December Favourites

Ok so I'm a tad late getting my December favourites up..what can I say, it was a busy busy month what with Christmas and all! Hehe! I didn't have too many favorites but I definitely had a some items I was loving for the month of December. 

I purchased my iPad mini during the year and instantly fell in love! It's so cute and handy for browsing the web and best of all, it fits in your purse for when you're on the go. Before the iPad, I would browse the web on my iPhone...oh I don't know how I survived looking at that tiny screen. I love my iPad and I'm so glad I bought it! 

Since the mercury has been rising non stop, my face just becomes one big oil slick by the end of the day. The Body Shop all-in-one Insta Blur has been my saviour at keeping the oil at bay. It does kind of feel oily when you put it on but manages to keep my makeup staying put, even on the hottest of days. 

I've only recently discovered my love for the store Loccitane. My mum noticed and bought me a lovely rose scented pack for Christmas. My new favourite fragrance is the Roses Eau de Toilette ~ it's heaven in a bottle! So floral and light for during the summer days. 

I recently rediscovered a product I've had in my collection for a little while now. The Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer is a fantastic full coverage concealer. When I first purchased this I thought it was too thick but have been loving it recently. It covers my dark circles like no other and doesn't crease at all ~ bonus! 

I love me a good nude lip and Milani offers a very affordable price and quality, creamy lipstick. My favourite for December is number 26. Nude Creme. 

And of course to hold all my goodies is my favourite baby pink Zara purse with gold accents. This bag seriously goes with everything and is so versatile with both short and long straps it can be dressed up and down. I love it! 

Let me know what your favourite item was for December 2014! 

October Favourites

This month I've been testing out some new products that have made it into my monthly favourites, as well loving some good old faithfuls. 

I love testing out different dry shampoos and since I've got super oily skin, I use them quite regularly. I received the De Lorenzo et absorb in a goodie bag from an event I attended and it's actually a really good product. I was really impressed with how it made my hair feel so freshly clean - It's quickly become a favourite of mine and I definitely would repurchase it. 

Since the weathers been getting warmer, I've been in search for lighter makeup applications and the beauty blender gives me exactly that. Using your everyday foundation, it gives a much lighter and smoother application leaving your face looking very natural and able to breathe throughout the day. 

We all hate it when you wake in the morning to find a big red spot in the middle of your face, usually on a day when you're having photos taken - it's always the way! The Mario Badescu Drying Lotion can take care of pimples while you sleep and it's no miracle. The lotion actually works to dry the spot and I always see a dramatic different when I wake in the morning. It's definitely a staple for me in my kit. 

Having naturally long, lushious lashes would be fab, but sometimes you need to fake it 'till you make it...with false ones. I purchase all my lashes in bulk from www.madamemadeline.com which means they're very affordable and the range is quite extensive. The Red Cherry #110's are some of my favourites, giving your eyes a fluttery lash effect. I think they're really pretty.

Sticking with lashes and able to create lots of volume is the Le Volume de Chanel mascara. When it says volume...it really means volume. This is a big call, but it's one of the best mascaras I've ever used..and I've tried a few. I think the secret is in the rubber wand with the small bristles - they allow you to get right into the base of the lash, creating volume from the bottom upwards. Its definately at holy grail mascara status! 

I've heard great things about the brand and quality of Bobbi Brown products, and have been curious to test them out for myself. I purchased an eyebrow shaper from Mecca Maxima and have been loving it so far. It holds my brows down all day, as well as adding some colour, which is handly for those 'no makeup' makeup days.

Finally it's the most raved about product ever, and now I know why - the Soleil Tan De Chanel cream bronzer. I've been using this everyday since I got it, after my foundation and underneath powder bronzer. The texture is so buttery, it blends into the skin so well and provides a really nice base for my powder bronzer. I love it! 

I hope you've enjoyed my favourites and let me know what you've been loving for the month of October. 

Products I've Used

I don't know about you, but I love the satisfying feeling of finally finishing an entire product and getting to start fresh again either repurchasing the same product or trying a new one. I've recently been testing out quite a few new skincare products (new for me anyway) as well as finishing off some makeup items I had been using for a while. 

Let's just say with this one, I already had a backup waiting in the cupboard for when this ran out. I have never used a cleanser where I've seen such great results! I have very oily, sensitive skin and this just works wonders on my skin. It's a lightly foaming gel cleanser that I use with my clarisonic on a daily basis. 

When I heard this Micellar Cleansing Water from Garnier was a dupe for the Bioderma I was keen to test it out. Turns out they were right - I was very impressed with this product I have purchased another bottle. It feels just like you're wiping water on your face...only magic water that removes all of your makeup. No stinging eyes and no oily residue. It's a winner in my books! 

When this Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser first released, there was a lot of hype around it being a dupe for the Benefit Porefessional primer. After squeezing it from the tube, I knew it was very different. It's a clear, oily consistency that initially goes onto the skin smoothly, but after a couple of hours wear my skin just gets so oily it's a mess. I was not a fan of this product because my skin is oily enough as it is. 

Initially I was not too keen on this product; with the chunky salt particles and the smell of soap - I wasn't a fan. BUT....I completely loved what it did for my hair! When they say big, they mean big. This sucker really does give you great volume as well as deep cleaning to get all product residue off your hair. I definitely recommend picking this shampoo up from Lush. 

I've tried a lot of mascaras in my time and I was a tad disappointed with this one, which I did have high hopes for. I'd heard a lot of great things about this mascara giving that winged eye effect to your lashes, which it did. But the problem was removing it. I found this waterproof mascara so difficult to remove, and even with waterproof remover it took my lashes out and was a bit of a pain. I won't be repurchasing this one. 

The Mac Prolongwear concealer is a product I will purchase time and time again. It's definitely my holy grail concealer for under the eyes as it never creases in me or fades away, as long as you set it with a powder you're good to go. Mine was in NW20 which is a tad lighter than my skin colour which gives a highlighted effect under the eyes - love the signature Kim Kardashian under eye highlight! I'd recommend giving this one a go if you're looking for a new concealer. 

I generally stick to the one body scrub from Garnier, but decided to branch out and try something new this time. Now I know why I stick to what I know generally. This scrub was way too sweet lime smelling for my liking and there weren't enough granules to scrub away all the dead skin cells. I won't be buying this one again unfortunately...might just stick to what I know next time. 

Hope you all enjoyed my mini product reviews and were inspired to try something new next time! : )  

I've been nominated....

Thank you to Emma Carol May for nominating me for the Liebster award! Please check out her lovely fashion blog! :)

 

 

To be honest, I hadn't heard of the Liebster award before but was pleasantly surprised none the less to receive the nomination.

The Liebster award is something passed on from bloggers to bloggers, helping smaller blogs to spread the words they love to write! It sounds like the rules of the award have changed over time, but below are the rules of this one in particular:

The questions I received were:

 

1 - If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

I would love to live in New York City. I've visited once before and immediately fell in love! I love the hustle and bustle - it really is the city that never sleeps.

 

2 - What is your favourite clothing store?

 I love Sheike for dresses. I find them so flattering :)

 

3 - What's your favourite TV Show?

The Walking Dead....hands down best show ever!

 

4 - Flats or Heels?

Heels! I love how they dress up any look.

 

5 - Cats or Dogs?

I love dogs :)

 

6 - Who's your style icon?

Olivia Palermo - she can do no wrong in my eyes!

 

7 - Favourite thing about your best friends?

I love that even when I don't see them for a little while, it's like no time has passed when we do catch up!

 

8 - Favourite Disney Character?

Princess Jasmine

 

9 - What's your favourite comfort food?

I can't get enough of plain chips

 

10 - Why did you start blogging?

I love being creative and found this a great way to document the things I love!  

 

11 - What's your favourite thing to do in your free time?

I love going to the beach and shopping :) I'm also addicted to Instagram!

 

11 Random facts about me:

1. I have a phobia of moths

2. I love running for exercise

3. I have one younger sister

4. I'm not a morning person at all

5. I'm a Libra

6. I've been with my boyfriend for 8 years

7. I'm obsessed with makeup

8. I love eating whole tomatoes

9. I love to travel the world

10. I have Irish and Iraqi heritage in my family

11. I'm 175cms tall

 

I nominate the following blogs (I know it's not 11...these are the ones I do know of!):

Meglawlin

Laurashopaholic

36thandpark

All-things-beauty

All-the-little-extras

Anna-blush

Maddybeautylove

 

And here are my questions for my nominees:

1. How long have you been blogging for?

2. If you could either go back in time or to the future which one would it be and why?

3. Where is your favourite holiday destination?

4. Who is your style inspiration?

5. What is your favourite colour?

6. What is your all time favourite food?

7. Why did you start blogging?

8. Who is your blogger inspiration?

9. What is your favourite movie?

10. What are your top three makeup items?

11. What animal represents you the most and why?

 

Enjoy!!

Product Review: Dry Shampoo

        1. Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo.                        

 

      2. Cedel Dry Shampoo

        3. Batiste Dry Shampoo.                          

4. Polished London Blighty Brunette Dry Shampoo

1. Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo

I've got to start this by saying I do really love a lot of Lush products because of their natural properties, cruelty free nature and great scent but this dry shampoo isn't one of my favourites. It does say on their packaging 'easy to use' and I'd have to disagree with this statement. The powder comes out of the bottle in blobs and leaves a white cast on the hair. In terms of soaking up the oil, it does do this well but the fact that it's so hard to distribute, turns me off this product. If you can look past this, it's actually very good value for money and seems to last for a long time. 

2. Cedel Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair

I decided to only purchase the travel size of this whilst testing it out and boy am I glad I did! This was more of a wet spray than a dry shampoo for me. Perhaps I wasn't shaking it enough but it came out wet when sprayed onto my hair and definitely made my hair greasier than it already was. Because of this, I unfortunately won't be able to use the remaining product.

3. Batiste Dry Shampoo

My favourite dry shampoo ever! This product soaks up the oil from my hair like no other and literally makes it feel freshly washed every time. The image shown is the scent Blush, but to be honest I like them all. Batiste have dry shampoo for both blonde and brunette hair, which I've tried. The brunette is probably easier for my dark hair but I like using either. I usually stock up when they're on sale because dry shampoo is an essential hair product for me. I can't say enough good things about Batiste - I love it! 

4. Polished London Blighty Brunette Dry Shampoo

I wanted to try out one more dry shampoo for brunettes in my review. I decided on the brand Polished London which I'd never seen before and was pleasantly surprised. This product left no white cast like some dry shampoos can and made my hair feel fresh and clean. The other bonus was the price - at $4.99 this dry shampoo doesn't break the budget and does what it says. I would happily recommend this dry shampoo to brunettes looking for a new product to try out, that keeps your hair looking and feeling fresh. 

So there is my review of four different dry shampoos from my experience using them. I understand everyone's skin and hair is different - this is just my opinion after using each of these products.

Hope this has helped or given some guidance on choosing the right dry shampoo for you.  

Whiter Teeth

I've recently been trying out some natural beauty recipes. I knew that strawberries are natural teeth whiteners, but heard a tip to mix Bi-Carb Soda with them for an extra boost of white and decided to give it a go. 

Simply cut up a strawberry into small pieces, as seen below. Mash it up with a fork, add in a 1/4 of a teaspoon of bi-carb soda and mix together. Take a soft toothbrush and put a decent chunk of the mixture onto it. Start rubbing this onto your teeth as if you were brushing them, making sure to get the juices over all your teeth. Leave to sit on your teeth for about 5minutes and then rise your mouth. 

This method isn't going to whiten your teeth dramatically after one use, but over time will help to maintain whiter teeth by getting rid of stains caused by coffee or darker coloured foods. 

I like to use Crest Whitening Strips maybe twice a year, as well as a whitening toothpaste and mouthwash. Recently I've been testing out the Oral B 3D White combination. This strawberry method I will continue every week or so and see how it goes. 

What are your natural beauty tips or recipes? 

Currently Coveting: Pastels & Monochrome

Some items I'm currently eye balling at the shops:

 

1. By Terry Ombre Blackstar cream eyeshadow | Mecca Cosmetica $62.00

2. Grecian maxi dress | Sheike $179.95

3. Back to Black 180ml diamond saucer | T2 $22.00

4. Rio De Janeiro passionfruit & lime candle | Glasshouse $39.95

5. Bobbi Brown Hydrating eye cream | Mecca Cosmetica $75.00

6. Spliced Pleat Midi skirt | Witchery $129.95

Winter Essentials

It's Winter and both our fashion and skin care regime tends to change in the colder months. Here are my winter essentials which get me through those long winter months. 

1. I like to switch up my nail polish quite frequently and tend to match it to what colours I'm wearing - which in winter, is usually black or darker colours. These two nail polishes from O.P.I are perfect to accompany a darker outfit in winter. The colours are: 'Got the blues for red' and 'OPI ink'

2. My lips get chapped very easily in winter and let's face it - dried, cracked up lips isn't a good look. To keep mine soft and moisturised I use the Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub, followed with Lucas Pawpaw Ointment. I cannot say enough good things about both these products! 

3. As I match my nails to my outfit, I also do with my lips. I love a bold coloured lip and these colours are perfect for a pop of colour.

~ Mac Rebel (Satin)

~ Mac Ruby Woo (Matte)

~ Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense No. 48 

4. A scarf is a great "in between" clothing item; where it either may not be cold enough for a jacket or you simply are not warm enough with your jacket alone. It's practical, yet stylish and can be the stand out pop of colour in your outfit. Since I do wear a lot of black, I always wear bright coloured scarves like these red and blue ones. 

5. My skin is usually very oily, but in winter it does get the odd dry patch which doesn't make applying makeup easy. I like to keep my face hydrated with Mac Strobe Cream and my body with O.P.I Avojuice Ginger Lily hand & body lotion. Even though it is winter, you need to keep your skin protected from the sun by wearing sunscreen everyday. I like to use Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle deep wrinkle daily moisturiser with SPF15. It doesn't leave my skin oily and is a great base for my makeup. 

6. A pair of black boots are a must in winter and are so versatile. I bought this heeled pair from Wittner Shoes last season and they're still going strong. They are so comfy and can be either dressed up or down. I also keep a good pair of black, flat boots on hand in winter for a great Sunday shopping outfit. 

I hope you've picked up a few winter tips from me and do let me know what your winter essentials are!

May Favourites

I can't believe June is amongst us..already! I've finally completed my Diploma in Marketing and am leaving for a trip to China this Sunday. It's all very exciting : ) I haven't done a favourites post before, but thought id let you know what I've been loving for the month of May. Here goes...

I do like to switch up my perfumes quite regularly, but this month I seem to have been going back to these two old faithfuls. 

I generally like wearing Calvin Klein In 2 U during the day because of its light, fruity smell. It also has a slightly masculine smell to it, which I kind of like! 

Chanel Chance is my go to night time scent. It's quite a bold, strong scent which really lasts on the skin. It's my all time favourite. 

I was lucky enough to try out these lovely candles from Valencia Bath Treats this month. They are absolutely divine and smell good enough to eat! My bedroom has been filled with the sweet smell of Green Apple and Salted Caramel! 

During the colder months, we all tend to lose that summer glow. Bobbi Brown's bronzer in No. 1 Golden Light is what I've been using to lightly bronze up my face. I like to apply it with a bronzer brush from bh cosmetics. 

My skin is quite oily normally but I tend to get dry patches in the colder months. I've been using this deluxe sample of Clinique Moisture Surge and my skin is loving it. It's a kind of jelly texture and doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy at all. My lips have been feeling a tad dry lately - this Mint Julips sugar scrub from Lush is exactly what they needed. It's a naturally made lip scrub that you can actually eat! 

I bought this Michael Kors watch from Asos a little while ago and am so glad I did! It's been getting a lot if wear because it goes with so much. I like its bold size and can be worn either during the day or night. 

The weather has been getting a little chilly lately, so ive taken the warmer clothes out of hiding. I bought this furry collared vest a couple of years ago from a little store called Think. I love the natural brown colour and how warm the furry collar keeps me. I usually team it with jeans and boots for an all round winter look. 

I hope you've enjoyed my favourites for the month and let me know what you've been loving during the month of May.