Saturday 27 April 2013

Recent Purchases #3

Hi Everyone, hope you're all enjoying this lovely sunny weekend!

By next year I'll probably be on recent purchases #1000 at the rate I'm buying beauty products! My friends tell me I need to calm down and that I have a problem/addiction... they are probably right.

In my last trip to Superdrug, I picked up a few things so I thought I would do another one of these posts as they have being getting a good response :) I am basically doing a series of these posts where I show what I have bought and give my first impressions on the products I feature.


Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti - My first Revlon lip butter. YES, my first one! This is a shock if you know my love of lip products - I have tonnes! But I've never really been sure about the hype on the lip butters. Anyway, my first impressions are that I like how it's quite sheer so I can absent mindedly put it on my lips for a wash of sheer coral. I am happy with the shade I chose but I don't think I will be getting anymore anytime soon.

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Gel Effect Nail Paints in Lychee, Papaya and Grapefruit - These are my favourite nail polishes of the year for sure! They're high shine quality ensures a professional finish and they stay on quite nicely, especially if a top coat is added. The colours are also amazing! This image doesn't do the colours justice at all due to editing etc, but they are really bright and truely gorgeous for spring.

L'Oreal Micellar Solution - Micellar waters are usually quite expensive; think Bioderma and La Roche Posay. So when I heard that L'Oreal had brought out their own cheap version, I couldn't resist. It literally is amazing. It is the same as Bioderma but without the slightly odd smell, and is so much cheaper. I won't say too much as I am going to review this in the very near future.


Does any of you guys do these kind of posts? I'd love to see as I'm very nosey and love seeing what everyone is buying at the moment!


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Monday 22 April 2013

Jurlique Rose Kit Review


I was one of the lucky winners of Essiebutton 's giveaway which was hosted by the company Jurlique. The prize consisted of this rose kit which included their Rose Hand Cream and their 'Love Balm'. The hand cream is about £15 on Feel Unique (link here) and the love balm is £9 (link here) so I was super excited to be getting to try this for free!

If you read my blog often, you many know I have quite the obsession with hand cream so the review on this one isn't a difficult one.

It is extremely moisturising and nourishing, however it wasn't my favourite hand cream that I've ever tried. I love Soap and glory's Hand Food, closely followed by the NUXE Reve De Miel Hand and Nail Cream and this just didn't compare to those. I felt it was a little too thick and kind of stickier than others I have tried. This wasn't a big issue though because I felt it really did care for my hands. The packaging shown in the picture is nice and simple, however the actual bottle of the hand cream is just plain white, which I think is a bit disappointing for the price tag it holds. It is a hard sort of tube (hard to explain) and you have to unscrew the lid to release the product. I prefer to just flip it up and squeeze a nice soft squeezy tube, you know what I'm sayin'?

The 'love balm' feels quite strange; you can't take too much from the pot, a smooth touch gives enough to cover your lips. It is so lightweight and balmy and not thick in the slightest. It feels like a really thin version of a silicone based primer (quite strange) so I would only use this at night. I don't know if it would be a good base for lipstick as it is very slippy.

As for the scent, it is definitely growing on me as a gorgeous scent! I remember Essie raving about how she loves the scent of rose products and I gotta say, I'm kinda lovin it.

Overall, I cannot complain as I received this courtesy of the lovely Essie as part of her giveaway, but I'm just saying I wouldn't buy this with my own money as it's quite expensive and in my opinion there are better dupes of handcreams and lip balms. I'm not fully experienced on rose scented products and I'm not too sure what other brands do them so if you're into rose and you don't mind paying a bit extra, why not try out their rose range?!

Have any of you lovely lot tried any Jurlique products? It's a completely new brand so recommendations would be great!


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Wednesday 17 April 2013

My MAC lipsticks

Hi everyone, today I thought I would do a post about my MAC lipsticks.
I know that 3 MAC lipsticks is very minimal to a lot of you beauty addicts out there, but I have a lot of other brands that I like too when it comes to lipsticks. MAC are amazing for lipsticks due to their extensive colour range and finishes, but I think that their increasing prices are putting many people off, especially when the high street are doing very good dupes!

L-R: Impassioned, Snob & Hue



I store them in this acryclic lipstick holder from Amazon.. I got it for around £12

Scuse the wrinkly looking hands, but these are the three shades I own.

Hue - Glaze finish. It is one of the most popular blogger nude shades from MAC and I certainly see why! As you can see from the pictures above, it is the most well used. It is just an everyday pinky nude that doesn't need much attention paying to when applying throughout the day. The finish is quite moisturising and it just glides across the lips giving a slightly glossy finish.

Snob - Satin finish. This is a bluey toned pink shade that can either go wrong or right on the lips. It looks better on darker skin tones or when I have a tan, as pale skin = me looking a little washed out. However it is nice if you don't want to wear a nude or a bright but something in between. The finish is satin; I'm not all hung up on exactly what finishes mean what, but it is fairly matte on my lips.

Impassioned - Amplified finish. This is my favourite of the three! I wear this pretty much everytime I want to wear a bold lip when I go out! It is fairly moisturising and I like to use lipliner underneath and put powder over it (then wipe it away, obviously) to set it nicely. It is such a gorgeous hot pinky coral colour that is very flattering. I am eager to try 'Girl About Town' but not sure if barbie pink is really my  kind of colour, I'm more of a corally red toned kinda gal.



Swatches: Hue, Snob & Impassioned

What are everyone else's favourite MAC lipsticks? I'd love to know so leave a comment in the comments section below! Hope you're all looking forward to the weekend!







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Sunday 14 April 2013

A 'I haven't used fake tan' kinda tan

Garnier's 'Summer Body' is a body moisturiser with built in tanning ingredients to give a sun kissed look all year round. It doesn't smell like fake tan and it doesn't look like fake tan (not on me, anyway). The scent is apricot as it actually has a natural extract of apricot in it, creating a summer fresh fragrance.

I got the 'Deep sun kissed look' version as I want more colour and I would probably recommend this one rather than it's lighter counterparts. I have used this for a few days now and it has built a tiny bit of colour, not anything dramatic, which I love! It doesn't look like I've being on holiday and it doesn't look like I'm wearing dirty fake tan, however it makes me look nice and healthy straying away from that white and pasty look we tend to lean towards in the winter months. If I were to apply this everyday (as I plan to) for longer, then the colour will most likely build up to make me abit more tanned which I am happy about! I would much rather do this than slap on some fake tan that makes me look muddy and unrealistically tanned.

In terms of moisturisation, it is definitely moisturising enough and makes my body feel lovely and soft. I love a product that not only makes you look good but is actually benefiting your skin!
I'm thinking of using this on holiday when I am tanned to not only keep up the tan but to prevent peeling due to it's moisturising properties. However, do note that it doesn't have any SPF or UV protection, so always wear a sunscreen.

... So if you're wanting a nice natural 'I haven't used fake tan' kinda colour to your skin, then I would definitely recommending purchasing this!
It is currently half price in Tesco: £2.55 for 250ml. It is usually £5.10 and in Boots it is around the £5.29 mark. You can buy a bigger bottle (400ml) if you wish which is £3.57 from £7.14. I wish I'd have bought a bigger bottle now knowing how good it is!

Has anyone else tried this?

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Tuesday 9 April 2013

Wishlist #1 (Make-Up!)

It is almost ridiculous how many things are on my wishlist at the moment, so I felt I should split it into a few posts. Here is number 1!


Spring Make-Up Wishlist








1 - No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation - I heard this foundation mentioned in the amazing make-up artist Lisa Eldridges' video. She recommended this for oily skin and you gotta take her advice really haven't you! - link here


2 - Revlon Lip Butter in 'Tutti Frutti' or 'Juicy Papaya' - These have been a hype for ages, but I've actually never purchased them. Now that Spring is round the corner, I think this purchase would come in great timing. These two coral pinky shades appeal to me as thats mt favourite lip option. I love how they're lighter than a lipstick yet still have good colour pay off -  link here 

3 - L'Oréal Paris Nude Magique CC Cream Anti-Redness - My skin suffers from redness and I am looking for a nice base to combat this. I am planning to wear this underneath foundation. I love how it is beneficial to the skin and isn't completely cosmetic -  link here

4 - L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Anti-Shine Mattifying Primer - I have tried this before and it made my make-up go on so much better, as well as keeping the shine at bay. It is great for oily skin like mine and made my skin feel so smooth. I'm excited to get this again and it will be perfect for summer when my skin will go even oilier - link here

5 - Barry M Hi Shine Gel Effect Nail Polish in 'Lychee' and 'Papaya' and 'Pomegranate' - These nail polishes have being raved about on blogs and YouTube which made me purchase 'Watermelon'. It's a great formula but the colour was just a bit rubbish and I'm not really sure why I got it. But now I definitely want some more nicer shades and these are the ones that I think look gorgeous for summer! link here

6 - Topshop lipstick in 'Whimsical' - I've seen this lipstick on some blogs and it looks the perfect natural pinky shade. I can't find it on the Topshop website so I hope they still do it! - link here to milkteef's post on it.

7 - NARS Laguna Bronzer - Everyday talks about this bronzer all the time and how it is the best one on the market. I feel £26 is a bit excessive for a student like me, but I aim to purchase this in the near future, as I'm very intrigued to try it. You can buy it in most department stores - there's a link here to the Space NK website where you can buy it.


I will be so excited when payday comes around.. not like I've got anything else to spend my wage on (sarcasm).Wouldn't life be amazing if everything was free, or if we had unlimited money to spend?!

Tell me if you like these kind of posts!


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Sunday 7 April 2013

25 Facts About Me


1. I would love to live in London. Although I do love Leeds.

2. I cannot miss an episode of Coronation Street - I love it too much.

3. My girl crush is Michelle Keegan or Cheryl Cole. I'd love to look like them.

4. I am going to Magaluff with my friends this summer - it will be mental!

5. I have applied to do Mathematics at university.

6. I go to the gym. I find sweating after a while on the cross trainer quite therapeutic.

7. Food is my obsession. I eat almost anything. Fajitas and pizza are probably my favourite food.

8. I am a hoarder of make-up (surprise, surprise). Especially lip products, they are my weakness in life!

9. I have lived in the same house all my life.

10. I passed my driving test second time and have being driving for about 4 months now.

11. I love dance music. A bit of Avicii or something makes me happy.

12. My celebrity crush is Niall Horan from One Direction.

13. I am scared of this number. I am extremely paranoid about it.

14. I have a younger sister called Emily.

15. I cannot wait to visit Mexico with my family this year.

16. Through the week all I drink is water or mango juice. I don't really like fizzy drinks.

17. My dream career would be a make-up artist or dancer on a stage/in music videos.

18. This is my current age.

19.  I dance all the time. I don't walk around the house.. I dance around the house.

20. I can play chords on a guitar but haven't yet learnt strumming patterns. I would love to though if I got a better acoustic guitar.

21. I live for the weekends. I love going out and partying. I rarely stay in.

22. I worry a lot. I wish I could get less worked up. The thought of things is always a lot worse in my case.

23. Justin Bieber decided to follow me on twitter.

24. I've never tried acting but I reckon I'd be really good at it.

25. I've been a fan of Taylor Swift since 2008 and have been to see her twice in Manchester.

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Wednesday 3 April 2013

Elizabeth Arden Oil Free Cleanser

Hiya everyone, hope you all had a nice easter break!

My problematic skin inspires me to try out so many types of cleansers in order to secure the perfect skincare routine, which led me on to this specific purchase. Before this, I had the REN clay cleanser which was good, but I just decided to try out another one to see if it was any better. I love the brand Elizabeth Arden and absolutely adore the infamous Eight Hour Cream, so I thought that their cleanser could be just as good...

             

           


It is a gel-soapy like formula which you work into a wet face until it lathers up. The lathering causes bubbles which makes me feel like I am rubbing soap on my face and the smell isn't the best. The smell reminds me of aeroplanes (random?!) which isn't the nicest thing. 

It makes my face feel lovely and fresh and clean afterwards which is obviously a nice quality. However, I feel it just does the job. Nothing more, nothing less. It cleanses my face and that's about it. I don't know if it's broke me out or improved my skin.. it's just a cleanser. And for the £17 I bought it at, I wouldn't say it's going on my list of repurchases. For that price, I expected something more from it, but I'm not sure what. I would much prefer to spend £7 on a repurchase of the Soap and Glory Peaches and clean cleasner.. especially when my bank balance is in trouble like it is at the moment.

I also don't like the fact this product has parabens in it. If you look at the ingredients there is quite a few. For the £17 price tag, I think that this shouldn't be the case!


Has anybody else tried it?! I'll keep this post updated if I see any changes as it may be just the case that I haven't used it for long enough. Let me know.








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Monday 1 April 2013

9bar Flax - Nutritious Energy Bar

I have always being interested in naturally healthy foods and especially ways to snack without overdosing on chocolate and sweets, as food is such a weakness of mine! Whilst in Bagel Nash the other week, I noticed these bars and recognised that Fleur (also know as 'FleurDeForce') had spoken about this health bar in one of her vlogs once so I decided to see what they're like...
 After my Bagel Nash visit, I decided to purchase more of them from Holland & Barrett as they taste SO good! They are gluten free, dairy free and wheat free, so I know I'm getting a lotta natural goodness whilst receiving energy. This is so much of a better alternative to getting those 'Boost bars' which just have ridiculous amounts of sugar and fat in them!

Calories: 261
Protein: 8.7g
Carbohydrate: 16.8g
Of which sugars: 15g

Fat: 17.8
Of which saturates: 5g
Mono-unsaturates: 4.9g
Poly-unsaturates: 7.1g
Omega 3 fatty acids: 0.6g

Fibre: 3.1g
Sodium: <0.1g

As you can see, the vast majority of the fat in there is healthy fats; fats which your body need. It is low in sodium and provides you with not only energy, but also fibre and omega 3!




They are £1 each, so they are more expensive than your typical chocolate bar (healthy food is so much more expensive which really annoys me!) I guess that's what you gotta pay for natural ingredients. You can currently get them buy one get one half price in Holland&Barrett though, so I shall link it here.

You can also get the original one and the pumpkin one. I can't really tell a difference between the flax one and the original and the only difference with the pumpkin once is that there's no chocolate - type thing on the top, however there are pumpkin seeds instead.

Have you ever tried one of these?! And do you like health and food related posts?

Love Alice
xox
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