsy at all and I really like the handles on the front and back of each box - it makes it a lot easier to pick them up and move them around.

I kind of wish I had got a couple more of these boxes, I might have to make an order online or take a trip back to London soon to get some more! They are great for everything.

How do you store your makeup?

Love, Natalie xxx

NOTD

2011-06-15T16:43:00.000+01:00

After hearing about the George at Asda makeup range, I finally got around to trying some of it out this week. I only got one item, but if the quality is anything to go by, the rest of the range will be lovely!

I picked up one of the Quick Dry Nail Polishes in Smarty Pants for the grand sum of £1! This colour caught my eye amongst all the others as it is just beautiful.

Two coats/topcoat

It is a gorgeous light turquoise with the slightest of shimmer. The polish dried very quickly and the colour is stunning and would look even better with a tan!

I will definitely be taking a proper look at the George at Asda range next time I'm in store.

Have you tried the George range? What are the must haves?

Love, Natalie xxx

Health Kick Update!

2011-06-15T14:02:00.000+01:00

I'M NEARLY THERE!

After a tough but healthy 6 months - I am so close to my goal weight. My goal is 12 stone and I'm about half a stone shy of that now. :) I'm stupidly proud of myself and think a good shopping spree is in order when I get down to 12stone.

I have some before and after shots which show you how much weight I've lost. This first picture was taken last July so a good 5 months before I even started my diet.

I can't get over how big my face was. It's huge, like a football on top of my body. I did like my hair this length though! ;) I was around a size 18/20 on top and a 22 on bottoms. My rear end was (and still is a bit) huge.

This was yesterday trying on dresses for my best friend's sister's wedding! Such a gorgeous dress! I love the 50s kind of style. I'm not completely comfortable with my legs yet - my calves are a bit chunky but I'm sure a few weeks at the gym will sort those out! I can now get into a 14 on bottoms and a 12/14 on top.

I just need a join the gym now and get toned up ready for the summer!

Lots of love, a very happy Natalie xxx

Worth The Splurge?

2011-06-11T08:11:00.000+01:00

Carrying on with my Worth The Splurge series of posts (see the foundation post here), the next product is concealers.

I use concealer every day without fail - to cover up dark circles or the odd spot or pimple, it is a staple in my makeup bag. So, I think it is safe to say I have used my fair share of concealers, from high end right down to the cheapest of the cheap.

These are some of my favourites and most reached for. I do think that while department store brands may offer a wider range of colour choices, the likes of Boots and Superdrug have a huge variety of brands which work just as well. The Elf concealer (or All Over Colour Stick) is very close to the Mac Studio Finish, coverage wise in my opinion. The Elf one is a tad creamier but both work just as well as each other. The price difference is staggering though - £1.50 for the Elf and £13.50 for the Mac. That's a no brainer for me.

The other Elf concealer (from the Studio line) is lovely for under the eyes but I'm not so keen on the highlighter end. The conceal end blends really well and covers dark circles fairly well as it has a slightly peachy tone to it. Another real cheap buy at £3.50.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection works perfectly for covering up pimples and any icky bits. Blends well and lasts all day. It says 16 hour wear but I'd say I get a good 10-12 hours wear out of it! At £4.19 it is a great product for a great price!

So, are concealers worth the splurge? In my opinion, not at all. The drugstore is just as good in the concealer stakes as the department store! :)

Which are your favourite concealers?

Love, Natalie x

Review - Collection 2000 Dazzle Me!

2011-06-09T16:18:00.001+01:00

Collection 2000 is a brand which has really stepped up it's game in the last few years and now I have a good stash of products which I use regularly. From their blushers to their concealers - they are all very affordable and good quality products.

Collection 2000 have a range of loose pigments called Dazzle Me! which I'll be reviewing today.

From L-R are Hazydaze, Enchanted and Paradise.

The packaging is very simple but I love that they come in clear tubs so I can see which colour is which. The pigments come with a little sifter in the top so you aren't going to spill lots of it out.

The pigments themselves are very finely milled and are so smooth and easy to apply. A huge variety of colours are available - I used to have a few more than this but I chucked some out as I didn't use them.

L-R Hazydaze, Enchanted and Paradise swatched dry.

I don't use Hazydaze much but Enchanted and Paradise are such gorgeous colours on the lid. My only hang up about them are that they are quite shimmery but other than that I really love them.

Paradise has to be my favourite. It is a gorgeous light shimmery pink/peach which is so pretty all over the lid with some winged liner - perfect for summer!

They can be used, like all pigments and loose shadows, dry or wet for a more intense look. They would work really well as liners applied with a damp angled brush. They last quite well with a base (I usually use UDPP or a Paintpot from Mac) but I have quite oily lids so find most eyeshadows fade during the day and start to crease.

I do prefer to use pressed eyeshadows as they are a lot easier and less fuss - but I try to use these loose ones when I have more time to sit and do my makeup

Dazzle Me! pigments retail for just under £2.99 in Boots/Superdrug/anywhere else that sells Collection 2000 but they are sometimes on offer so keep your eye out for those!

Love, Natalie xxx

NOTD - Dusky Mauve

2011-06-08T14:38:00.000+01:00

I love Barry M nail paints. If I had to buy any nail polish for the rest of my life, it would be Barry M's. At just under £3 each, they dry super fast and have a huge variety of colours.

There was a lot of hype around the Dusky Mauve shade - I read of lot of blogs comparing it to the Chanel polish in Paradoxal which recently came out and it is a pretty close match. It is a stunning colour. I have my eye on Chanel Mimosa at the moment which is a beautiful pastel yellow with a light shimmer - if you know of any good dupes please leave a comment! I can't justify spending Chanel prices on a nail polish!

Pretty isn't it?!

Love, Natalie xxx

Worth The Splurge?

2011-06-04T16:34:00.005+01:00

I thought I'd start a mini series about whether certain products are worth the splurge or not. There are so many brands on the market today, you can get dupes and similar products at all price points.

Foundation is a must for me and I'm sure it is a staple for many of you as well. With so many different brands offering foundations, be it powder, liquid, mineral, cream, mousse - it can be a very tough decision.

Foundation is one of the things I am more than prepared to splurge on. I believe that with foundation, what you get is what you pay for. Granted, I'm sure there are some drugstore foundations which are fabulous products - I just haven't found them yet!

While there are a couple of drugstore foundations I do like (Revlon Colorstay being one of them) - more often than not I reach for high end foundations.

I think of foundation as exactly that - a foundation/base for the rest of my makeup. I think your foundation can really tie together a look and I would happily go out with just my foundation on.

These are three of my favourites - MUFE HD foundation, Mac Studio Fix Fluid and Estee Lauder Double Wear.

I find higher end, more expensive foundations offer a wider variety of colours although some drugstore brands are stepping up their game lately (Sleek being one of them) and offering a variety of shades from the palest of the pale to deeper toned skin.

There are a good few drugstore foundations which have been released lately that I would like to try to satisfy my curiosity. I'd love to find a drugstore foundation that I absolutely love, but so far, no such luck. Revlon Colourstay comes close but find it sometimes gets a bit cakey which I don't find with my Double Wear or Studio Fix.

I'd highly recommend getting a sample of a few colours if you are thinking of buying a more expensive foundation, they definitely don't come cheap and it's good to ensure that you get the right shade and right finish. It's definitely an investment so it is better if you spend £20/30 on a foundation which is perfectly suited to you, your colouring and skin type. Some counters can be funny about giving out samples, but at the end of the day they want to make a sale so they should be willing to give you a small sample.

So are foundations worth the splurge? In my opinion, definitely.

Are you a high end or low end foundation lover? Which are your favourites - I'm always on the lookout for new products to try out!

Love, Natalie xxx

Review - Illamasqua Blushers

2011-06-02T21:03:00.000+01:00

I finally got around to trying out some Illamasqua products when I visited Imats this year. I got 4 blushers for the absolute bargain of £25. Granted, there are two colours of the four I don't really use, but the blushers retail for £16 each so 4 for £25 is a steal.

From left to right are Sin, Expose, Kiss and Unrequited.

I love the packaging of Illamasqua products, very simple but still manages to look gorgeous. Each blusher is 4.5g but they are very pigmented you need the tiniest amount.

I just have to touch my brush to the blusher and that gives me enough for both cheeks - so they won't be running out anytime soon!

The blushes aren't chalky at all and blend beautifully into the skin, I would recommend a very light hand and building up the colour as you like it.

L-R Sin, Expose, Kiss and Unrequited.

Expose and Unrequited are my favourites of the four. They are gorgeous on their own but so pretty when I mix the two together.

Sin looks a lot more pinkier in the swatch when it is actually quite purple in the pan. To be honest, I haven't really used Sin and Kiss much. They do look quite scary in the pan and I'm kind of hesitant to use them.

I'm quite sure all of the Illamasqua blushers have a matte finish so you are free to add highlight or some shimmer if you want it!

There are a huge variety of colours available so I'm sure you'll be able to find one you like! I've got my eye on a few of the cream blushes which also look so pretty.

Have you tried Illamasqua products? Which are your favourites?

Love, Natalie xxx

May Favourites.

2011-05-29T10:53:00.001+01:00

My exams are finally over and I have the summer ahead of me to get back in the blogging groove.

I had my last day at Uni here on Friday - was very bittersweet. I'm looking forward to going home, but will miss this place so much. It's such a beautiful city, how could I not miss it!

One of my German friends summed it up pretty well with this German quote:

Ich habe ein weinendes und ein lachendes Auge - which translates to "One eye is crying, one eye is laughing".

[source]

Erasmus 2011 was probably the best of my life. I met some amazing people, saw some beautiful cities and was surrounded by the gorgeous French language. But all good things must come to an end and I sail home to Blighty on Tuesday.

As May draws to a close, I thought I'd ease myself back into blogging with a monthly favourites.

(yes, that is a toilet seat for those of you wondering! Best lighting is in the bathroom!)

Max Factor Masterpiece mascara - I got this mini size with a gift with purchase set a while ago. I really love this mascara, it lengthens my lashes so much and while it isn't the most volumising mascara, it does give pretty, defined lashes. I will definitely be picking up the full size when I'm back home.

Clinique Even Better - This foundation and I have had a love hate relationship. When my skin was a bit more worse for wear, I hated it. But now my skin is a lot clearer, this foundation is beautiful. I'd say it's a medium coverage but gives lovely, dewy, summery skin without looking too heavy. I use the colour Alabaster.

Illamasqua Unrequited - I got a couple of Illamasqua blushes at IMATs and have recently been loving Unrequited. They are stupidly pigmented and are so pretty. Unrequited is lovely on its own with just a dusting of highlighter. It is a gorgeous soft pink which looks super bright in the pan but is very pretty blended out. I'll be doing a review of the Illamasqua blushes soon.

Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer - This is a very well loved product in the beauty community. I was always on the fence before I bought it, then my sister got one and I was sold. It is my favourite bronzer and I don't think I'd use another now. It is the perfect colour for me, not too dark or orangey and is very pretty as a contour. It isn't completely matte and has a little shimmer through it, but nothing too glittery. I have this in number 52.

I hope you have all had a great few weeks and good luck to any of you who have exams coming up! I know May/June is a very stressful month for us students!

Lots of love, Natalie xxx

Quick hello and amazing music!

2011-05-23T21:01:00.003+01:00

I have recently discovered an amazing singer. Tim Blane's songs are my current favourite tunes and they are making studying so much easier. His music is so easy to listen to and some of his songs are so relaxing I sometimes just take a break from studying and chill out to his music. I only discovered him a week or so ago and since then I haven't been able to get enough. His songs are on constant repeat on my iPod when I'm on my way to uni and I'm sure they will be a firm fixture in my car stereo in the summer!

This is one of my favourite songs. I would love to see him live and it helps that he is very gorgeous too! :) He could sing to me all night if he wanted to! :)

Normal posts will resume shortly - exams are taking over my life lately. But my last one is on Thursday so after then I'll be back to my normal posts. I'm going to try and get in a proper routine with blogging! :)

I hope you are all keeping well and enjoying the gorgeous weather!

Lots of love, Natalie xxx

John Frieda's Live Haircare Academy!

2011-05-13T21:31:00.001+01:00

John Frieda is one of the most famous British hairdressers and has a range of products to match.

I have used some of the hair products in the past and have fallen in love with many of them - the Brilliant Brunette range will always have a place in my heart and I have recently picked up some of the 3 Day Straight treatment which I will be reviewing very soon.

On the 27th of May at 1pm, the company will be holding a Live Haircare Academy show online where they will be answering your burning questions. How to create that perfect topknot? How to get that perfect beachy hair?

They will be showing viewers how to use their products and sharing techniques and tips straight from the professional's mouth!

You can get involved over on their Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/johnfriedauk

They are also looking for one of their fans to test out the 3 Day Straight spray live on the show helped out by one of their stylists.

You can vote via the Facebook page for the styles you want to see recreated during the live show and have your hair styling worries answered!

A great opportunity, I'm sure you'll agree, to get some tips and tricks for styling your hair!
I will definitely be tuning in!

Love, Natalie xxx

FOTD.

2011-05-07T20:46:00.000+01:00

My makeup lately has been pretty bland and boring as I have been spending the majority of my time revising and trying to get my head around International Accounting and Strategic Management.

[hello roots. *Reminds self to dye hair ASAP*]

I've been wearing very neutral eyes and loving Mac Snob lipstick with the Virgin Kiss lipglass over the top. Pretty pretty!

I have recently discovered the amazing-ness that is my Double Wear foundation from Estee Lauder. It is one of the best foundations I have ever used and I have finally found a perfect match for my skin. With most other foundations, I have to use bronzer to warm it up or to match it to my neck. :(

The only thing that puts me off is the price at just over £25 a bottle.

I'm also wearing a tiny bit of Benefit's Dandelion blusher and a dash of the Elf Bronzing powder in Luminance as a highlight. With a little bit of Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer through the cheek bones, I'm ready to go!

I probably won't be blogging much over the next three weeks, I have exams coming up and then I'm moving back to the UK and getting settled in a new house.

Love, Natalie xxx

Skincare Routine.

2011-05-03T19:14:00.000+01:00

My skincare routine has changed a lot over the last year in a bid to try and find something that works and will help clear my skin up. I have used so many different skin care regimes from all ends of the price scale.

I think I have finally found my perfect skincare routine and my skin is a lot clearer now than I can ever remember it being.

On the left is my morning routine which consists of the SebaMed Cleansing Foam and Toner and then the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel. The SebaMed products are great and leave my skin feeling very clean and fresh. The toner is lovely and has the effects of an astringent type product.

I'm pretty sure that the combination of the SebaMed products and the witch hazel I have been using regularly have really helped my skin to clear up. I have been making sure that I take every last trace of makeup off every day. As I am currently on Easter Vacation from uni still, I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup.

At night, I wash of my makeup with the L'Oreal Expert Makeup remover and then I use the SebaMed Cleansing Foam again. I follow that with the Neals Yard Witch Hazel water and Cetaphil Moisturising lotion
(see my post on witch hazel here).

Maybe once or twice a week I exfoliate or whack on a face mask while I'm in the shower. I don't use a brand in particular - anything which looks good! At the moment I'm using a Tesco face scrub and a Neutrogena mask.

The majority of the products in my skincare routine are very cheap (I won't buy the Neals Yard witch hazel again - just normal distilled witch hazel from the supermarket).
I definitely think that the SebaMed products and the Witch Hazel will remain a staple in my skincare routine for the foreseeable future.

I get the SebaMed products from www.feelunique.com.

What are the staples in your skincare routine?

Love, Natalie xxx

Project 10 Pan: 6 down!

2011-04-30T20:33:00.000+01:00

Project 10 Pan is still going strong, despite falling off the wagon a little bit this week - but to make up for it, I'm going to make this a Project 11 Pan :)

I've used up a few more products - bringing my total to 6! :)

No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser, La Roche Posay Effaclar M Mattifying Moisturiser, Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentré, Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara and Collection 2000 Big Fake Lash.

I would most definitely repurchase all of these products. They have all been very well loved! :)

How are your P10Ps going?

Love, Natalie xxx

Snap Happy!

2011-04-30T18:14:00.001+01:00

If you follow me on Twitter, you may know I recently bought a new camera. My old one was about 5/6 years old and was well on its way out.

I got the Nikon D3000 DSLR. It is easily the best thing I have ever owned.

I'm still getting used to all the settings and I'm slowly grasping what Aperture and Shutter speed are.

I'll leave you with a few snaps I have taken this afternoon.

(That's my lunch of boiled eggs and balsamic vinegar - sounds and looks rank - but tastes so, so good!)

Love, Natalie xxx

That Kiss.

2011-04-30T09:30:00.000+01:00

The Royal wedding was amazing. Kate looked perfect, William looked so handsome and the ceremony was beautiful.

They make a perfect couple - bring on the little Williams and Kates!!!

Love, Natalie xxx

I + Witch Hazel.

2011-04-27T16:04:00.002+01:00

Witch Hazel is one of those things you always hear about as a treatment for spots, but never really take notice of. Every time I speak to my sister, moaning about the latest breakout on my face, she always tells me to use Witch Hazel on it - typical me being me never listened - now I wish I had listened to her sooner! Big sisters are usually always right! :)

I have used so many spot fighting systems and treatments and nothing seems to work. Sometimes the best things are the simplest (and the cheapest).

I picked up some Neal's Yard Witch Hazel water and ointment a few months ago and they have sat around my dressing table going unused. As P10P progresses (which I broke today but I'm back on the wagon now and I'm going to use up 11 products to make up for it!), I have started reaching for these products over the last few weeks - and the results have been amazing.

I have really quite oily skin, with blemishes and spots which get a lot worse around that time of the month. I have been using the Witch Hazel water and ointment at night after cleansing my face with an Antibacterial wash.

Both of these stink. I can't stand the smell of Witch Hazel but it is worth it for the results!

My skin is a lot clearer, in fact I think my skin is the clearest it has ever been. It's only taken me 21 years to find the simplest solution!

I use the Witch Hazel water on a cotton pad and the ointment on specific areas.

Witch Hazel is an anti oxidant and a light astringent which makes it great for treating spots and acne. Witch Hazel also reduces redness and helps to clear your skin of bacteria. So all in all it is a very versatile product which has helped my skin so much.

I think I will do an Updated Skincare Routine post soon to let you all know what I use in addition to the Witch Hazel.

I bought both of these products from www.feelunique.com
The Witch Hazel water was £9.85 which is a bit steep but I can't find Witch Hazel in France so I had to get it from somewhere! If you head into the supermarket/pharmacies in England you can pick up Distilled Witch Hazel for around £2 a bottle.
The ointment was £5.35 for the tub which I think is pretty reasonable seeing as I only use a little once a day and it is a 42g jar.

In other news, I ordered a DSLR camera a few days ago - the Nikon D3000. I am stupidly excited about getting it in the post. So hopefully my blog pictures will be better quality very soon!
If you know of any great photography blogs/websites then do let me know!

Love, Natalie xxx

A sunny NOTD.

2011-04-24T17:11:00.002+01:00

The sun is out, it's warm and gorgeous. I love days like this - spent sitting in the garden with a cold Diet Coke and soaking up some Vitamin D.

As it gets warmer, my nail colours get brighter. I usually stick to pinks and corals in the summertime - but this one was just too pretty to pass by!

Rimmel London 60 Seconds in 825 Sky High (two coats/no topcoat).

Isn't it just gorgeous? :)

Love, Natalie xxx

River Island Student Shop In!

2011-04-24T14:06:00.000+01:00

I was recently contacted by River Island about the 'River Island Student Shop In' events which are taking place in 40 stores up and down the country on the 9th, 10th and 12th of May.

Students with a valid student ID can go along and get an amazing 20% off everything in store!

I don't know about you, but I really like RI clothes, their summer ranges in particular are lovely.

I'm still in France on these dates so can't get down to a store, but if you are nearby and have a student ID, go and have a nosey! 20% off is great as I find some RI bits can be a bit on the pricey side!

Discounts on gorgeous clothes, DJs and drinks - what more do you want?! :)

I hope you are all having a wonderful Easter Sunday and are filling yourselves up with chocolate!

Love, Natalie xxx

My Go To Summer Lipgloss.

2011-04-20T21:00:00.000+01:00

I have always loved gorgeous shiny lips with a hint of colour. I own maybe twice the amount of glosses than I do lipsticks. While I do like lipsticks, I much prefer the finish of a gloss.

They are so effortless to apply and just finish off my makeup.

As the weather has been hotting up lately, I have been breaking out the brighter colours and leaning towards lighter eyeshadow looks and more on the lips.

I am on my second tube of this, I went through one tube last summer and now it has wiggled it's way back into my routine this summer.

The gloss in question is another Natural Collection product (see my Natural Collection eyeshadow post here). It is in the colour Sherbert Fizz and it is a gorgeous pink shade with some blue/lilac undertones. I slick some of this on with winged eyeliner and some bronzer and I'm ready to go!

The lasting power is as good as any gloss I have tried. Sherbert Fizz smells lovely, really fruity and not cheap at all. It is a little sticky, but that may be because mine has been open for a while and has gone a bit gloopy.

As with all Natural Collection products, these retail for £1.95

What is your go to summer lip product?

Love, Natalie x

Health Kick Update.

2011-04-20T16:53:00.000+01:00

I haven't done one of these in a good few months so I thought I would write a post to let you all know how I am getting on.

[source]

When I first started this, I wasn't going to tell you all how much I weigh (I think it's the same for most people, girls in particular, that we don't want anyone to know how much we weigh - my mum didn't even know!!) But now, I feel comfortable enough to disclose figures.

[source]

When I started on January 1st, I was 17stone and 9pounds. Which is a lot, I know. However, I'm 5foot11inches so the lard was evenly distributed around my body (!) and although I felt that I was bigger than most, I didn't think I was huge.

There is a history of diabetes and heart failure in my family (it is what eventually caught up with my Nanna) so I thought I had better get a wiggle on a shed some pounds!

But now, after just over 3 months, I have lost very nearly 4 stone following a French diet created by Dr Pierre Dukan (I can't sing this mans praises enough). I weighed in today at 14stone 1pound so I'm 5pounds shy of losing 4 stone. I physically cannot tell you how proud of myself I am, my best friend back in England has been constantly emailing me, texting me and calling me to check up on how I'm getting on and motivating me. I can't believe how long I have stuck with this and plan to carry on with it until I'm down to my goal weight which is 12stone/12 stone and a half.

I never will be super skinny but I'd like to be healthy with curves in the right places (don't we all?!)

It is definitely easier to stick to any diet when there is someone with you who is also doing it, but I've managed pretty well. Once I got over the first few weeks, I got used to not eating junk and concentrating on my goal which is to be happy in my own skin and body by my 21st birthday in August.

I'm going to join the gym as soon as I move back to England, but until then, I'm going to try my hardest to tone up as much as I can. I'm doing situps, but pretty much I don't know what else. I've been scouring the internet for ideas on how to tone up - particularly my tummy and thighs.
So if you have any ideas or exercises I can do, please leave a comment and let me know!

It has taken a lot of guts for me to post this - but at the end of the day, it always helps to get your thoughts and how you're feeling down on paper (or on screen).

I hope you all have a perfect week in the sunshine!
Love, a healthier and more confident, Natalie xx

Natural Collection Eyeshadows.

2011-04-18T19:44:00.000+01:00

Hiya girls, I hope you are all okay. It's been well over a week since I last blogged so I thought I would get a post out while I have some spare time.

The exam period is fast approaching at uni so I need to get my head down and start studying.

Natural Collection used to be one of those brands that I always used to buy when I was about 15 and had next to no money. I think they are constantly on a 3 items for £5 offer so are very affordable. I'm pretty sure these are only available in Boots stores in the UK so sorry to all you who are lucky enough to live outside of the UK!!

There are some real gems hidden away amongst the messy displays and these eyeshadows are no exception.

[Left to Right - Asteroid, Willow and Crushed Walnut]

The packaging of Natural Collection products is nothing to write home about, it is very plain and simple. With clean white pots and a clear screw top, it makes picking them out in your collection very easy!

Asteroid is a very pretty shimmery dark brown which is great all over the lid with a slick of winged eyeliner and mascara.

Willow is my go to highlight colour. For the price, I'm sure I wouldn't buy a different one. I used to reach all the time for Mac Naked Lunch as my highlight - but this one is firmly rooted as my favourite highlight. It is so pretty alone under the brow and a bit around the inner tear duct area, with a bit of mascara - perfect for summer!

Crushed Walnut is a dark brown matte shade. You can never have enough matte brown eyeshadows! Crushed Walnut with Willow makes for a very simple neutral eye. With Crushed Walnut through the crease and Willow as a highlight - effortless!

Have you tried any of these eyshadows? What are your favourite Natural Collection products?

Love, Natalie xx

P10P - 1 down, 9 to go!

2011-04-08T16:25:00.000+01:00

I have finally finished my first product since starting Project 10 Pan over 4 weeks ago! I haven't missed spending my pennies much, I have had so much work and studying to do lately, I haven't had the time to do anything. Whenever the work load piles up, my blog always gets put on the back burner!

The first product to go was my Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. I have really liked this cleanser and would definitely repurchase it in the future. It has a slightly thin consistency but it is very refreshing and works really well with my Facial Brush. It leaves my skin feeling very clean and not tight at all like some cleansers can. The description on the back says that the cleanser is gentle enough for a baby's skin so I'm sure this would be a great cleanser for those of you with sensitive skin.

Cetaphil is available at Lloyd's Pharmacy in the UK for just over £8 a bottle.

One down and 9 to go! I'm so glad to have finally got that first empty product out the way, I'm hoping the next nine won't take so long!

I hope your P10Ps are going well if you are doing them!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Love, Natalie x

Sleek Hide It Concealer.

2011-04-03T14:27:00.001+01:00

Sleek is a brand that has a huge amount of hype surrounding it - be it the amazing quality eyeshadow palettes or the 50% sale they had recently. It is a great high street brand in the UK, but I never really hear things about their face makeup. They have a huge range of shades for foundation, concealer and the like.

I picked up the Hide It concealer last year some time, used it for a while then forgot all about it. I have the shade 00. I am currently on a Project 10 Pan and this is one of my products to use up.

I have been using this concealer for a few weeks now and I really like it. I have been reaching for this over my Mac Studio Finish which can sometimes be a bit heavy.

The Sleek concealer is very creamy which makes it great for under the eyes, it covers blemishes and any redness effortlessly. I use my fingers to warm it up and pat it on any problem areas then blend it in. Simples. It is very longlasting and doesn't crease or get cakey.

I love the simple, clean black packaging of Sleek products. It's not tacky at all and looks more expensive than it is.

It retails for £2.99 - an absolute steal, I'm sure you'll agree!! It also has an SPF 15. I usually switch out my concealers a lot - but I have stuck with this one for a good few weeks now. There are 5 other shades

Would I repurchase? Yes definitely!
Available at Supedrug or on Sleek's website here.

Have you tried Sleek's face products? Which are your favourites?

Love, Natalie x

Favourite Nail Polishes.

2011-03-27T16:39:00.001+01:00

I just want to start this post with a huge THANK YOU. I hit 400 followers today and I am sat grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I never thought 4, let alone 400 would take the time out of their busy lives to read my little home on the internet. I don't do this for the little number, I do it for the love/addiction of makeup, but seeing 400 of you gorgeous people reading my blog sure does make it sweeter!

[source]

Onto the main reason for this post....

Nail polish has recently become another love of mine. I love changing the colours of my nails and since the summer has officially arrived I have painted them with a gorgeous coral colour which just makes me feel all summery and bright!

I have a few firm favourites which I keep going back to, regardless of the weather outside.

OPI Pandamonium Pink - A gorgeous pale pastel lavender colour which is very natural and fresh. (Swatch here)

NYC Manhattan - A dark burgundy red which is amazing quality for the price. I think these are under £3 but are quite often on special offer in Superdrug. They dry very quickly and are very longlasting. I have so many of these nail polishes on my wish list. They are the brand I go straight to when I need/want a new nail colour.

OPI Conquistadorable Color - This is my favourite red. It is a lovely deep red which has such a shiny finish. I find myself reaching for this when I don't know what colour to paint my nails.

Nails Inc London - One of those 'greige' hard to describe colours. What I will say is that it is a gorgeous colour. This was released with the Diet Coke promotion so I don't think they are available anymore, but nail polishes of this shade have become so popular of late, so I'm sure you will be able to find something similar.

Models Own Purple Ash - This one is a dusty purple colour which has some brown tones to it. It is so pretty and I pretty much wore this for the whole of winter last year. (Swatch here)

What are your favourite nail polishes?

Love, Natalie x

Bargain Buy.

2011-03-25T17:49:00.000Z

To start with, sorry I haven't been blogging lately, but I have been snowed under with work, assignments and classes at uni, I just haven't had any free time. But I have a few blog posts planned and I now have a little notepad in my bag which I am using to jot down post ideas and just things to put on the blog!

I've just got back in from shopping in a local town where I came across a shop called Les Aubaines. The shop stocks clothing, accessories and shoes from previous La Redoute catalogues in France. I don't usually shop from catalogues or La Redoute as I find they can sometimes be overpriced and I can't try anything on.

I couldn't leave these shoes on the shelf.

I must be one of the only women who cannot walk in heels. I just can't do it. Wedges however, are a different story. I find them so much comfier and easier to walk in than standard heels.

They were €39.99 originally, but I got them for €5! What a steal! I love the contrast of the black and the brown heel. So pretty. As soon as I saw them and tried them on, I had to get them.

I also got a grey suit jacket to wear to interviews and the like for €5 (from €79.99!!!!).

I'm so chuffed with my new buys, just need to find something to wear the shoes with - ideas are very welcome!

I hope you have all had a great week and have an even better weekend ahead!

Love, Natalie x

Just be true to who you are.

2011-03-13T18:00:00.000Z

I don't usually post songs on my blog, but I have to with this one.

Jessie J has a stunning voice and I love this song. She is one of the best British talents, in my opinion, of 2011.

I have been listening to her album, Who You Are, for the last few weeks on Spotify and I am currently downloading it. It is a great mix of songs and will probably be the soundtrack to my summer.

Jessie J has an awesome style and I love the thick winged liner paired with a matte red lip. She is so gorgeous!

Do you like Jessie J? What are you favourite songs off her album?

Love, Natalie x

P10P - The Contenders.

2011-03-09T19:00:00.000Z

As Project 10 Pan gets underway, I have set aside a little collection of products which are close to being used up or I want to use up soon.

I have some mini trial size mascaras, a full size mascara, two foundations, a lipstick, a blusher, a bronzer and a highlighter which are all on their last legs. I can see the metal pan in the blusher, bronzer and highlighter so hopefully they will be done and dusted soon.

I really like the blusher and the bronzer - but I'm not so keen on the highlighter which means it might take me a while to use it up. But I will get there!
I have a few skincare products which are on their way out too - which is always good! I think I might use up more than 10 products but I'm not complaining.

I hope your P10P's are going well if you are doing one!

Love, Natalie x

A home without books is a body without a soul

2011-03-08T17:03:00.002Z

Something you may not know about me is that I love to read. It is pretty much my other passion in life. There is nothing I love more than sitting down with a cup of coffee and reading a good book.

Ever since I was young, I have loved to read. I remember going to the library with my mum on a Saturday morning and coming out with an armful of books.

[source]

I can't remember the last time I wasn't reading a book. I can't not read a book and there's nothing better than coming home after a long day of lectures and being transported to another world. I watch the TV Book programme on Channel 4 religiously and love finding out about great, new books. I have a list as long as my arm of books I want to read.

I recently made an order with Amazon for some new books and they have recently arrived so I am getting stuck into them.

I got One Day after hearing so much about it, I just had to get it to read! The Larsson book is the second book out of three. I've read the first (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and was gripped from the first page.

So I had to get the second book and will get the last once I have finished this one. It always sticks in my mind that the author, Steig Larsson, didn't live long enough to see the success of his works. I mean these books are famous world wide now and are being made into movies and it's such a shame he didn't live to see the success of his books.

I'm reading The Lucky One at the moment which I really like so far. I'm trying to get out of reading books I usually read. I'm normally a crime/thriller/action kind of book girl. I just finished Career Girls by Louise Bagshawe which was a really good read, albeit a bit slow to get get going, by the end I couldn't put it down.

I'm trying to branch out more with the types of book I read so if you have any recommendations of books, I would love to hear them!

Love, Natalie x

Project 10 Pan Has Started

2011-03-07T18:18:00.003Z

I have way too much makeup, more than I could ever need and I need to start saving some money for the future and things (urgh, it sucks getting old). But there's a lot that I need to save money for.

I physically cannot remember the last time I used a makeup product up from start to finish - that's saying something. While I do switch out my products quite a lot, I just don't seem to use things up.

There is a lot of my collection which is going unused and I don't even want to fathom a guess as to how much money is laying around in my makeup drawer.

So a Project 10 Pan is in order after being inspired by the lovely Vivianna (she has an amazing blog which you should all be following) to get a wiggle on with it and get 10 cosmetic products used up.

I have a few products which I can see the pan on and which are on their last legs.
So from today, I plan to not buy any makeup/skincare/hair care until at least 10 other products have been used completely up.

I will be posting updates every week or so to let you all know how I am doing!
Here goes nothing!

I thought this post was a bit plain without any photos - so here is one I took yesterday down at the beach!

Love, Natalie
x

Makeup Storage Tips.

2011-03-06T17:32:00.001Z

I love keeping my makeup organised and really enjoy reading these types of posts to find new tips/ideas on ways to store my makeup.

Being organised just makes my life and morning routine a lot easier. I know, within reason, where everything is and I don't have to faff around in the mornings trying to find things.

It's important (for me anyway) to keep my brushes organised. I reach for brushes every single day without fail to do my makeup. I got these pretty jars from the kitchen section of a supermarket in France (I think they are meant to be for spices) but I just popped the lids off and put my brushes in them. I love the colours and they just add a bit of brightness to my dressing table. So pretty jars are a must! I have one for my eye brushes, one for my bigger face brushes, one for my smaller face brushes and then one with cotton buds in.

These little baskets are fantastic for storage. Especially for me since I have a drawer for my makeup, so these baskets allow me to separate my makeup into little sections.

I get mine from Wilkinson's. They are under £2 for a pack of 5 baskets. The narrower ones are great for storing blushers or eyeliners/mascaras. So if you have your makeup in a drawer - these baskets are a great solution to keep your bits and pieces tidy.

I was recently stumped on how to organise my lipsticks and glosses - I like to keep them all in one place so I found an old box that wasn't been used for anything and I popped them all inside. Boxes of any sort can come in really handy when it comes to sorting out your makeup. Even the boxes that perfume sets come in are useful and they are usually very pretty too so don't throw them out! I keep all of my eyelashes in an empty perfume gift box.

I'm always on the lookout for pretty glasses and boxes to store my makeup in I love to change my storage up every now and then!

I hope some of these tips were useful to some of you. If you have any tips or ideas, please leave them in a comment below! :)

Natalie

xxx

Some Products I Regret Buying.

2011-03-04T17:54:00.003Z

There aren't many products I really regret buying, but I sat down yesterday and had a rifle through my drawers (get your minds out of the gutter! LOL) and found some products which I bought and now don't use. Simply because I don't like them.

Revlon PhotoReady foundation - I know a lot of you love this foundation, but it's just not for me. It's not the shimmer in it, but just the way it feels on my skin. It feels very oily to the touch on my skin and it doesn't last at all, even when I set it. I rushed out to buy this when it was first released and have only used it a handful of times as you can see.

Diorshow powder in Spotlight Peach - I got this last summer as a birthday present to myself and it has hardly been used. It is pretty much a tub of chunky glitter with some peach tones to it. It looks like such a pretty colour in the jar but doesn't come off that well. Words can't even describe the applicator. It doesn't blend the product at all. Does anyone even apply blush with a sponge? I suppose the only good thing is that the sponge can be taken off and washed.

Mac Liberty of London Beauty Powder in Summer Rose - This looks so pretty in the pan, but I regret buying it because there is hardly any colour payoff at all. There is some but it is nowhere near as pretty on as it looks in the pan. I do like the packaging though!

Primark Ta Ta For Now undereye concealer - I thought I would find a great dupe for the YSL Touche Eclat in this product. I didn't. Not even close. For the colour "fair" it is quite dark and doesn't cover that well.

I find it quite difficult to blend and find it doesn't cover dark circles very well. As with a lot of the Primark cosmetics, the packaging is so cute and very retro (the outer box had that pop art kind of look to it). But the product itself isn't all too good.

What products do you regret buying?

Natalie

xxx

New Hair and a Question!

2011-03-03T17:02:00.001Z

I went for the chop yesterday. My hair was so dry at the ends so I decided to get it cut off and start again. It now feels so much lighter and a lot thicker than it was. It already feels a lot healthier and I love it.

I wanted a kind of Jessie J inspired bob but with a bit more "choppyness" cut into it and without the full fringe. I also dyed it back black again last night. As much as I love having brown hair, I always go back to black. I love the way it looks with a tan and winged liner.

I don't know if I want it just a bit shorter. My lovely mum used to be a hairdresser so she could always trim a bit more off for me. But I also like it this length. I think this suits me a lot more than the longer hair did.

It is still long enough to put up and curl and things - not that I ever curl my hair, but I'd like to have the option!!

I have a quick question for you! I need something that will add some volume and keep it there. I don't really like backcombing my hair but want the kind of volume that it gives! Am I asking too much?!

All I do now is pop on a bit of mousse at the roots then blow dry my hair upside down. Then straighten it. That's it.

So any help would be very appreciated! :)

Natalie

xxx

VIDEO - February Favourites

2011-03-02T12:17:00.002Z

Yes, I have finally bitten the bullet and filmed a video. It is short and to the point but still, it's a video!

I'm sorry if it is out of sync, it seemed okay when I filmed it but when I watch it back it's a bit iffy in places.

I have done these videos for my followers of the blog so have set the video to unlisted (means it's not available to everyone and his auntie on YouTube - just to people that have the URL - so you guys!) so it won't appear on my channel, but I have embedded the video in this post below so you can just click and watch!

Well, that's one classy screenshot.

Bourjois Beige Rosé swatch post

Unfortunately the Mac Virgin Kiss Lipglass was LE (with the Rose Romance collection) so isn't available any more. But I am trying to find a similar colour and will let you know when I do!

Laura Mercier is available at John Lewis. The Tinted Moisturiser is actually £33 a tube now....tax increase and all that. But here's a link for you anyway! I use the shade Nude. The swatches on the John Lewis website aren't great - I'd recommend heading into the store and swatching for yourself.

The Crown Shadow Crease Brush is available here. It is a steal at just £2.50!

And a link to the lovely Emma's blog.

Please let me know what you think! Merci!

Natalie
xxx

200th Blog Post - Sharing the +

2011-02-28T13:17:00.000Z

Well. Here I am on my 200th blog post and I feel so proud of my little space on the big world web.

I couldn't imagine not blogging now. I love doing it and I love reading all your lovely blogs.

[source]

So. As my 200th post, I thought I would share with you some of my favourite blogs (I did plan to do a February Favourites Video post - but my camera batteries are dead - so hopefully that will be my 201st post, if I'm brave enough).

I read so many blogs but these are just a few of my all time favourites.

EmmaDazzle

Emma has such a fantastic blog and I always look forward to her next post. Her posts are very detailed and I trust her opinions and reviews wholeheartedly. And the pretty pictures always help! I had the pleasure of meeting her in January for Imats and she is just as lovely (and gorgeous) in the flesh as she comes across in her posts.

TheRoxyLoves

Another fabulous blog. The gorgeous Hannah is currently taking a blogging break but her back catalogue of posts are amazing. She is such a lovely girl and we have had many long twitter chats about our health kicks! :) I'm pretty sure she blogged on an almost daily basis and her posts range from beauty reviews to how to make a patchwork quilt! Another lovely girl who I hope to meet up with for cocktails and shopping in the near future!

DesignerSpray

Halima is another of my favourite bloggers. She is so gorgeous and has such an awesome sense of style. Her posts are always so detailed and have gorgeous pictures. I love the way Halima writes - it's like she is having a conversation with me! :)

These are just three of my favourite blogs which I read religiously and have them bookmarked in my favourites so I can get straight to them! If you aren't following or reading these blogs yet, hop on over to them quicksticks! (The blog names are links straight to there!)

Natalie

xxx

How much is my face worth?

2011-02-26T17:34:00.000Z

This tag has been making its rounds on the beauty blogs lately, so I thought I would join in the fun!

[source]

This is what I wear most days, nothing special or out of the ordinary.

Face

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel £27.58

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation £25.00

Mac Studio Finish concealer £13.50

Avon ColorTrend Pressed powder £4.00

Benefit Dandelion Blush £24.00

Mac MSF in By Candlelight £20.50

Bourjois Chocolate bronzer £6.99

Eyes

Urban Decay Primer Potion £12.00

Mac Painterly Paintpot £13.50

Urban Decay Naked Palette £27 (I paid this when it was first released but I am sure the price has gone up since!)

Bobbi Brown Gel Liner £15.50

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara £10.99

Lips

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream £18

TOTAL = £218.56!

Oh goodness me. I never thought it was that much! Shocking. Just shocking.

How much are your faces worth? Leave me a link to your posts if you have done this tag!

Natalie

xxx

Oui, Mademoiselle.

2011-02-20T13:53:00.002Z

This is my favourite lipstick. Ever.

After seeing the advert featuring the gorgeous Vanessa Paradis, off I trotted to Boots and my local Chanel counter to swiftly buy the Rouge Coco de Chanel in 05 Mademoiselle. This is the lipstick Vanessa is sporting in the advert campaign.

[image from google]

She is just beautiful and gets to go home to Mr Johnny Depp every night. What a lucky girl!

It is so pretty and is great with winged liner. The lipstick feels so luxurious on the lips and the Chanel packaging just oozes class. This lipstick looks lovely alone or with a gloss over the top.

These retail for £21.50 at Chanel counters - which certainly isn't cheap, but it's very worth it.

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous"

Coco Chanel

Natalie

xxx

Health Kick Update.

2011-02-20T08:47:00.000Z

It has been a while since I have done one of these posts, so here goes!

I have now been on the Dukan Diet for 51 days and it's still going as well as day 1.

For all the other posts I have done on my Health Kick - click here! :)

[source]

I dropped my scales on the floor and broke them a few weeks ago so haven't got a definitive weight loss figure. Still need to buy another But I do know that I have dropped two dress sizes. Clothes that used to fit snugly are now hanging off me!

It doesn't take much to get a huge confidence boost. I feel so much more comfortable in myself and I can't wait to lose a bit more weight and wear pretty summer dresses.

Isn't that right TheRoxyLoves?! <--- Fabulous blog there! Go and follow her! :)

I have found the best recipe for Piri Piri chicken which I can have, even on days when I just eat protein! Which is amazing because it is so delicious!! It's so simple to make and is so good.

I will get on and do another update post soon, once I have some new scales.

Happy Sunday girls!

Natalie

xxx

FOTD

2011-02-18T12:10:00.000Z

Wow, it's been a while! I thought I'd ease myself back into blogging after what seems like an age since I last posted!

Happy belated Valentine's day! I hope you all had a fabulous love filled day!

This has pretty much been my go to face lately - quick and easy.

I used the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser - my latest skin care routine effort seems to be doing the trick! I will post about it soon.

Mac Studio Finish concealer under the eyes and on any blemishes.

NYX cream blush in Golden.

Avon pressed translucent powder to set.

Mac Painterly Paintpot over the lid.

Mac Woodwinked all over the lid and Patina through the crease.

Fero beauty eyeshadow in Peru as a highlight.

Maybelline Studio Gel liner on the upper lash line and along the tight line.

Diorshow Iconic mascara

Chanel Mademoiselle lipstick with Sephora number 15 gloss over the top.

Do you have any requests of posts you would like me to do? Do let me know in the comments or drop me an email at beaumakeup@hotmail.co.uk

Natalie

xxx

IMATs Haul.

2011-02-06T14:08:00.000Z

This post is going to be short and sweet. If you would like reviews or swatches of anything, just let me know!

I got a few really good bargains and lots of new brushes at IMATs. I have played around with just about everything and I am so pleased with everything I got.

Inglot - from Westfield the day before IMATs

Illamasqua and The Makeup Store (also Westfield)

Fero Beauty

NYX

Crown Brush

Natalie

xxx

IMATs.

2011-02-05T09:11:00.001Z

In one word, IMATs was amazing. I went on Saturday the 29th January and had such a great time. I met up with the gorgeous and very lovely Emma (of www.emmadazzle.com) on the Friday and spent the day shopping with her around London. We met up again on Saturday morning and headed off to Alexandra Palace together.

When we arrived at around 8am, it wasn't too busy at all. We had a quick look around then headed off to see the Guru Summit with the Pixiwoo sisters, Wayne Goss, Enkore Makeup and Pursebuzz. It was amazing to see all these fabulous youtubers in the flesh and yes, the Pixiwoo sisters are just as stunning (if not more) as they are on camera. Wayne Goss wasn't too bad either!! ;)

Around 10.30am was when it got super busy, when we left the Guru Summit, it was crazy - but so worth it.
I didn't get any pictures at all (boo!) but I'm sure you have seen many pictures on other blogs.
Kim over at Dottie K has some great pictures.
There were so many exhibitors from Charles Fox and Guru Makeup Emporium, to Inglot and Mac Pro. Crown Brush was so busy but I did manage to get some lovely new brushes for a bargain price! I think Emma and I queued for what seemed like an age to get even close to the stall, but we did get to watch the lovely Koren from Enkore Makeup teaching a class while we were queuing.

[source]

The picture above is of the Student Competition. The work being done throughout the day by makeup artists was mind blowing. There was body painting and all sorts of other amazing work being created.

I came away with some fabulous new things and had such a fantastic, inspiring day, I am already looking forward to next year.

I will be posting my haul within the next few days.

Natalie
xxx

Review - ELF Complexion Perfection.

2011-01-22T20:15:00.000Z

ELF is probably one of my favourite brands and being so affordable, I'm sure it is many of yours too!

The Complexion Perfection was released as part of the slightly more expensive Studio Line, with most items being £3.50 each.

Elf say:

"Create a balanced and radiant complexion that is beautiful and healthy. The lightweight formula evens out the skin tone and absorbs excess oil. The sheer formula brightens, mattes and neutralizes the skin"

The packaging is gorgeous, very Nars inspired minus that rubberised finish. It is very sturdy and has a large mirror which is fab!

Inside the compact are four powders - yellow, blue, green and pink. Each of these colours are supposed to neutralise areas of unwanted colour on the face. Such as the green would be used to neutralise redness.

Now while this is a great idea, I wouldn't say it actually does anything other than work as any other setting powder would. The powder itself is great, really smooth and mattifying. But my face is oily after a few hours so the mattifying finish doesn't last.

I really like this as a finishing powder but that's all and it would be pretty perfect if it only kept my face matte for longer. It doesn't particularly brighten my face more than any other setting powder would.

I do think this would work for most skin tones, but may make darker skin tones look a bit ashy since these coloured powders do swatch very light.

I probably won't be repurchasing this once this one runs out as it just didn't live up to my expectations about neutralizing the skin. But for £3.50 I'm not that much out of pocket!

Have you tried this? Do you like it?

Natalie

xxx

Blog Awards.

2011-01-20T12:12:00.000Z

I have recently been awarded 3 blog awards by 3 gorgeous bloggers so thought I would put them all into one post.

This award is from two bloggers -

Laura over at Emerald Green

Strawberry Beauty (I'm sorry I don't know your name!)

This one was from Charlie over at Secrets Behind The Closed Door

So thank you very much girls for these awards!

The rules for both awards are....
Thank the person who gave you the award

Share 7 facts about yourself

Pass the award onto 7 other bloggers

7 facts about me....
* I still don't know what I want to do with my life. Something in journalism or PR maybe?!
* I love France and Paris is my favourite city.
* I really need a new camera. Olympus E-PL1 if anyone feels generous? hehe
* I don't want to turn 21 this year :/ 20 is fine thanks!
* I have two older sisters who I love more than anything although I don't get to see them much
* I love blogging (obviously) and am very much addicted to Twitter
* John Mayer and his gorgeous music always makes me smile.

7 of my favourite blogs...

Hannah at The Roxy Loves
Emma at Emma Dazzle
Halima at Designer Spray
Emily at Sparkle and Shade
Kim at Dottie K
Louise at Affordable Treats
Giddy Princess - sorry I don't know your name! :(

Natalie
xxx

Facial Brushes.

2011-01-19T18:26:00.000Z

When I recently bought a facial brush in the sale at Sephora, I didn't think it would really be as good as it is.

The bristles are very soft but still firm enough to give the skin on your face a good scrub. I use the cleanser I am using that day, pop some directly on to the bristles and lather it up. With circular motions - I cleanse my face.

These brushes are a great way to exfoliate gently every day without having to buy a separate scrub.

My skin has never felt smoother. I have been using this for about 5 days now, only in the evenings. My blemishes have got noticeably better and my skin feels very soft. My skin looks a bit brighter and not quite as blotchy.

I really think these brushes help to really give cleansers that little bit extra and make them work a bit better. While using your hands is okay, using a brush really helps the cleanser to penetrate the skin as well as buffing away any dead skin cells.

My skin definitely very well cleaned compared to when I wash my face using my hands.

I usually use this when I have a shower at night so that the steam can open up the pores, then the cleanser can really sink into the skin and leave my face thoroughly clean.

I would change this about every 3-4 months or when the bristles start to really splay or it looks icky.

For those of you in the UK, facial brushes are available at The Body Shop for a mere £3.50.

This brush is a poor girl's Clarisonic for a fraction of the price!

Do you use a facial brush as part of your skin routine?

Natalie

xxx

I'm a Snob.

2011-01-17T15:44:00.004Z

A Mac Snob, that is.

This lipstick is described as a "ladylike mauve" with a satin finish. I love this lipstick paired with a pink lipgloss.

It has semi-matte finish and feels really moisturising on the lips. It smells gorgeous too which is always a plus!

I am really liking it with the Sephora lip gloss in number 15 over the top. This makes it a bit more pink than mauve but some lilac/purple still shines through.

What are your favourite Mac Lipsticks? I'm on the lookout for some more!

Natalie

xxx

OPI Pandamonium Pink

2011-01-16T18:19:00.000Z

This is quickly becoming my favourite nail colour. I had never tried OPI before this and now I love them!

They are great quality and I have had this polish on for 4 days without a top coat and there is only the tiniest bit of wear at the tips of my nails. No full on chips. :)

It is a tiny bit more pink than this picture shows. But it is so pretty and will be perfect for the spring/summer.

I really love OPI polishes now and would love to try some more!

What are your favourite OPI polishes?

Natalie

xxx

Sunday Health Kick Summary.

2011-01-16T15:34:00.000Z

Well, that's another week of my health kick done. This week has been okay, I've felt a bit bleurgh for a few days but now I have had some vegetables and feel pretty good. I lived on eggs, chicken and low fat beefburgers for five days so some vegetables are welcomed with open arms!

I made my very first roast dinner (ish) today! I had a roasted chicken with some gorgeous broccoli and green beans. Nothing has ever tasted so damn good. :)

I weighed myself this morning and I have lost a total of 1 stone and 2lb since I started on January 1st. In 16 days I think that is pretty amazing. :) I'm so chuffed and my jeans definitely feel looser.

I started off on the 2nd hole on my belt, now I'm on the last hole. :)

A gorgeous dog joined the family this week and we have been on many walks on the beach and across the fields. She has so much energy and loves bounding along the beach chasing after a ball.

[source]

All in all, I feel like this diet is going fabulously. Yes, while I could kill for a big bar of Galaxy or some pizza (*drool*), I'm enjoying cooking my meals all from scratch and finding ways of jazzing them up so I don't get bored.

I'm looking forward to losing some more weight and going clothes shopping in England! :)

I hope you have all had a great week and are enjoying a perfect relaxed Sunday.

Natalie

xxx

Sephora Sale.

2011-01-13T18:23:00.000Z

The Sephora sale after Christmas in France is amazing. Up to 70% off some fabulous brands.

In total, I went to three different stores across the city just to make sure I got my good share of the bargains.

At the moment €1 is about 88/89pence.

I got a Tinted Illuminating Moisturiser from Stila for €2. A pore minimizing serum/cream for €4.90. I also picked up two products from Clarins. I have never tried the Clarins makeup before, only the skincare and fragrances. First was a blusher which was 70% off and was just €8.85 and then a crystal lip tint/lipbalm for €5.85.

Then some skincare items. I got one of those facial brushes and some cotton pads for 50cents each. Then some eyemakeup remover for €1.80 and some facial cleansing oil for €2.70.

I also found some OPI nail polishes hidden away on a shelf in the corner - there were some gorgeous shades but I thought I would limit myself. I got Panda-monium Pink and Conquistadorable Color - both for €4.95 each! These were my first OPI polishes and I have to say I love them already. The finish is so shiny and the colours are very pretty. I currently have Panda-monium Pink on, I will do a NOTD tomorrow.

I also got a Try Me Kit by Bare Escentuals. I had heard so much about this brand and watch their spots religiously on QVC. This includes 2 shades of foundation, a bronzer, a mineral veil and a little buffer brush - all for €9.50.

Finally I got three very pretty lipglosses which smell delicious for 50cents a piece.

I am chuffed with my bargains and could have got so much more but I'm saving my pennies for London and Imats.

I will be reviewing these products in due course, but if you want any swatches or reviews before others, just leave a comment and I will get to it!

Natalie

xxx

Sleek Palettes.

2011-01-10T23:28:00.001Z

Sleek are a UK drugstore brand which can be found in Superdrug. After hearing rave reviews about the quality of these shadows in mid 2009 - I had to get one and I have never looked back since.

Sleek are always coming out with new LE palettes which are very pretty but don't seem to stick around for long and always sell out so fast before I even get a chance! I did have the Bohemian palette but didn't really use it so passed it on to my sister.

My two favourites have to be the Storm palette and the Sunset palette.

Retailing for around £6 for 12 mineral based eye shadows is a fabulous deal - despite the fact that the last Sleek palette I bought was £4.99. But it is still a pretty good deal for the quality of these shadows.

The Sunset palette is so pretty and you can see from the swatches just how pigmented they are. The shadows are so creamy and easy to blend. I really love how a matte black is included in each palette - perfect as an eyeliner or to darken up the eye into a more smoky look.

My favourite shadows have to be the two on the bottom right. They are gorgeous and I think the colours look really gorgeous with brown eyes (like mine!). I love just a wash of the lighter red/cranberry shade with a bit of eyeliner and mascara. I will admit the bright orange is a bit bright for me....but the rest of the shadows are gorgeous. I did a post back in August last year ago called Day and Night using this palette for the Day look.

The Storm palette on the other hand is much more neutral, with a few darker smoky shadows.

I love this palette, it has mainly shimmery shades with three matte which are great for the crease. I adore the matte light brown along the top row....pretty much my perfect crease colour! It does also come with a matte black...but I used that so much that it ended up in tiny little crumbly bits so I threw that out. But the rest of the palette is still going strong and is one of my favourite palettes. You can create so many looks with this that it would be perfect to just chuck it in your bag if you are going away for the weekend....you can do dark, sexy smoky eyes for the evening and lighter, shimmery neutral eyes for the day.

Do you have any Sleek palettes? Which are your favourites?

Natalie

xxx

Health Kick Update.

2011-01-08T16:07:00.000Z

I am now a full week into my 2011 health kick - I'm thinking these posts will be weekly updates!

[image from weheartit]

And pretty much, it couldn't be going better. Eating just protein for five whole days was tough to say the least. But worth it. Since starting on January 1st, I have lost 9.2lbs - which is amazing. I am so happy and this keeps me motivated to keep going. I have some gorgeous girls on Twitter - www.theroxyloves.com / @theroxyloves and Halima - www.designerspray.com / @designerspray - who are both also on health kicks (Halima and I are both doing the same one) and chatting to them on Twitter really keeps me upbeat about dieting and keeps me going. It is tough to diet when no one else in the house is dieting but the girls have spurred me on!

So today is my second day of eating protein and vegetables out of 5. So far I have made a gorgeous ham salad, chicken with homemade ratatouille, fish poached in milk with leeks and courgettes....the list goes on!

Not only does this diet help me lose weight, it has really upped my interest in cooking and thinking about what I am eating. I really love cooking now and coming up with ideas for different dishes so I don't get bored and go and stuff my face with crisps! ;)

I have been exercising as much as I can, be it walking, jogging, running up and down the stairs or doing situps in my bedroom. Every little helps. And fingers crossed, we may be getting a gorgeous dog this week, so even more reason to go out on long walks!

Natalie
xxx

Elf Blushers.

2011-01-06T17:19:00.000Z

Elf was a relatively unknown brand to me before I started blogging, but now, they are one of my favourite brands and at such a fabulous price, it's perfect to try out some bits and pieces that you normally wouldn't from other brands.

The standard line blushers retail for a mere £1.50 each. I don't even think you can buy blushers that cheap from anywhere else.

I have four of these blushers, some of which are better than others.

The top row (L-R) are Innocence and Glow.

Bottom row are Flushed and Shy.

The packaging is nothing to write home amount, very plain and simple - you have to slide the top cover backwards to open it up. It took me ages to work this out and I ended up just pulling the top off. The pan itself is very small and is sometimes hard to get a brush into which makes it a bit fiddly.

Each blusher is 2g which isn't much, but a good amount for the price.

Swatched L-R Innocence, Glow, Flushed and Shy

Innocence isn't very pigmented at all and hardly shows up on my skin. It is very pale in the pan anyway and the swatch on the website looked like a gorgeous peachy pink.

But the other three are gorgeous...albeit a bit overly shimmery but still very pretty. My only problem with these blushers is that they are very loosely packed and quite chalky.

My favourite has to be Shy. It is such a pretty light pink which gives a gorgeous flush to the cheeks. Although Glow and Flushed are just as pretty, it's just the shimmer which puts me off. But they blend really well and give a smooth finish which isn't cakey at all.

But for the price I think they are a pretty good deal - just a few you need to steer clear of (Innocence in particular). There are a few other shades which look pretty on the website which are more bronze than pink.

Shy definitely is the one I use most often as it gives such a natural finish and isn't overly shimmery like the others.

Have you tried these blushers?

Natalie

xxx

Review - L'Oreal Full Restore Spray.

2011-01-03T21:43:00.002Z

This has quickly become one of my favourite hair conditioning sprays. I usually reach for my Aussie Leave in Conditioner which I do love but find it doesn't really do much in helping to restore my hair to it's former glory.

I love L'Oreal hair care in general but this leave in conditioner is my favourite product by the brand.

I was suckered in by the adverts (as always) with Cheryl Cole and her gorgeous hair. But I'm so glad I was!

This spray is from the 'Full Restore 5' range and claims to give hair that:

Feelstronger

Feelsweightless

Looksreplenished

Has ahealthy shine

Feelssilkier

My hair is coloured, straightened and pretty much battered and dry. One of my New Years Resolutions was to take better care of my hair.

This stuff is amazing. Not only does is smell gorgeous, it has made my hair much softer and smoother. It still is a bit dry but I didn't expect to have beautiful, gorgeous hair after one use.

It contains Pro Keratin and Ceramide

I use the Tommyguns shampoo and conditioner for oily hair (which smells like sage and basil - weird I know) then spritz some of this on before I blowdry my hair.

I have to say, it lives up to the claims made. I still have some dry ends, but with a few more uses of this, I think they will be a lot less dry. My hair feels a lot healthier and looks healthier too. It smells great and feels great so I will carry on using this! I have ordered some Tigi shampoo and conditioner (Urban Antidotes) which is meant to be great for really battered hair (like mine) so I'm hoping that with this and the Tigi bits, my hair will be in fabulous condition soon!

I haven't yet tried the shampoo and conditioner from this range but I will definitely be picking them up next time I get a chance.

Check out the L'Oreal website for some more info here.

What are your favourite leave in conditioners?

Natalie

xxx

My 2011 Health Kick.

2011-01-02T21:55:00.000Z

A few of you lovely people wanted to see updates on how my 2011 diet was coming along. So here it is!

[picture from weheartit]

I'm doing a diet called the Dukan Diet. It was created by a French doctor and is apparently the reason why most French women are slim.

In a nutshell, it is a low carb, no fat, high protein diet. I have tried this particular diet before and failed miserably after two days as I felt like death. But this time round, I feel great and really motivated.

I'll happily admit I have never been the skinniest of girls, nor will I probably ever be. But I just want to be happy in my own skin. I have tried so many diets in the past, I have lost count. From the cabbage soup diet (*vom*) to the Slimfast shakes and drinking cider vinegar mixed with apple juice and lemon. Eurghh.

The diet consists of doing 5 days of Attack (so 5 days of eating just protein) followed by alternating days of pure protein and protein + vegetables. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to eating some vegetables (3 days and counting hehe).

But here I am, at the end of day 2 and I feel pretty good. I'm not hungry, but I am craving bread and potatoes. But I want to be healthier and slimmer more than I want to satisfy my cravings.

The diet is a renowned for quick results and weight loss. I can vouch for that...I jumped on the scales this morning to find I had already lost 2.8lbs. I know the first few pounds are usually water, but still, it is definitely a great motivator and something to keep me going rather than give up.

I'm exercising every day with a 20 minute brisk walk (which is obligatory for this diet) and running up and down the stairs at every free moment.

So I will keep you posted every week with how I am getting on! Hopefully I will be a changed (slimmer and happier) girl before I know it!

Love.

xxxx

New Years Resolutions.

2011-01-01T17:55:00.000Z

I can't remember the last time I even made New Years Resolutions. But this year I am determined to stick to them and see them through.

[image from weheartit]

#1 Take better care of my hair

#2 Really concentrate on getting my skin into good condition, I'm sick of spots and blotchy bits

#3 Stick to a diet and shed some pounds (started today and so far, so good - was thinking of doing blog posts on this if you are interested?)

#4 Start saving for my own place

#5 Become fluent in French

#6 Concentrate on University and studying.

Happy 2011 girlies - I hope all your hopes, dreams and wishes come true.

What are you're New Years Resolutions?

Natalie

xxx

Review - Mac Fix Plus.

2010-12-31T17:41:00.007Z

Mac Fix Plus was one of my favourites of 2010 so I thought I'd do a quick post about how I use Fix Plus.

[image from google]

Mac describe it as:
"An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of Green Tea, Camomile, Cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energising scent of Sugi"

I have no idea what Sugi is or what it adds to the product, a quick search on Google tells me that it is a Japanese tree? I don't know. Anyway, I can definitely smell the cucumber and camomile, the scent is very refreshing and clean.

I had never tried Mac skincare before this but I love the makeup so thought this would be of a good quality too.

The main advertised use of this is as a setting spray for your makeup. It is meant to hold your makeup in place when you lightly spritz it on your face. I hold the bottle about 30cm from my face and spray once with a very fine mist being dispensed.

Fix + can be used for so many different things; from setting makeup to being used as a toner on clean skin but also used to dampen sponges to enable a smoother foundation application. The spray can also be used with loose eye shadow pigments. Spray a bit directly onto the eye shadow brush, dip into the pigment and it will give a much more vibrant effect on the eye.

I mainly use it to set my makeup and to remove that cakey look which usually accompanies many powder products. It gives a lovely luminous, dewy finish to the skin and stops products from looking cakey on the face which I suffer from quite a bit since I have quite oily skin but dry patches around my nose so product tends to cake up on the drier areas.

I occasionally use it as a toner after cleansing my face. The spray is lovely to use after a day of sitting in the sunshine when your skin may feel a little tight from the sun. A few sprays of Fix + alleviates that tight feeling and leaves my skin feeling refreshed and smooth.

Overall I really like the Fix + spray from Mac, it has set a good standard with my expectations for the rest of the skincare line.

It retails at £11 for a 100ml bottle which lasts for ages. :)

What are your favourite Mac skincare products?

Natalie
xxx

Best Of 2010 - Skincare and Perfumes.

2010-12-29T21:33:00.000Z

I thought I would put my last to Best of 2010 categories together into one post as I'm sure you are all getting bored with my inundation of posting!! ;)

First up will be my skincare favourites of the year.

The Clinique Moisturising Gel is such a lovely product. It was perfect for the summer as it is so light but still moisturising. Now it is winter I turn to thicker, more intense moisturisers such as the Embryolisse. I did a whole post on the Embryolisse earlier on in the month.

The Clinique Clarifying Lotion is really great at removing oil and dirt from the skin as it is almost an astringent type product. It is very strong but leaves my skin feeling so clean and smooth. I use Number 3 in the range from Clinique.

Mac Fix Plus....where do I begin. Before I got this product I was like "pfft what can a bottle of (near enough) water really do". But I love this stuff. I use it most to set my makeup and remove that cakey look. But it was lovely in the Summer just lightly spritzed over the face to cool me down. I love the way it smells and it feels very refreshing on the skin.

Perfumes are slowly becoming a new addiction of mine and I can't get enough of them!

These three have been my favourites though. Just to warn you....I'm useless at describing smells so you would be better to go and give these a smell next time you are at a perfume counter. :)

YSL Cinema - This instantly reminds me of my sister....not really a valid reason!! haha But it does smell lovely and fresh. It's perfect for wearing it at night or during the day. And I always get asked what fragrance I have on when I wear this.

Jennifer Aniston perfume - I love celebrity fragrances. Especially the Beckham one, Kate Moss, Christina Aguilera.....But this is my new favourite. Jennifer Aniston is one of my favourite celebrities so when I heard she was releasing a fragrance I had to give it a smell in Boots. It smells lovely and it is so longlasting.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy - I got this in the sale at Debenhams last January for £30 for a massive bottle and I still haven't even used half. I find one or two sprays of this is enough and again, it smells gorgeous. This is more of a summery smell but still very fresh.

I hope you have enjoyed my "Best of 2010" posts. I have loved letting you all know what my favourites of this year have been and getting to know some of your favourites.

Natalie

xxx

Skin Help Please!

2010-12-29T15:47:00.001Z

Hey girls, just a quick post in between my Best of 2010 series.

[image from google]

I'm asking you to help me out finding some new skincare products. While I love the Embryolisse cream with my Clinique facial soap and clarifying cleanser, I'm finding that it doesn't really do much in terms of clearing up my blemishes and other icky bits.

My skin is far from perfect; it's oily and dry in places; it's blotchy; with a good few pimples on my cheeks; blackheads....I could go on all day.

I wouldn't say I have it as bad as some people do, but it's still bad enough to bug me. As much as I love my Mac Studio Fix and Colorstay, I don't want to have to pile that on every morning, I'd love to be able to get up, pop on some tinted moisturiser and not have to worry.

I'm happy to try anything within reason...I've tried the Clinique 3 step, Cetaphil, Clean and Clear Advantage spot kit, tea tree oil......and lots more. When I was on the pill I noticed a slight improvement, especially in the oilyness of my skin, but it made me feel awful....I'd throw up everytime I started a new month and it just was horrible.

So please let me know any products which you love or have worked for you. I appreciate the fact that every one's skin is different and products will work differently for different people. :)

Merci!

Natalie

xxx

Best of 2010 - Foundation and Concealer.

2010-12-28T18:10:00.000Z

Foundation and concealer are a staple in my makeup bag. I'm still on the hunt for my perfect, ultimate HG foundation. But these two come very very close.

Sorry about the grotty bottles and blurry picture.

But the best foundations of 2010 for me have been Revlon Colorstay and Mac Studio Fix Fluid. My skin is far from perfect, so I need a foundation which is a medium to full coverage. I would say these two are leaning towards a full coverage.

Colorstay and Studio Fix are pretty much the same product, to me anyway. They both cover fantastically and stay on the skin well. They can sometimes be a bit cakey but nothing that can't be fixed with a spritz or two of Fix plus.

Neither come with a pump which is the one thing which lets these products down. Mac do sell a foundation pump but the Revlon one is simply a matter of pouring it out very slowly and carefully!

I apply both of these foundations with the Elf Studio flat top powder brush. The shades I wear are Buff in the Winter and NC20 in the Summer. I might have to pick up a bottle of NC15 next time I'm near a Mac counter.

Concealer wise - there are two which have stood out for me this year.

Mac Studio Finish is amazing. Simples. It covers like a dream and the pot lasts for ever. I bought a backup before I left the UK for France in the Summer, thinking I'd run out pretty quickly of this one. But it is still going strong and I haven't even hit the bottom yet.

YSL Touche Eclat was something my mum used to use all the time but she didn't really love it so she passed it down to me. I adore it. I don't even know which shade this is in but it is perfect for under the eyes and just under the brow bone. It is thick enough to cover bags really well but without being cakey or thick looking.

I love the gold packaging of YSL products too! :)

I'm always on the lookout for new foundations and concealers. Chanel Mat Lumiere, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Guerlain Lingerie de Peau, Bobbi Brown concealers and correctors, Laura Mercier Full Coverage foundation....I could list so many that I want to try out!!

What are your favourite foundations/concealers??

Natalie

xxx

Best of 2010 - Eyeliners.

2010-12-27T11:53:00.000Z

Carrying on with the 'Best of 2010', today will be eyeliners.

There are two eyeliners which have been my favourites this year. One is a pencil and one is a gel liner.

The Urban Decay 24/7 liners come in a huge range of colours and are so creamy. I have never bought one of the full size pencils, all of mine are just the free mini ones which come with palettes.

These are my two favourite liners - Bourbon and Zero. Bourbon is a gorgeous brown with some gold shimmer through it. It is gorgeous smudged along the lash line for a liner which isn't as stark as Zero. But I do love Zero on the waterline with a smoky eye!

They stay in place all day and don't smudge. I love the free mini sizes as they are perfect for throwing in your bag if you are going away for the weekend. I will definitely be buying the full size once all of my mini ones have run out.

My favourite gel liner is the Blacktrack fluidline from Mac. This is a gorgeous product which is creamy and stays put all day. I've even slept in it (naughty naughty) and it has still been intact in the morning.

I use this with a Mac 210 thin liner brush. I have spent ages trying to perfect the wing and the line and I think I finally have it down. It bugs the hell out of me when my eyeliner isn't even on both eyes. I doubt that anyone would notice, but I know they aren't even and it really bugs me. :/

But the fluidline is gorgeous, I have nearly run out and would probably repurchase. But I do want to try the Bobbi Brown gel liners.

What are your favourite eyeliners?

Natalie

Best Of 2010 - Mascara

2010-12-25T12:00:00.001Z

One mascara has stood out, miles above the rest for me, this year.

It does everything I want from a mascara. It lengthens, thickens, adds volume to the lashes, doesn't clump, lasts all day, doesn't flake, gorgeous blackest black colour.

Of course, it is the famous Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara. Available from Boots/Superdrug/supermarkets...anywhere you can get Max Factor products.

The wand is a rubber bristled wand which grabs every lash without clumping. You can pop on just one coat for a quite natural look...or add a few layers for a gorgeous thick "false lash effect".

I own a good few mascaras, but this is the one I reach for on an almost daily basis.

This will definitely continue to be one of my favourites into 2011.

Natalie

xxx

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T19:13:00.001Z

[from weheartit]

Just to wish all of my gorgeous followers a fabulous Christmas and New Years.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Natalie

xxx

Purity Conditioning Cleansing Lotion.

2010-12-24T16:32:00.000Z

After watching the gorgeous Lisa Eldridge talk about this cleanser in her makeup removal video, I had to pick it up and give it a whirl.

I found this in Superdrug for under £5 for a 150ml bottle. Purity is a brand which I hadn't heard of until Lisa Eldridge mentioned it in her video.

The cleanser is 98% natural, 83% organic and not tested on animals, containing sweet almond oil, aloe vera, avocado oil and rose water. It is a lovely light cream which breaks down makeup and conditions the skin.

It's nice to know that I'm using natural and organic products on my face, but it's also good for those of you with sensitive skin. There shouldn't be any nasties in here to irritate your skin.

I use this on cotton pads or straight from the bottle onto my face. Then take it off with slightly damp cotton pads or wash my face with warm water. It leaves my skin really smooth and not clogged up, like some other cleansers.

It removes just about every trace of makeup although I do find it leaves me with a bit of eyeliner here and there but nothing too bad. It removes mascara easily as well as eyeshadow, foundation....the works.

But it is so gentle and softening, leaving the skin ready for makeup or popping on some moisturiser and heading to bed.

It doesn't smell of anything in particular, just a really clean, fresh smell which has a slightly floral/rose smell behind it. I'm useless at describing smells...so next time you are in Superdrug, pick up a bottle and have a whiff. :)

Next time I am in England I will definitely have to have a proper look at this range.

Have you tried this? Or anything else from Purity?

Natalie

xxx

Best of 2010 - Cheeks

2010-12-23T23:44:00.003Z

I love blushers and bronzers of any kind. So here are my picks for the Best products of 2010.

Gosh bronzer in 06 Amazing Sun, Elf Peachykeen, Benefit Dandelion and Natural Collection Pink Cloud.

Left to Right - Gosh bronzer, Natural Collection Pink Cloud, Elf Peachykeen and Benefit Dandelion.

The swatches aren't the best, but you get the idea. ;)

These are my favourite blushers and the Gosh bronzer has been my favourite for ages. It is a gorgeous almost matte tan shade which I love to use as a contour powder.

The Natural Collection blusher is a gorgeous baby pink shade and it has lasted for ages. At under £2 it is a complete steal and gives a lovely natural flush to the cheeks.

Elf Peachykeen is beautiful. It is (obviously) a peach shade with a gorgeous subtle shimmer shot through it. When I use this, I find I don't need to use a highlighter as the shimmer gives a gorgeous glow.

I did a post a few weeks back about the Benefit blushes if you want to check that out.

As I said, swatches will be up tomorrow!

Happy Christmas Eve! :) Hope you are all enjoying spending time with those you love and eating/drinking lots of yummy things.

Natalie

xxx

Best of 2010 - Eyeshadows.

2010-12-22T00:23:00.000Z

Eyeshadows have to be one of my favourite products. I have a good few so it was very hard to pick out my favourites of this year.

My first three picks are all really cheap and are three of my favourites.

On the left is the Elf Pebble eyeshadow from the Studio Line. It is a perfect crease colour and is a lovely brown/grey shade with a tiny hint of shimmer. These eyeshadows are really fabulous quality for the price and I have a few others which I love too!

Next to that is a Maybelline shadow in the colour Black Metal. I love this pushed along the upper lash line to give some definition without the harshness of a liquid liner. I use a small angled brush and just pop the shadow along the outer corners of the eye for instant volume and definition.

Finally is the Bourjois eyeshadow in Beige Rose. This is my all time favourite highlight shade. I use it under the brow, in the inner corner, as a wash of colour, even as a highlighter for the face. It is so creamy and smooth and applies like a dream. Love the packaging too.

Next are three of my favourite shadows from Mac. Left to right are Mineral, Naked Lunch and Patina. These are much prettier in real life as my camera seems to wash out the colour a bit, especially with Patina.

These shadows make for the perfect quick neutral eye, with Patina all over the lid, Mineral through the crease and Naked Lunch as a highlight.

I really like Mac eyeshadows as they are great quality, easy to blend and there is such a variety of colours to choose from. In pan form the are just £9 each which I think is fantastic value for the quality of the shadow.

Just a few quick swatches of the eyeshadows.

L-R are - Elf Pebble, Maybelline Black Metal, Bourjois Beige Rose, Mac Naked Lunch, Mineral and Patina.

What are your favourite eyeshadows?

Natalie x

Lipstick swatches.

2010-12-20T18:27:00.002Z

Following on from my last post, there were so many comments asking for swatches of the lipsticks. So here they are!

[click to make it bigger!]

From left to right are Mac Snob, Maybelline Ambre Rose, Maybelline Luminous Beige and YSL 142 (Biege Miel).

And this one is Chanel Mademoiselle.

I also did swatches on my arm too so you can see what they look like straight from the bullet and not on my lips.

Left to right is Chanel Mademoiselle, Mac Snob, Maybelline Ambre Rose, YSL 142 and Maybelline Luminous Beige.

Natalie

xxx

Best of 2010 - Lipsticks.

2010-12-19T18:00:00.001Z

Last year, I did my favourites of 2009 but this year I have decided to do the "Best of 2010" as I find it so hard to whittle down products into a few favourites. So these will be my favourite few products, I'll do favourite lipsticks, glosses, blushes, skincare, perfumes etc.

So for the first "Best Of" will be my favourite lipsticks of the year.

[excuse the Friends boxset in the background!]

Left to Right we have: Maybelline 112 Ambre Rose, Maybelline Luminous Beige, Mac Snob, Chanel Mademoiselle and finally YSL number 142 (Beige Miel).

If you would like swatches for any of these just let me know and I'll get to it.

Natalie

xxx

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre.

2010-12-18T18:54:00.002Z

Well hello there! It has been a while. After two manic weeks of exams, orals, presentations, deadlines, sad goodbyes and happy drinks with everyone, I am finally on my Christmas Vacation from Uni.

This post is going to be a review of a product I have discovered over the last month and have fallen in love with it.

After seeing Embryolisse featured on so many videos (particularly the Pixiwoo sisters channel) and many more blogs as a product hailed as a miracle cream by Makeup artists and models, I had to hunt it down and get some.

I finally found it in Monoprix which is a department store come supermarket in France. It was just under €12 which is around £9/10.

The packaging isn't anything to write home about, very simple and smart, but the product itself is amazing.

It is a thick white cream which is doesn't have a very distinct smell of any kind. It is designed to be a 24 hour miracle intensive moisturiser, and that its exactly what it is. I have combination skin so have some oily patches (namely my T Zone) and drier, flaky patches on my cheeks. Foundation tends to get cakey and horrible on the dry patches and I had yet to find a moisturiser which really helps with this.

Then Embryolisse comes and along and I couldn't be happier with it.

I use it morning and night after cleansing, using about a pea sized amount for my face. It sinks into the skin effortlessly and I wake up every morning with gorgeous smooth skin.

Before I apply any makeup, I moisturise with Embryolisse and let it sink in for about 10 minutes while I do my hair.

It makes foundation application so easy and stops any caking whatsoever. I use Revlon ColourStay and it is quite a thick and heavy foundation, but it looks really flawless and gorgeous with Embryolisse. The cream is so nourishing and gives a lovely glow to the skin.

The product gives a really healthy look to the skin and is just a fabulous product. I think this product will definitely be a firm fixture in my skincare routine for the foreseeable future.

It doesn't irritate my skin at all and hasn't caused me to break out at all. Other than the usual hormonal breakouts, I'm happy to say I think my skin might even look a bit better than usual.

There is also a lighter version available, if the Creme Concentré is too rich for you, the Lait Creme Fluide.

The product is very hard to get hold of in the UK. www.screenface.com is one retailer I know of, where a 75ml tube will set you back £15.95 and I *think* you can pick this up at Imats if you are going in January (but don't take my word for it).

Have you tried Embryolisse? What is your favourite moisturiser?

Natalie

I'm still here.

2010-12-13T11:15:00.000Z

(image from weheartit.com)

Hey girlies!

I know it has been a while since I last did a blog post but these last few weeks at uni have been crazy busy.

I've had so much to do and have hardly found the time to sit down.

But this week is the last week of my first semester at Uni here and I have around 6 weeks off and don't start semester 2 until the start of Feb! I just have 2 exams and a presentation to go. Then a good day out with the girls on Friday then I'll be set to get back to blogging.

So normal blogging will resume shortly!

In other news, I recently hit 300 followers which put the biggest smile on my face. Thank you to each and every one of you. I know I haven't been the best blogger of late but I'll be back soon! Promise!

Natalie xxx

Urban Decay Primer Potion.

2010-12-04T20:13:00.000Z

Before I really got into makeup, I never even considered using an eyeshadow primer/base. Actually, scrap that, I didn't even know what one was.

After seeing so many YouTubers using bases left, right and centre, I had to try out the offering from Urban Decay. I started off with a mini size which came with the Book of Shadows Vol 2.

When this one was finished, I had to get a new bigger bottle as I fell in love with it!

The bottle is so cute and I love the purple and silver colours! Although I have read that the shape of the bottle makes it a bit hard to get every last drop out and some people have even had to cut up the bottle to get the last bits out.
The primer comes with a little doe foot applicator and the product itself is an off white colour. The texture of it is really soft and blends out really easily to leave a slightly tacky surface for the shadows to adhere to.

The primer stops eyeshadow from creasing and shadows apply to the eye much truer to the colour they appear in the pan. The swatch above on the left is with the primer, on the right is without. They are both the same eyeshadow (Max Factor's Plum Passion). You can see the colour on the right is a sheerer plum shade whereas the on with UDPP is a lot more vibrant and much truer to the colour in the pan.

I absolutely love Urban Decay's offering of an eyeshadow primer and will happily say I will not go back. There are days when I switch between Painterly Paintpot by Mac and this but always come back to the Primer Potion.

I suffer with quite oily eyelids and this primer helps to keep my eyeshadow in place all day. There are two other types of Primer Potion available - Sin which is a shimmery champagne colour and Eden which is a matte primer.

Definitely a product I will continue to repurchase!

Which e/s primers do you like?

Natalie xxx

Quelqu'un m'a dit que tu m'aimais encore....

2010-12-03T16:05:00.003Z

I know this isn't beauty related but I had to share this song with you. It is such a beautiful song and I have had it on repeat all week. It is in French and sung by Carla Bruni - wife of President Sarkozy.

The chorus is lovely and translates as...

Yet someone told me…

That you still loved me
Someone told me…
That you still loved me.
Well ? Could that be possible?

xxxx

November Favourites.

2010-12-02T22:34:00.001Z

Well....that's another month done. It only feels like yesterday it was the start of 2010 and now it is nearly over!

So end of the month = favourites post! I don't think I did one of these last month!

Cetaphil Cleanser and Moisturising Lotion - I have had these for a while, but as with most things they get neglected, but with the cold weather my skin has been dry and horrible. But the Cetaphil has really helped a lot, although I do still get dry patches, they are a lot better.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation - This is the perfect shade for me at the moment (Buff) as my Mac SFF is slightly too tan. Amazing coverage and lasts all day!

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara - One of my all time favourite mascaras. This gives gorgeous full lashes without clumping and I love the wand!

YSL Touche Eclat - My mum gave this to me a few weeks ago and I have been using it non stop. I love how it really brightens the under eye area and under the brow without looking cakey.

Benefit Dandelion - I adore this blusher. It is the perfect pink with a touch of shimmer to give you a healthy glow in these colder months. I use a Mac 168 brush to apply it and it looks so pretty!

Cargo Essential Palette - This has been my go to eyeshadow palette this month. It is perfect for creating a quick neutral eye. The shadows are really pigmented and soft. I will be reviewing this within the next few days! :)

As always, if you would like reviews (or swatches) on anything you see - leave a comment and let me know!

xxx

Sigma Small Tapered Blending Brush - E45

2010-11-24T20:10:00.000Z

Sigma Brushes is a brand that is well known all over the beauty community as a company which sell fabulous quality brushes at a price which is very affordable. Now Sigma Brushes are an American brand and while the company does ship internationally, the prospect of paying extortionate customs charges has always put me off buying anything from them.

But recently while browsing love-makeup.co.uk I found that they stock a variety of Sigma brushes. They are a British company so for those of us that live in Europe, we can avoid the customs charges.

I recently bought just one Sigma brush to get an idea of the quality of the brushes. I got the E45 - Small Tapered Blending brush.

This brush is amazing. It is super soft and hasn't shed more than two or three hairs since I got it. It washes up a treat!

I have been looking for a small tapered eyeshadow brush like this for ages. This brush is perfect for blending out harsh edges, but also for apply a crease colour as the tapered end fits perfectly into my crease. A few swishes with the brush and my crease colour is applied and the edges are blended! It is a great time saver in the morning!

I tend to load the tip of the brush with shadow, lightly tap off so that there is no fall out, then apply lightly into the crease with circular movements, letting the shorter outside bristles do the blending.

This brush was a steal at £7.99 from Love-makeup.co.uk and there are quite a few Sigma brushes on there. Most of you will probably know that Sigma have a lot of dupes of Mac brushes which is fab for those of us who would love Mac brushes but just can't justify spending that much money on a brush.

I think that Sigma is of the same quality as Mac and I will definitely be getting some more Sigma brushes in the future!

Have you tried Sigma brushes before?

Collection 2000 Big Fake Lash mascara.

2010-11-21T20:59:00.000Z

Hey girlies,

I bought this mascara on my last trip to England and have been meaning to review it for ages but what with uni work and things....I just haven't had the time to write many blog posts!

I had seen this mascara used by the girls over at Pixiwoo, so I thought it was worth a try as they had compared it to Benefit Bad Gal. I have never tried Bad Gal so I can't compare it to that but I can say that I love this mascara.

The packaging looks much more upmarket than most other Collection 2000 mascaras do, I love the black and red print.

As you can see the wand is really thick and full. I love wands like this....ever since I bought my first tube of Diorshow I have loved massive fat mascara wands.

The Collection 2000 wand grabs every lash and makes them really voluminous and full. I find that it doesn't clump at all....even after three or four coats!

I did mean to pick up black, but discovered when I got back to France that it was in fact Brown/Black. But I am kind of glad I got the Brown/Black one. It still gives gorgeous dark lashes but isn't as harsh as a stark black mascara.

This was after one coat...you can see straight away how full it makes the lashes! I love it! With two/three coats, it gives really thick and full lashes. The mascara holds a curl very well and gives fab thick lashes after a few coats. I find that the mascara dries pretty quickly and lasts all day, with no flaking at all.
It can be quite hard to grab the inner corner lashes, but with a little bit of skill you can manage to get the coated!
I think I might love it even more than the Max Factor False Lash Effect! Definitely will be repurchasing this mascara when it runs out.

Paris, je t'aime.

2010-11-19T15:06:00.001Z

It feels like forever that I have done a blog post. But I have been really busy with Uni and just haven't managed to find the time to write a post.

But better late than never!

Uni is going really well at the moment, despite the exam period coming up, it's going well.

A good friend of mine and I went to Paris on Wednesday for the day. It would have been lovely to have stayed for a few days but I had class the next day. But I am sure I will go back a few times before I head back to the UK.

So I thought I'd just show you some pictures of the day in Paris. The weather was okay, it was chilly but didn't rain all day which was fab.

We got to see so much, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, wandered down the Champs Elysées, saw the Moulin Rouge!! and wandered up to Sacre Coeur and the cemetery of Montmartre.

I had never been to Paris before so had only seen the Eiffel Tower on TV or in photos. But it is really breath taking. It is so spectacular and I am so happy to say that I have finally seen it!

Sephora on the Champs Elysées. It was HUGE in there and was beautiful. They had a Mac counter right in the middle of it, every brand you could ever want!

This was such a cute little arcade with lovely little shops inside. In here we found a Starbucks!! It was the first Starbucks I have seen in France and the hot chocolate tasted so good! :)

View from the steps of the Sacre Coeur looking out over the city.

I have so many more pictures but these were the highlights of the trip!

I can happily say Paris is my new favourite city. London is gorgeous but Paris is just so charming. I would give anything to live there!

I hope you have all had a good week! Normal blogging will resume shortly!!

Benefit blushers.

2010-11-11T16:18:00.000Z

On my recent shopping spree in England, I picked up two of the Benefit box blushers.

I was comvinced I was going to get Hoola and Dandelion, but the Make Up Artist on the Benefit counter was using Dallas on a woman there and I loved the colour it gave, so my mind was changed.

The picture on the left was taking under artificial light and the other was taking in natural light so you can get an idea of the colour.

[images taken from Google Images]

Dallas is a lovely bronze colour with a little bit of a plummy undertone which is gorgeous for this time of year. There is a bit of shimmer running through it which is very subtle but gives a nice glow.

Dandelion is soft, baby pink colour which is absolutely gorgeous. As with Dallas there is a bit of shimmer but nothing too much to make you look all glittery. It is lovely as a blush and really brightens the complexion.

The powders themselves smell really nice and apply like a dream. I love using Dallas as a blusher as it gives a really pretty glow. Dandelion is equally as pretty, giving a gorgeous pinky flush.

The boxes come with a small brush included, now normally these brushes are shockingly rough. Surprisingly, the brushes in the Benefit box is lovely and soft, albeit a little small, but still a good enough size to top up or add a bit more colour on the go.

The boxes themselves are cardboard and are really sturdy. The design on the lids is adorable and they look so pretty in my collection!

Retailing for £23.50 a go, they definitely aren't cheap. But I would say they are worth it as they are such gorgeous products. Nevertheless, I suppose they are dupable in another brand so have a look about and see if you can find a dupe!

Next on my list is Coralista!

Have you tried these blushes from Benefit? Or have you found any good dupes?

POTW

2010-11-07T14:14:00.001Z

It has been a while since I did one of these, but I have been using this product so much lately, I thought it deserved a mention.

I bought this ages ago, and I mean ages ago. It must have been on either my 16th or 17th birthday, I can't remember. But I'm 20 now so I have had it a good while. It still smells fine and the texture is still the same as when I first bought it.

It is by a company called Di Palomo, a brand which is available at John Lewis or online at www.dipalomo.co.uk

It is from the Wild Fig and Grape range and smells divine. Really luxurious and quite sweet.
The lotion itself is quite thick and sinks into the skin effortlessly, leaving it soft and smelling gorgeous.

Di Palomo describe it as:
"A rich and indulgent hand and body lotion blended with a mouth watering blend of Grape and Fig oils and extract".

I find the smell really comforting and love nothing more than slathering some of this on after a bath.

It is a bargain at £8 for 225ml and there are lots of other products available from the same range which I am desperate to try! :)

NOTD

2010-11-06T10:41:00.000Z

I haven't done a NOTD in ages!

I picked up a Models Own nail polish when I was in the UK to give them a try....now I wish I had got some more! They are really fab quality and there are some gorgeous colours.

The one I bought was Purple Ash. It is a lovely dusky purple colour with a hint of brown which is perfect for Autumn!

Z Palette.

2010-11-05T20:29:00.002Z

I ordered one of these palettes a few weeks ago from www.love-makeup.co.uk for just under £15. I did want a Mac 15 pan eyeshadow palette, but they aren't as pretty as the Z Palettes!

I love having my favourite eyeshadows in one place, makes it so much easier than rifling through all my eyeshadows in the morning. :)

Depotting the Mac shadows wasn't the easiest. I tried using my straighteners but that didn't work too well. So I ended up heating up a screwdriver and melting a hole in the plastic. Anyway after a while I managed to pop the little pans out.

The magnet in the palette is pretty strong although the depotted Mac pans don't hold as well as the shop bought pan refills. But you only need a strip of magnets, pop one on the back and they will stick perfectly!

Some shadows did get a bit bashed up in the process, but I guess practice makes perfect! Satin Taupe was already cracked a bit so only two got a bit bashed up.

They are all now taking pride of place in my gorgeous palette....although it is bugging me that the palette isn't full. I need a lovely full palette. :/

From L-R going from top to bottom we have:

Grain, Naked Lunch, Folie, Embark, Carbon, Satin Taupe, Mineral, Shale, Woodwinked and Patina. I have another eyeshadow to depot in Concrete to add in.

I have a pretty big eyeshadow want list so hopefully it will be filled up before I know it! :)

Do you have a Z Palette?

England Haul.

2010-11-05T10:30:00.000Z

I got back from England on Tuesday evening but have been at uni this week so I have had to wait to get this post up! I missed blogging for the week I was away and feel like it has been forever since I last did a proper post.

England was amazing, I got to catch up with my friends and family, eat some good food, had lots of laughs and of course did some shopping!

This is likely to be a long post, so I am going to just show you what I got and if you would like any reviews of anything, then let me know and I will get to it.

Twilight and Cinders bath ballistics

:) Smells absolutely gorgeous!

L-R China Glaze First Class Ticket and Jitterbug, Barry M Nail Effects and Indigo, Models Own Purple Ash

Collection 2000 Big Fake Lash, Maybelline Watershine Gloss in Natural Sunset, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer and Bourjois Delice de Poudre bronzer.

Mac Intriguing Eyes palette and Concrete e/s (both from Gunwharf Quays CCO in Portsmouth). Snob lipstick.

Mac e/s in Grain, Folie and Carbon.

They are all my England buys. As I said if you would like and reviews or swatches then just leave a comment and let me know!

Quick Hello!

2010-10-24T14:26:00.000+01:00

Hi lovelies, I hope you are all doing fab!

Just quickly to let you know there might not be many blogposts from me this week. We have some friends over visting us in France and then I'm going back home to England for a few days and have loads of things (ie shopping, eating and catching up with the girls) planned.

But there will most definitely be a haul post when I get back to France.

Have a fabulous week girlies.

Lots of love.

Lipgloss.

2010-10-17T16:18:00.000+01:00

Who doesn't love a good ol' lipgloss? I know I do....maybe more so than lipstick!

I love the way they feel and they are so moisturising. Yes I do love me a lovely lippie every now and then....but you can whack on a lipgloss without having to look and they look so glam and sexy.

So....I thought I would show you my favourite lipglosses. Most of them are from the drugstore so are very affordable! :)

From L-R....

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Coral Reef, Cargo Classic Lip Gloss in Alexandria, Elf Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips and Raspberry, Maybelline Watershine Gloss in Cutie Pie, Gosh Lip Jam in 102.

I really love the Revlon gloss although I don't wear it enough during the day, but it is such a gorgeous colour.

The Elf glosses are great if you want the pigmentation of a lipstick with the shine of a gloss. BabyLips isn't super pigmented but it still is a nice neutral pink. You can see that Raspberry is a gorgeous bright pink and is so pretty. :)

What are your favourite lipglosses?

Product of the Week.

2010-10-17T12:23:00.000+01:00

This weeks' POTW is Dove Summer Glow gradual tanning lotion.

I have come and gone with this product over the last few years. I love it then change onto something else. Now I'm back on it! :)

I use the Medium to Dark skin formula as I find it gives a better colour quicker than the fairer skin alternative.

I usually apply this for two or three days consecutively to build up some colour, then leave it for a few days, then reapply after exfoliating.

The colour isn't super dark but it just gives a really nice healthy tan, rather than the pale colour I go when the summer disappears.The cream itself is really thick and smells nice, but once the cream has sunk in you do get that biscuit-y fake tan smell. It dries really quickly and you don't have to worry about staining your clothes like you would with a tinted mousse or cream.

I tend to just tan my chest, arms, neck, feet and ankles then I use a summer foundation to match my face to my neck. I find it doesn't go streaky or patchy which is always good, when I use my St Tropez/Moriz I seem to always end up with an orange streak somewhere! :/

This stuff is just under a fiver but there is always half prices offers on....I always stock up when they are half off! I must have about 4 bottles of this laying around the house.

Bourjois Eyeshadow - Beige Rosé

2010-10-16T11:31:00.000+01:00

The lovely Nicola at Magic's In the Makeup asked to see how the Bourjois eyeshadow in my last post looked! So here it is! :)

I *love* this eyeshadow. It is gorgeous all over the lid with some winged eyeliner and lashings of mascara. It gives a pretty sheen and is so soft and easy to apply. I use it as a highlighter for the browbone, inner corner and as a face highlighter. It is so versatile and the packaging is so cute. I love the little gold clasp at the front and it comes with a mirror in the lid and a little applicator.

With a base, these babies stay put all day, no creasing, no fading!

They retail for £5.99 and are available in all the usual places...Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Asda etc etc.

Shopping my stash.

2010-10-15T20:19:00.001+01:00

Some of you might know that I'm on a self imposed spending ban hopefully until January (click here for my Project Use Things Up post). But I am going home for a few days at the end of the month....so a trip to Boots and Superdrug....and Mac...may be in order! :)

So since I haven't been buying, I have been rediscovering some hidden gems in my makeup stash!

Elf Bronzing Powder in Luminance and Studio eyeshadow in Pebble.

Nyx blush in Red.

Mac Beauty Powder in Summer Rose (from the Liberty of London collection).

Urban Decay 24/7 liners in Zero and Bourbon.

Bourjois Round Pot eyeshadow in Beige Rose.

Natural Collection Cover Up Cream.

Maybelline Watershine Gloss in Cutie Pie.

I'm sure I will be discovering some more neglected products over the next few weeks!

I haven't used anything up just yet but I'm close. I have been a good girl and haven't bought anything at all! It has been good to know I'm using up things and not spending money!

If you would like any reviews on any of these products, just let me know! :)

Elf Elements Customisable Quads.

2010-10-10T14:04:00.000+01:00

Palettes are a great way of getting a good few eyeshadows into one place. The Elf palettes are a great price and allow you to get four eyeshadows within one tidy palette.

They are really nice palettes, very sturdy and come with a pretty big mirror and a double ended applicator.

There are a good range of shadows on the site from golds and greens, to pinks and darker shadows.

You have to buy everything individually, so you pay £1.50 for the palette, then £1.50 for each shadow pan. The pans already come with a little magnet on the back, so you can just pop them straight into the palette.

There is 1.5g per pan so not a bad amount for the price! :)

This is the first of my palettes. From the top left going clockwise (and in the same order for the swatches) we have: Mocha, Moondust (I don't think this the same colour anymore, on the website it now looks a really light gold/brown), Sage and Dusk.

This is the second palette I have. Clockwise L-R: Ivory, Pink Ice, Truly Pink and Golden Glow. These are much lighter colours than my other palette.

Overall the shadows are really good quality, some shadows are a bit chalky and loosely packed but for the price, what do you expect? With a base they last perfectly with no creasing, they are really easy to blend and have a great colour pay off as you can see from the pictures above!

You get the palette and four pans for £7.50 which is a great deal!

I particularly like Ivory, Sage, Dusk and Moondust.

There are customisable face and lip palettes, where you get the same palette but with blush or lip colour pans. Definitely a great idea since you can mix and match with maybe two eyeshadows, a blush colour and a lip colour! Perfect for a weekend away or to throw in your bag for touchups!

I *think* you can fit Mac eyeshadow pans into it, don't take my word for it as I have never tried but I have heard some girls say that they do fit!

Have you tried these Elf Quads?

FOTD.

2010-10-08T20:10:00.000+01:00

I haven't done one of these in ages....I just feel that my makeup is pretty much very samey, with a different shades of browny bronze nude colours.

ERGHHH look at that growth on my lip...I have a cold and with a cold always comes a cold sore. :/ Sucks.

Anyways....I have been loving my UD Naked palette these last few days!

This was using Smog all over the lid, Virgin as a highlight, with a bit of Mac Mineral e/s (from the Emmanuel Ungaro collection - try your CCO's as that is where I found mine) through the crease and a bit of Half Baked under the lower lashline.

On my cheeks I have Natural Collection Pink Cloud and a bit of NYX's Red.

Foundation is Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mousse.

Product of the Week!

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Here is another product that I have been absolutely loving this week and for the past few weeks.

It is one of the Maybelline Eye Studio Monos in Black Metal.

It is a black shadow with some gorgeous shiny silver glitter through it. I use with an angled eyeliner brush and pop it along my upper lash line to give the appearance of thicker lashes! I do also use it every now and then in the outer v of my eye for a bit of definition!

You can see it doesn't come out a true jet black, but a really dark grey/almost black colour. The glitter catches the light really nicely!

These are £3.99 in Boots so are a great price! I will be definitely trying out some more of these the next time I get a chance! There is a good range of colours available so you are more than likely to find one you like! :)

What have you been loving this week?

Review - No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser

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Two reviews in as many days! Aren't you girlies lucky?

I got this cleanser a few months ago with one of those £5 off No7 vouchers. It is normally £8.75 but ended up at under £4. Bargain! It is similar to the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish cleanser which I haven't tried but definitely want to!

The bottle of cleanser comes with a little muslin cloth (as does the Liz Earle), but I lost mine and use a clean flannel instead which might not do the job as well, but it does pretty well.

The cleanser is a lovely thick, luxurious smelling cream. It smells really fresh and slightly perfumed but nicely perfumed and not too overpowering.

I use about 2 pumps of the product and massage it all over a dry face. After massaging it in for about 2/3 minutes, I run the flannel (or muslin cloth) under hand hot water and wring it out then lay it over my face to steam it. This opens up pores and allows the product to sink in and work its magic. I repeat this another 3/4 times. Then bunch the cloth up and use it to gently exfoliate in circular motions. Then I rinse with cold water to close the pores and remove any excess product.

This leaves my face so silky smooth and my face is hardly ever oily in the mornings following using it. I personally use this only once a week. My skin feels nicely hydrated and clean. I find it removes most of my makeup, but I do follow with the rest of the Clinique 3 step system.

I have been using this once a week for about a month now and only a little bit has gone. So I can see it lasting for a good while yet. I do want to try the Liz Earle alternative, just to satisfy my curiousity!

Overall, this is a really nice product, the price is a bit steep at nearly £9 for what is essentially a drugstore brand. But with the £5 off vouchers it makes it a really good deal!