August Favourites

August has been a very busy month and September will be even more hectic, so finding the time to blog has been very hard! I am still totally in love with my July Favourites and I am still using everything through to this month, but there are a few things I would like to add!

I’ll start with a product which I have previously written about, MAC‘s Mineralize Skin Finish Natural. The thing that has kept my reaching for this throughout the month has to how moisturising this powder feels on my skin. I still can’t understand how a powder can feel the way that this one does! I can’t wait to purchase one of the highlighters from the Mineralize Skin Finish range (I have my eyes firmly set on LightScape – although the popularity of Soft and Gentle might lead me to buying both!)

I love a glowing tan all year round, and my skin seems to suit darker more olive-y glows. I try to stay clear of the word orange as much as possible, but sometimes this colour can be unavoidable. This month the was a promotion on for £5 off all St Tropez products, I had just finished my amazing bottle of Xen-tan so thought it would be fun to try something new! So I picked up a bottle of St Tropez mousse in Dark for about £21 with the offer. I love it, but I can’t decide if I like my Xen more. As its dark, a little goes along way! So I see this tan being somewhat of an investment as it will last me a while.

If you read my August GlossyBox post you would know that I received an exfoliating facial polish by Urban Veda, at that moment in time I was unable to review the products as it was more of an unavailing of what I had received. The box this month was really poor, I liked the eyelash curlers, and this. This is incredible and I am defiantly re-purchasing AND trying out their whole range! The smell, the feel, the packaging, the ingredients, price, just everything is great, I can not fault it in anyway.

Next are some bargain beauty’s which I was soooo lucky to find! I picked these two Rimmel Lipsticks up from ‘The Factory Shop’ which is a discount, end of line type of shop that sells everything from make up to clothes, garden stuff and just everything. They were £1 each, its crazy. So after my exciting purchase I went home logged onto bloglovin’ to catch up and saw a post on the exact lipstick I had just bought ‘Nottinghill Nude‘, which apparently is an amazing dupe/copy of Tom Fords ‘Spanish Pink‘ – a sought after colour, but coming in at £36 it is just simply out of my price range! ‘Oxford St Fuchsia’ is just lovely as well, a very subtle pink that can be worn with a dramatic smokey eye or no make up at all.

Last month I couldn’t stop using Black Fluid by Lady Gaga, I still love it, but it’s running dangerously low, so I thought I would go back to using an old favourite every now and again. Ralph by Ralph Lauren is a lovely fruity sent with fresh floral notes and I have grown to love it all over again! Its about £25 for 30ml (depending on where you buy it)

Now for an un-beauty related favourite! I never used to like popcorn unless it was smothered in toffee butter one million calorie stuff.  I never had it at the cinema as to me it was just boring. BUT at the beginning of the month I was watching what I was eating and fancied a little treat, and I found these. ‘Propercorn Popcorn‘ the fairly large size surprised me when I found out that one bag was only 128 calories! They are wholegrain and air popped. I love the Sweet’n’Salt flavour but they have a great variety! I would highly recommend them!

Daily Makeup ‘Can’t Live Withouts’

So I thought today, that I would share with you my basic daily makeup products. Some I have been using for years and have never come across anything that I like better and some are newer products that have sneaked their way into my makeup bag!

As I said these products are my absolute basics, yes, most of the time I wear eye shadows and a wing of eyeliner but my looks change from day to day, whereas these are the products I use every time.

First I will start with the product that for me, has been around the longest, the one and only, ColourStay by Revlon. I want to say that it was back in 2008 that I first tried this product. Obviously, I did not use it on a daily basis back then as I was still a bit young to be wearing a lot of makeup, but at home, I loved being creative.

Currently I am using the colour 150 Buff from the dry/combination range, I also have it in some darker shades, so that when I use faketan I can mix the perfect colour! I find the coverage of this foundation to be medium, but it is easy enough to build it to full coverage without it looking cakey, which is great! Its also affordable but maybe a little more expensive than other drugstore foundations. Depending on where you go a bottle of this stuff will cost you around £12, which personally I think is great value as it tends to last me at least 4 months! It lasts alllllllllll day long and is just incredible.

The Expert Face Brush by Real Techniques has been one of my most exciting purchases of 2013. These brushes are just incredible and such great value for money, this brush is about £11 and can be used for almost anything. I use it to buff in my foundation, and after using this brush I only use about two pea sized amounts for my whole face! If you haven’t already jumped on the Real Techniques band wagon, I would highly recommend it, and I haven’t heard a single bad review on this brush!

Now for the product that I never thought would live up to the hype, Collection’s Lasting Perfection Concealer this was every where and is still being raved about till this day! If you haven’t got it get it. For only £4 this concealer is amazing, bags gone, spots gone, scars gone and redness, gone, all in the matter of seconds. This beats any MAC or Benefit concealer that I have tried and I will never use anything else!

Staying on the topic of concealers, I still love to use MAC’s Studio Finish SPF 35 concealer. I like to use it mainly on breakouts as it is very lightweight and contains the vitamins A and E which help reduce redness and overall help to clear up the spot. I would suggest this concealer to those who are more prone to oiliness as it contains the ingredient Silica which helps absorb the skins natural oils, this also can aid with breakouts as it helps dry them up!

A new addition to my make up bag this year has been the Mineralize Skinfinish in Natural by MAC, I have it in medium and it is perfect for my skin tone! It is a baked powder full of great minerals for your skin. I use it to set my foundation (before I religiously used Max Factor’s Facefinity compact powder foundation and still love it to this day and perhaps is a little more affordable!) and I love how it keeps my skin moisturized, which I didn’t think was possible for a powder to do.  From other reviews that I read before buying this product, everyone seemed to agree on the fact that this powder lasts for ages, so the £23 that i spent on it somewhat seems a little easier to part with!

Next up is a product that I seem to go on about all the time! Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara, I absolutely love it! It’s incredible, it volumises and lengthens your lashes while still leaving them looking soo soo natural. The formula doesn’t allow it to clump no matter how many layers you apply. Usually I only use one layer for day time, and can build it up to three or four for a dramatic evening look!

Benefit’s BrowZings is the only eyebrow kit that I can ever see myself using. Before I used the one by e.l.f and coming in at only around £3 I thought it was amazing but after trying this a year ago, I will never go back! It matches the colour of my eyebrows perfectly and really keeps my eyebrows in place all day! It lasts me about 8 months, and I use it every single day, so the price of £23.50 is quite a good deal! (I use the shade medium)

Before I put on my makeup I like to apply a lipbalm to my lips to keep them nice and soft incase I decide to wear some lipstick. My favourite lipbalm has to be the one I received in my June GlossyBox, Figs & Rouge in the shade/scent of Cherry Blossom. (you can read my review and first impressions of it here.)

So just for fun and on my part all little bit of embarrassment, I thought it would be interesting for you all if I posted a ‘before/after’ picture of me using JUST these ‘can’t live without’ products, as I would like you to see what a difference they really make for me.

Thanks for reading.
LuLu
x

Top Ten Tanning Tips

Now with summer fading along with my natural tan, I will start to find myself reaching once again for my favourite faker.

So here is a few tips that I have picked up over the years which enable me to glow like a golden goddess all year round!

 

1. Make sure that you wax roughly 48 hours before tanning (and depending on your skin shave 24 hours before) to avoid your tan seeping into your pores leaving an uneven dotty colour.
2. Giving your skin a good old scrub in the shower before applying fake tan is one step that you should never skip! You want to make sure that all your dead skin has gone and has left behind a lovely smooth base for applying your tan, otherwise you will find that the colour will fade away a lot quicker and a lot patchier. If your skin is generally quite dry (like mine) I find that using your scrub on dry skin, then, rinsing it off in the shower is very effective! This is the time that I absolutely love using my Kedem Kiwi&Mango Salt Scrub. (which you can read about at the bottom of My Favourite Moisturisers post)
3. Don’t over moisturise! This is something that I recently wasn’t very aware of! We all want to moisturise before we tan to try to get as smooth a base as possible, but this will in fact stop the tan from completely developing, leaving you a little underwhelmed in the morning when it seems to all wash off in the shower! Instead opt for a oil free moisturiser like the one from FakeBake, and only apply it to the dryer areas of your body such as elbows, knees and ankles! “The moisturiser will act as a diluting agent for areas that grab the tan more” – as said by Leighton Denny, co-founder of the Sun-Believable range.
4. Don’t rush! Try to leave at least an hour between jumping out the shower and applying your tan. After having a hot steamy shower your body will still be ‘sweating’ out excess moisture which can interfere with the tan developing.
5. Avoid using your hands at all costs! For me a mitt is perfect, as long as you chuck it into the washing machine before using it again. Some tans when left in open air turn a horrible green colour, so if you decide to use your mitt after it has turned green you will find that the colour will transfer onto your body and will leave it a less than pleasant colour.
6. Work your way up. Start at your feet, otherwise if you bend over to get to your feet at the end you could end up leaving fold lines across  your stomach and patches on your thighs!
7. Feeling a little sticky? Take an old clean tanning mitt and put some talc on it, then pat around your underarms and anywhere that your skin touches ( behind knees, inside legs and elbows) as not only will it stop the sticky feeling but will also stop any moisture that might prevent the tan from developing.
8. Avoid hot showers! Try and get used to a luke warm shower also don’t rub or wipe yourself dry, try patting your skin dry instead, again this will help keep your colour for longer!
9. Try to moisturise your body twice a day (morning and night) this will help lock in your lovely olive glow!
10. Night Out? If you are going out and really want to show off your tan, try a spray oil on your legs (baby oil works great too!) or even a little shimmery bronzer down your shins and along your collar bones! Don’t get carried away though, you don’t want to be mistaken for the Christmas tree in the holidays!

Happy Tanning!
LuLu

x

August GlossyBox

I would just like to say that these are my first impressions, I haven’t tried these products enough to give them an honest review.

This month was a majjjjor let down, the theme was called ‘HighFlyers’, and I have to say I have no understanding of how the products I received resemble it. 

Products:

Urban Veda Exfoliating Facial Polish, Makeup Remover Pen, Jelly Pong Pong Eyeshadow/Eyeliner Stick, TRESemme Keratin Smooth Treatment, Emite Eyelash Curlers. 

I am looking forward to trying the facial scrub as it is the sort of product that I use daily. The eyelash curlers arn’t my favourite as I prefer the plastic version, but I am sure I will get some use out of them. I will defiantly use the hair treatment, but I doubt it will be a product that I repurchase as I have a hair treatment that I am currently more than happy with! The Jelly Pong Pong 2in1 Eyeliner and Shadow just doesn’t seem that interesting, but I will give it a go, you never know, it might be in this months favourites! 
As for the makeup remover stick, what even is that? Have I gone back to being 7 years old? I’m not sure what the people at GlossyBox where thinking when they chucked this in, it looks and feels cheap and just reminds me of a unwanted product from a magazine. 

 

 

July Favourites

Using my iPhone to take pictures is really starting to take its toll.. then again I am no photographer, but I promise I will soon start to use my camera!

So, this month has been a very busy one, which shows in this months favourites.
First up is the Anatomicals ‘Spray Misty For Me’ Facial spritz, which I got in the July GlossyBox. As the weather seems to be getting increasingly hotter, this stuff has been used everyday whether it be refreshing my skin in the morning, setting my makeup or brightening my skin after washing my face, it just does everything!!
Next the Lancome ‘Hypnose Doll Eyes‘ Mascara, I bought this in a two pack after absolutely adoring, the original Hypnose, and this month I feel as if I have fallen in love all over again! Its quick and easy to apply, no lumps, no dusty fall aways, its blacker than black, and will never be leaving my makeup bag!  The wand is shaped like a pyramid, which lengthens the outer corner of your eye whilst giving them a good old lift and curl, this is what supposedly creates the ‘doll eye’ look.
I only bought the infamous, Real Techniques Core Collection along with the Expert Face Brush at the beginning of July, and I have to say that I am so gutted that I hadn’t bought them earlier. The Expert Face Brush allows me to apply my liquid foundation quickly and easily, while leaving it looking flawless. I love how dense this brush is, and how you can really buff it into the skin!  One thing i have always believed is that no matter how expensive and amazing your makeup is, it won’t look good if you don’t use the right ‘tools’, you will also be surprised how good you can make cheaper cosmetics look when they are used and applied properly!
Now for the products that I have been most excited about. The new, Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer. I currently have the colours ‘Galaxy’ and ‘Luna’. These are lipglosses with the colour of a highly pigmented lipstick! They have wonderful staying power, and also a wonderful collection of colours. I went quite ‘everyday’ with the colours that I purchased, Luna is nude with orangy undertones which really compliment a tan, and Galaxy is a deep purple with blue undertones which seem to suit all complexions. I would give this product a massive thumbs up!
Finally, this is a product that has been sitting in my cupboard for what feels like forever, I’m not even sure if it is still in the shops! (please let me know). Loreal De-maq expert ‘Cashmere Milk Expert Makeup Remover’, this stuff works like a charm. It is verrrrry gentle on the skin, it is also very concentrated, so a pea size amount for your whole face is all that you need! It takes away my hardest to remove mascaras in just one swipe!

So that is the end of this months faves!
I would love to know what you all have enjoyed using this month!

Calvin Klein Cosmetics

Sheer Creme Eyeshadow
(tempting glimmer)

I have a small collection of Calvin Klein bits and bobs, bought from various discount shops as all products are discontinued and no longer sold in department stores. Some of these products have been good buys but some have been a real disappointment!

When i tried these out in the shop i found them to be VERY pigmented when swatched on the back of my hand, and along with the fact that there was a deal on for 3 for £5 i bought them with the hope of using them as eyeshadow bases.

I got the colours (left to right) snakeskin silver, cashmere plum and bare silk.

I used ‘bare silk’ the next day, over my eyeshadow primer and under my normal eyeshadow, it looked great, it made my usual eyeshadow stand out even greater, i even used it to highlight my brow bone. However, only a few hours later after strolling the street my eyeshadow was creased, my eyelids were oily and my makeup look horrendous!! Over the rest of the week i discovered that these products were terrible for everything except highlighting my brow bone, but even then, i can only use ‘bare silk’ for this. Thumbs Down.

Creme Lipstick

Next up, these were the first ever Calvin Klein Cosmetic products that i bought, and was impressed, i think i got them for only £3 each, which i think is a bargain!
I have the shades ‘Venus’ and ‘Orange Too’ , the picture doesn’t show just how orange and bright ‘Orange Too’ is, they are both very pigmented and actually quite moisturising. I do have to reapply this lipstick throughout the day but i don’t see this as reason not to buy more if i have the chance! Thumbs Up.

Pictured next to the lipsticks is the Mega Volume Mascara in Black.

Mega Volume Mascara

Wand

I dislike this Mascara as it just doesn’t live up to my current one, the wand is cheap looking and feels cheap also, it’s one of those products that i won’t throw out incase of a mascara emergency but i will not buy it again.. Thumbs Down.

 

 

 

Splendid Colour Nail Enamel

 

 

Next Up, the Splendid Colour Nail Enamel in colours ‘French Tip’ and ‘Ebony hates Chris’ 

These are great and one coat worthy! ‘French Tip’  is 13ml whereas the black is only 10ml – i guess thats the only explanation for the packaging being slightly different. There is a wide range of manly very vivid colours, so if you can find them, it would be great to pick some up for summer!! Thumbs Up.

Large Powder Brush
Eyeshadow Brush

 

 

 

 

 

Finally the most exciting! These are incredible, they are synthetic, extremely soft and they pick up a perfect amount of colour. They look sleek and expensive which for me they were not, i got the Powder Brush for £5 and the Eyeshadow Brush for £3 – what a bargain! I definitely plan on buying a few others in the future! MEGA Thumbs Up!

My First Ever GlossyBox

“Glossybox is a monthly beauty subscription service, which delivers 5 beauty samples wrapped in a beautiful box straight to your door.”

This concept first became popular in the US, and remember hoping that it would eventually come to the UK, after forgetting about it for years, it finally popped back up. GlossyBox has been up and running for just over a year now in the UK, and seems increasingly popular.

I only joined this month, so have received this months ‘June’ box. It was like Christmas. It was beautifully packaged!

It comes with a leaflet telling you exactly what you have inside, how much it is, the best of its uses and where to buy it!

The products i received (right) came to a total of  just  under £20 which is pretty good value (if you’ll use the stuff) for the £12.95 it cost me including shipping!

‘NUXE – Huile Prodigieuse OR’ – This was my favourite sample from the box, this multi-purpose oil was full of gorgeous gold shimmer, i feel like it hydrates my face like no other moisturizer i have tried, although i have never tried an oil on my face before, compared to moisturizer it was incredible! It brightened my skin and seeped in almost immediately.  I am going to try a cheaper High Street alternative before forking out £34 for the full size.  100ml for £34.00 

Figs&Rouge – Cherry Blossom Lip Balm – I LOVE this stuff!! It is 100% pure and natural and contains no petroleum jelly, it smells like cherries (funny that) and is slightly tinted, the colour is the exact colour of my lips but still gives a little shimmer. Its great for keeping in my handbag and is affordable BUT i dislike the application, the product seems to get all clogged up around the end, which is such a waste as i feel i need to constantly wipe it off! 12.5ml for £5.00

JohnFrieda – Frizz Ease Original Serum – I wasn’t overly excited when i saw this, as i know that i will never stop using my Argan Oil which doubles up as a serum when my hair is a little frizzy, i will probably pass this on to a friend or keep it in my handbag for humid emergencies. 50ml for £6.29

MEMEME – Long Lasting Nail Gloss – I tried this nail varnish out the other day, i found it streaky but dried quickly and i only needed one coat, the colour i recieved wouldn’t have been my first choice but maybe i will get some more use out of it after summer, as the colour is a little too dark for me. Full size £5.00

Q- radiance Body spray – Not really my thing, the scent was overpowering and much too floral so i have nothing great to say about it apart from that its cheap.. 😦 £2.29

Subscribe here : http://www.glossybox.co.uk/referal?CI=MTI1NTAy
If after one box you decide against this amazing revolution you can stop your subscription at any time!