Tuesday 29 October 2013

Elf Haul..again!

So yet again I had a cheeky little spend on Elf and thought I would share with you what I got! When I purchased these things they had an offer on that if you spent over £20 you got £20 worth of 'autumn essentials' product gift bag for free!


The main thing I was looking for when on the site was a new Bronzer as I had had one in the past from them which I loved and it was getting near its end so needed replacing. The only down point of Elf is that we only have it online in the Uk meaning swatching and colour checking is impossible so I got two Bronzers the first in 'matte bronze' as I mainly wanted something to contour with and warm tan in case the first was a little to dark for me. Both Bronzers have a shimmer which I wasn't expecting but the darker shade is much more subtle so could be used as a contour still. I also picked up the 'Mineral Infused Face Primer' which claims to combat excess oil, large pores and provide a blank canvas is has the typical silicone type feel which feels super smooth on the skin.


I got 3 shadow products within my free goody bag the first being an eyeshadow primer in 'Misty Mauve' which is a beautiful shimmery mauve colour but not the greatest consistency, I have never had a problem with my eyeshadow creasing but i do think this does help my shadow stick and gives a nice shimmer as a base. The first shadow I got was one of their 'Matte Eyeshadows in Smoke' which is a soft grey colour which would make a great contour colour, the second shadow is 'Mineral Eyeshadow in Confident' which is a lovely soft loose pigment with a beautiful copper sheen which I think is perfect for an autumn look.



I also got 3 different lip products there was meant to be 4 as I ordered 2 different colours of the 'Matte Lip Colours' as I had tried one before and loved it but instead got two of the same colour 'Rich Red' which is lovely but I'm pretty sure not what I ordered. Two other products I got in my goody bag was firstly a 'Conditing Lip Balm' which comes in a surprisingly large packaging for what it is but is a nice product of a hydrating balm with a nice sheen, I got the shade 'Romantic Rouge'. The last was a 'Mineral Lip Gloss' I have never been a huge fan of gloss but was excited to try it too see if the mineral aspect made any different, I don't think it really does but the 'Bare' shade I recieved is a lovely neutral colour to give a gorgeous glossy tint. 



One product I was interested to get after seeing other bloggers talk about it was the '3 in 1 Mascara' it comes with a plastic bristle applicator with a ball of bristles at the end to allow you to grasp every lash for great definition and length, I don't find it to be the most voluminous mascara but is still really lovely to use. The two last products were quite random and not things I would pick up myself the first being toe separators which I think are a cute gift to include but a little useless to me and also their 'Radience Enhancer' which is their liquid highlighter, I got mine in the colour 'Golden'. I have never been a huge fan of highlighters especially ones that are not in powder form because of my oily skin, this one doesn't feel to be the greatest and seems a little hard to use but I will definitely try to give it a go and maybe I will like it by next summer.



There we have it another little Elf spend I endured and you can find all of these things here, what are your thoughts on Elf what are you favourite products from them? Thanks for stopping by, bye for now.x 

Friday 25 October 2013

Face Mask Friday Exfoliating Super Fruits Mask

This mask from Superdrug again is one of their packet mask similar to the ever so popular Montague Jeunesse range, this one is said to be good for all skin types and contains raspberry, cranberry and blueberry extracts to purify and smooth the skin.


When I first opened this up I was hit with the most delicious fruity aroma, the mask is quite thick and goes a long way so you could definitely get 3 uses from this packet. The mask is a purple colour and is clay based so dries when on the skin to a light lilac colour. As well as containing fruit extracts from the cranberrys, raspberries and blueberries which are great for purifying and toning the skin it also contains strawberry seeds which give a gentle exfoliation while applying to the face.


They recommend to wear the mask for 10 - 15 minutes however I tend to always leaves my masks on for slightly longer nearing towards an hour to really ensure it does its job. After around 10 minutes the masks starts to set and harden which is due to the kaolin clay which is great for drawing out impurities and excess oil from the skin however does not over dry out the skin and make it feel tight after removal. But you should alway ensure you apply a replenishing moisturiser afterwards to really restore and renew the skin after using a mask especially if it is deep cleansing and purifying. 

I love Superdrug's own brand packet masks and will definitely repurchase them in the future, have you tried any before? Thanks for stopping by, bye for now.x

Saturday 19 October 2013

Boots Beauty Advent Calender

I had heard of brands creating their own product advent calendars in the past like Benefit however have always thought them to be a little to pricey until this year when I found out from a fellow blogger that Boots do their own too! The calendar contains 24 days of beauty treats leading you right up to Christmas Day, I'm not too sure if the products inside are full size or sample sizes but it claims to have £62 worth of products inside and the retail price is only £30. 


I love the idea of a beauty calendar as it makes it a little different and is just a great way to try some new products in a fun way for any beauty enthusiast. One thing I'm unsure if I like is that when I turned it over I saw a glimpse of what looked like to be the information on the products inside which takes away the fun of the surprise but I refrained myself from looking at it and i plan to wait till I have them in my hand and not peek! Because of that Im not sure if every calendar has the same things in I presume they probably will. I am thinking of doing a few posts on the products I receive in my calendar wether I do a few during the 24 days as I open them of a big haul of all of them at the end I'm not too sure, let me know what you think would be best.

Have you ever had a low end or high end beauty advent calendar I would love to know your views or experiences you have had with them before, thanks for stopping by, bye for now.x 


Monday 14 October 2013

October GlossyBox

I feel I say this every month by boy does time fly and yet again we have another box of treats on our doorstep. This months theme was 'dark romance' and is meant to be perfect for the autumn and Halloween spirit and the overall time of year with berry lips and illuminating skin treats. The first thing I came across when opening my box was the new Glossy Magazine which they have started to include in their boxes, it is a small 13 paged little booklet with information on some of the products in the box, some interviews with beauty experts and also some information on other popular products at the moment too. 


The first product I noticed was the perfume sample of Katy Perry' Killer Queen which is her new scent she has recently released. I have already got this perfume meaning I know I like it which is good I suppose and thankfully is in one of the mini spritz bottle rather than the other horrible vials so good for travel/ handbag use. It is quite a sweet scent with top notes of plum and berries and one I would definitely recommend. I also received two sachets of Illuminating Skin Finish Latte from Vita Liberata which at first I had no idea what they were meant to be however after looking on the little card they are said to be samples of a body care product which provides the skin with coverage, bronzing and SPF which gives the skin an iridescent subtle shimmer. I'm not sure this is an ultimate autumn product but a nice addition I'll look forward to trying out. 


A product I was excited about getting was the MeMeMe Cherubs Blush Lip & Cheek Tint, I have quite a few products from the brand already and really like them and are great quality for a high street brand and this product looks like a perfect dupe for the similar tints from Benefit. I believe the colour of this is Cherubs Blush and is a lovely deep pink berry shade which gives a lovely berry tint to the lips, I haven't tried it on the cheeks yet but love it for the lips so far, it also has a lovely rose Turkish delight scent too yum!



The last two products I received are both skin care items firstly a facial serum from Harmony which is their Moisturising Smoothie Serum, this is applied just before your moisturiser providing another layer of moisture and protection for the skin. It doesn't have a huge amount of scent and is lightweight and skins in to the skin fast meaning it doesn't leave any residues on the skin. I also received an Illuminating Primer from Monu which I have received products from before in past boxes and so far really like the brand. This primer contains an SPF 15, is paraben free and is said to provide a flawless finish to the skin. However although this is named a primer which you would normally associate with being applied on top of your moisturiser under you make up this is directed to be applied under you moisturise like a serum so more of a skin primer than a make up one.


That's all for this months box, I don't think this is one of their finest boxes because of the quality and choice of products in the box however that is the price you pay with getting a box when the items are a complete surprise until you receive them however this is the first time I have ever felt this way so will look forward to what next month brings. Thanks for stopping by, bye for now.x 


Sunday 6 October 2013

What's On My Face #2

                     

Recently I have been keeping things natural and simple with my make up so thought I would share with you my go to simple look and the products I use to create it. This look I would wear if running odd jobs and maybe popping into town so I keep it minimal and quick.

                         


Products used:
Bourjois 123 Perfect foundation in 51
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Light
Elf Bronzer in Glow
MeMeMe Blush in Rouge 
MUA Undress Me Too palette in Reveal and Lavish 
HD Brows in Dark Brown
Givenchy 4in1 mascara
Elf Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lip


I always like to start with base first and would apply my Bourjois foundation with my Real Techniques buffing brush using it both to stipple and buff it into the skin and then apply any concealer if I felt I needed it which would usually be under the eyes or on any blemishes. Today I didn't set it with any powder but went straight to using my Elf Bronzer with a fairly big stippling brush to apply a light covering of bronzer over the face concentrating under the check ones and up on to forehead. 


One of my favourite blushes to use at the minute is the MeMeMe in rouge as it is a subtle rosey red shade with a gentle shimmer meaning its great to double up as a blush and highlighter give the face a nice glow without looking like a disco ball. I kept the eyes simple by using the light Reveal MUA shade all over the lid and a small amount of Lavish buffed into the outer corner and crease. I did use a small amount of the HD Brows powder in Dark Brown and placed it very close to the lash line and extended it slightly to give a subtle cat eye flick and finished with a coat of the Givenchy mascara. I use the same HD powder to run through my brows to give a bit more definition and shape and finished the entire look with a neutral glossy lip from Elf.


A lot of these products are my go to and favourites a the minute what are yours? Thanks for stopping by, bye for now.x

Empties #7

So yet again time has flown by and over the past few weeks I have used up a few different products that I thought I would share with all you lovely people. This time I have quite a variety of different products which i have used up starting with a shampoo and conditioner. 


Good Hair Day and In Good Condition are the standard shampoo and conditioner for all hair types from the company Temple Spa, I believe this is a fairly unknown brand to some as it is mainly a spa brand and I think you can tell this a little by the price as they will set you back £8.50 each. This is pretty  pricey for me and I wouldn't consider buying shampoos like this regularly however they are lovely to use, have a great scent and are sulphates and SLS free! 


I also used the iWhite Teeth Whitening system recently which was something I have never tried anything like before, it was easy to use with pre filled trays, they only stay on for 20 minutes and caused me zero sensitivity, a good product to try if looking for a whitening treatment. You can see a much deeper review I did of the product HERE. I used up two lip balms since my last post as a lip balm is always essential in my make up/ skin care routine as if I don't they dry out pretty quick. The first I used up was the Miss Sporty Dr Balm in 03 which is similar to the Maybelline Baby Lips with a little less colour but lots of moisture and this one gave a sheer coral orange sheen. I also used up one of my favourite balms I have ever used the JASON Lips Bee Healthier, I received this a little while back in a beauty box and fell in love, it has a minty scent and creates a cooling sensation on the lips and moisturises them for hours, this is a definite repurchase for me!


A couple of other beauty box treats I finished up (I know some class this as cheating but who makes the rules) were the Tresseme Keratin Smooth treatment which is an intense rinse off treatment which says only needs to be left on for 60 seconds but I always tend to leave it a little longer. The 15ml sample I got I believe is also for retail but I think that it is a one use only two at a push which is a little disappointing. The Givenchy 4in1 mascara was another beauty box product I received and used up and is the type of product I would never buy or use normally because of the hefty price tag however I really enjoyed using it and got a lot of use out of the little sample. The brush has fibre bristles which I'm not always a fan of however the shape of the brush is what I think makes it a great product along with a good formula too. 


I only have one skin care product this time and it is the Garnier Moisture Match moisturiser for oily/ combination skin, this is quite a favourite of mine and will always be a repurchased product for me. The 50ml tube seems to last forever as you don't need much product as it glides really softly over the skin and contains small micro spheres which help mop up excess oil on the skin keep you matter for longer and makes a great make up base too! Finally my last empty this time round is the Sally Hansen Strengthening Polish Remover, this again is a product I always go back to firstly because it is easily accessible and usually found in most supermarkets and drugstore, it's friendly on the pennies and just because it works well! 

So that's what I've finished up recently how about you? Have you tried any of the ones I did? Let me know, thanks for stopping by, bye for now.x