The perfect red lips

Evening all, today i wanted to talk about red lips and how to get the perfect one for you. I have been on the hunt for the perfect red lipstick for my skin tone for a while now and i think i have found the right one for me. In this post i will do two quick reviews on my favourite reds.

The first one i have  will talk about is the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in the colour Rouge. This for me was a very bright red and it has a slight blue undertone. This was the first red lipstick i bought and i fell in love with it right away. It is a very bright and pigmented colour with amazing moisture and depth. It is the kind of red that i think suits fancy occasions and certain looks because it is very much the iconic bright, in-your-face red lip that was worn in the good old days. It has Shea Butter and Vitamins A, C and E in it and you can definitely notice this because when you apply it to the lips it simply glides right on and keeps your lips nice and moist. One of the best things about this is that it doesn't have that drying effect that other lipsticks can have, i expect that this is due to the Shea butter in it and it really does make it all the better. There is nothing worse than having to layer your lips with lipstick, lip balm and lip gloss.

One of the very few cons to the Elizabeth Arden lipstick has to be its longevity. No sooner am i having to reapply it after i have just put it on. The moment you eat or drink anything you will find your lips have smeared either over the lip lines or have completely worn off. It's not a good look so i do recommend applying this lipstick right before you leave the house and after you have put your clothes on! It transfers like bitch.

Overall i love this lipstick. The texture and consistency is good, it's only downside is the length of time you can wear it before having to do touch ups. If you want a long lasting lip however i would recommend my first favourite lipstick and that would be the Cheryl Cole one.

I have been thinking alot about investing in a lip top coat. I think this particular lipstick would benefit with having one and i would probably wear it alot more if i knew i only had to touch up once or twice throughout the day. I bought this lipstick a while back and it cost me £19. If you are like me and think that this can be an expensive product to use for trial and error then i would recommend going in store and asking them to help you find the perfect red. I did this when i visited a Liverpool Debenhams and this is what the outcome was. I am thrilled with it but i think i reserve this for fancy dos rather than the everyday casual red lip.

You can purchase this lipstick online from Debenhams just now and it is on sale for £17.10. I would really consider buying this lipstick in a different colour as i really do love everything about it and i would love to compare it to see if it was just the Rouge that had trouble staying put. I should also note here before i move on how pretty the packaging is. It really is gorgeous and that is one of the best features i like in lipsticks, the packaging makes looking good all the better!

My all time favourite red (for the moment) has to be the L'Oreal Colour Riche 297 Red Passion Cheryl Cole limited edition lipstick. It is the perfect rich red colour and again has a blue undertone. I find the undertone is best suited for me because i find it makes my teeth slightly whiter rather than yellow looking like other brands i have tried in store.

As you can see from the below picture the lipstick looks a bright shocking red. These picture where taken in natural daylight and next to my white bedding. What you can't pick up from camera is the sparkles and chunks of glitter that it has. When you apply it it is noticeable however not in a very young girly unappealing sort of way. I am not usually a fan of glittery lip products but i think in this lipstick you need it to add depth and tone to your lips. The blue undertone really sets off my skin type/tone and the glitter adds to the look whether it's day or night. This is the type of lipstick that can be worn throughout the day and i don't feel like it is out of place.

I found it difficult to get my hands on this product because i jumped on the band waggon quite late. I ended up having to wait until i saw a seller on eBay selling it but the wait was worth it. I paid £5 including P+P which is a bargain!  The packaging on this is also nice. I like that it is gold and L'Oreal is a really good brand in itself so i find that this Cheryl lipstick has been the best lip product i have bought in a while and it wasn't even that expensive! Sometimes cheaper and drugstore products are better.

The colour on the left is Elizabeth Arden and the one on the right is the Cheryl Cole lipstick. Both look pretty similar and this is due to the undertones. Again i prefer a blue one due to my skin type. The one on the left is a brighter and more vivid red, like a letterbox whereas the one to the right is darker and more wearable. Unfortunately you cannot see the sparkles in this picture due to the lighting however they do add to the colour of Cheryl's one and give your lips a little something extra.

So all in all it depends how bright you like your everyday red lips to look. If you like them quieter throughout the day i would go for Cheryl's one but if you like loud and in your face red then Elizabeth is the way to go.

I'm sure you all now how to apply your red lipstick but if you don't here's a quick rundown of how i apply mines:

• First exfoliate my lips, i use Bubblegum flavour from Lush.
• Then i apply lip balm to my lips once i have done my foundation and set it with powder. I then apply the rest of my makeup before i do my lipstick.
• Next i rub in the remaining lip balm if it hasn't all soaked into my lips and then i apply a light layer of foundation and then set it with powder.
• I then apply my lip liner onto the lines of my lips and then lightly fill in the rest of my lips using it.
• Then using a lip brush i apply my chosen lipstick and then blot it off with a tissue.
• Reapply and do the same process again.
• Then for the last layer i apply and leave on my lips.
• Normally my lips will be moisturised enough however if it is winter or i have chapped lips i will apply a very light layer of lip balm or add gloss if i fancy it. Now you are good to go.

These are the basic rules to get a long lasting lipstick no matter what the colour. I hope this review and guide has been helpful and if you have found any better red lipsticks out there please leave a comment!

Removing Gel Nails

Gooday bloggers! :) I wanted to do a quick post about how to remove gel nail varnish. It doesn't matter if you have applied it yourself, like me, or had it done professionally, the method i use has worked with both. I hope this has been a helpful post and let me know if you have a different way of doing it.

I would like to share with you that i have only had my gel nails on for 5 days, i was too impatient to wait 3 weeks before i tried out a new colour, but here is what my nails looked like after 5 days:

I think they still look really fresh and due to the bad lighting you cant see just how shiny they still are but they still look like day 1 manicured nails. I normally notice that i have light chipping around day 3 and by day 5 i have major chipping and nails in dire need of repainting so i think gel nails are going to be a god send!

First things first, you will need the following:

Nail varnish (with acetone)
Nail file
Cotton pads
Tin foil
and a wooden nail stick or a professional gel nail removing tool



Some things are missing from the picture, i noticed this AFTER i took it :( lol

There are several ways to do this and I am going to talk you through the best and easiest way for me.

First of all you can only do one hand at a time but luckily this is only a 15 minute job on each hand so it wont take too long.

Start by filing lightly away the shiny coating of your gel nail varnish. This is the only part of this process that can damage your nails so be careful not to file away too much.

Then get your tinfoil prepped by tearing it in to roughly 1 inch thick strips. Then soak a cotton pad in acetone nail varnish and cover the nail with the cotton pad securing the pad in place with the foil, just like in the picture below.

It doesn't have to be neat just as long as acetone nail varnish is touching the nail and the gel will soak it up. If you do not file the shiny top nail coat away first it will take longer for the acetone to take affect therefore remember to do it! :)

Leave your hand like this for 15 minutes and then remove one gel nail at a time using the wooden stick or nail tool. You want to gently scrape the gel in motions away from you. It should just flake off however if you have applied too much gel nail primer then it can be slightly harder in some areas to scrape the gel off, if you find this just pop on your cotton pad again (put more acetone in it) and leave until the very end - you should find it much easier to come off now.

Once you have removed the nail varnish your nails can feel a bit rough, just use a nail buffer to smooth the nail down and your nails should feel as good as new.

I apply cuticle cream to my nails and a heavy dose of moisturiser to help revitalise my hands and nails after having them soaked in acetone. Acetone does not damage your nails or skin in any way but it can dry them out, but it's nothing a bit of moisturiser can't sort out!

Thank you for reading and i hope you have found this quick blog post helpful!

NOTD - Gel Polish #2

So a quick NOTD post for today :) I took off my gel nails the other day and opted for a days lying time to get them back to normal and then i decided to try the Purple Orchid on my nails by SensatioNail.

It turned out like this:

The colour is very strange. It looks like the above picture when you look at it in person in natural day light, however when the light hits it it changes colour. In some pictures it looks blue and then in others a deep purple. I love dark nails but i don't normally opt for purple so i feel the colour is too dark. My darkets nail colour is usually black and then it varies in shades of pink sofor me i feel it is a bold colour and i am really undecided if i like it or not. I would love to hear your thoughts on it so please leave me your commets in the box below.

You can see from this picture above that the nail varnish has small blue glitter particles and the colour of the nails look completely different in this picture than from the one at the beginning of this post, it looks almost navy blue.

Anyway thank you for reading! :)

Forever 21 Haul

I have just received my online order from Forever21!! I was sooo excited to get it as it was my first ever purchase from this store. I have heard so many amazing things about it and i have watched so many hauls on YouTube which has involved people buying jewellery from here and so i have finally joined in on the action.

I bought mostly Jewellery but i also bought a blazer. I am simply in love with it! I have been on the lookout for a plain everyday black one to replace my badly worn one that i have had for about 3 years now. My new one fits like a glove and really does my curves justice. I ordered a size up as i thought i would need it being that type of store and i definitely done the right thing.

The below picture really does not do it any justice what so ever but here it is:

It is a really pretty black, one buttoned blazer with a stripey sleeve lining. It also has light shoulder padding which really does give you the most amazing figure. I paid under £25 for this. To purchase this please click here.

I also purchased a top  however i didn't like it on and i will be returning it nut if you want to see it hen click here. It looks amazing on the model and for this top i never went up a size i ordered my own therefore i think if you went up a size it would fit a treat, however the material for me is the biggest et down. It is very clingy and i prefer tops like this to be tshirt material rather than silky soft and clingy. I was really disappointed as i really did love the whole look of the top, again the picture they have does not do it justice, it looks much better in person.

Moving on to my jewellery..I purchased quite a few pieces and that was due to the 30% off sale they where having when i placed my order. I'll add now that i also got free shipping because i spent over £50, I did really well for only spending £54!

 

 

 

The first thing i saw was the peach and gold stone ring. I had actually seen Elle (all that glitters 21) show it in one of her haul videos and when i seen it i fell in love with it. The jewellery itself is so ridiculously cheap that you would think it is horrible quality and cheap tat but i can assure you that it's not! It's anything but! I was so surprised at how it looked. It looked like all the other jewellery i have previously bought from Accessorize.

 

I then fell in love with the cross necklace. Both that and the owl are long chain necklaces and both are gorgeous. The cross necklace in particular looks expensive in person. I would have paid about £15for it rather than the £4.90 it was. The owl necklace has a pretty white lace bow on one side of the chain but it has been cut out of the picture due to my shoddy camera work - sorry!

 

I am also loving the earrings. Both the ring and the earrings are perfect for setting any plain black outfit off. I wore both today with jeans and a black sheer lace blouse. It really set it off and added something to an otherwise boring outfit.

 

I purchased the pyramid peach and gold stretchy bracelet to go with my new Michael Kors watch. My mum has bought me it for my Christmas and i am preparing for some layering arm candy and have started buying nice gold bracelets.

 

I really cannot wait to buy more things from Forever21. I wanted so many more things but i really had to limit myself lol. But now i am returning the top i will work in a few extra goodies!

 

So all in all i am so pleased with everything i have got and it really doesn't look as cheap as you would imagine it to be!

 

Thank you for reading and i would love to read any reviews or hauls you have done with forver21 so please link them to me in the comments below! :)

 

 

Haul

I love a bit of shopping and when i went on my yearly Christmas shopping date with my mum and auntie i couldn't help but pick up a few things up for myself.

 

The thing i am most in love with is my YSL lipstick. I have been wanting one for ages and i finally caved in and spent the £23.50 on it. It is a Rouge Volupte Lipstick in the colour #29 Rose Opera. It is the perfect girly pink shade that can be built up and left for a vivid pink or played down to an everyday light pink shade. I am in love with it!  

 

I also bought the Masterpiece mascara (which is not in the picture) along with the Creme Puff powder from Max Factor and because i spent over £15 i got the free gift which consisted of a lipstick, nail varnish, mini mascara and a brown eye shadow that all fit into the cute square box in the picture.

 

I also had to buy some essentials such as my face cream and my cleanser from Clarins but i also treated myself to the coconut hand wash by TreacleMoon. It smells amazing! I love any coconut scent and had to buy this when i seen it.

 

The last things i bought where from Tesco. They where doing 3 for 2 on hair care products and when i seen the hairspray i use was in it i snapped it up. It is normally £6 to £7 for 1 of these but it was only £4.80ish for 1 and it was 3 for 2!! Absolute bargain! I even opted to try the new heat protecting spray because of this bargain :)



 

I bought many other things in this shopping trip but unfortunately they where all Christmas presents :( But i do look forward to sharing my online haul with you guys when it arrives, i bought everything on the same day and i will do an online haul as soon as everything turns up :)

Thank you for reading!

Skin Care Routine

Hello lovelies,

Today i have decided to talk about my skin care routine. This is a very hard subject to cover for me because i have mostly used the same products for about a year and a half however i have recently been adding new products to my daily skin care routine.

The brand however that i have not faltered from for the past year and a half has been Clarins. I have previously tried Clinique, No 7 and many others however i think i have found the brand that is for me. Clarins has such a great, wide range of products that no matter what i need they seem to have. Whether its Tinted moisturiser mixed with my favourite daily moisturiser or beauty flash balm that helps to reduce spots and blemishes.

I will start by showing you a picture of the products i use from Clarins on a morning and night daily routine:

I use two cleansers. The first is the Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter (this is for sensitive skin/dry skin - i have both). I use this to wash my face with. I use my Clarinsonic with this before aplying the Cleansing Milk, again for dry/sensitive skin. I apply this with a cotton pad. The Clarins lady said this could be washed off or left on to give added moisture. I leave mines on as i wash off the first product. I follow this up with a toner again for sensitive skin. Before finally applying the Hydraquench daily moisturiser for normal/dry skin. The moisturiser for very dry skin is awful! I have previously tired this and it is more like a nigh cream. It is extremely thick and cloggy and i broke out in a lot of spots when i accidentally bought the wrong one.

This is my typical day and night routine however within the past few weeks i have been trying a variety of different products because i have broke out in a lot of spots, some of which i think may be acne as the are lumps under my skin and have not came to a head or reduced in size for 3 weeks. I have never previously suffered from acne nor had any spots like this. I am 20 and have only ever suffered from the odd whitehead or red itchy spot that has lasted 2 days max. In light of this i have tried Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant after i have used the face wash with my clarisonic. I thought that using the Clarisonic would open up my pores and allow the microfoliant to work and at first it appears to be but i wont be able to give a full review for a few weeks yet.

Clarins however is a great brand, the Hydraquench moisturiser is a god send as it really is moisturising but not greasy and doesn't make your skin oily throughout the day unlike other brands i have tried. I first moved to this brand as i suffered from terrible dry skin. I would be flaking all around my nose as soon as i put my make up on, it was a very horrible look and since switching to them i have had very little problem with dry skin. I also suffer from Psoriasis and this product has not affected me in any way, it doesn't irritate it.

The only draw back to Clarins is the price tag, everything except the cream is about £17, the cream is £35. I find it cheaper to buy some of the products on eBay as they can be up to 70% cheaper if you can find the right sellers at the right time. If not then i have to pay full price. It's not ideal but the product itself is a miracle worker for me so i do advise at least giving it a go for one round of everything.

Even my friends have asked me what skin care products i use because normally (up until about 3 weeks ago) i have a very clear complexion so i have converted them to Clarins.

Thank you for reading.

Essie Top Coat

Hello my lovelies!

I have been dying to write a post on this top coat for a while. I have tried to many and i have read how so many other people swear by Seche Vite however i have to say for me Essie has been the perfect top coat. It really hads such an amazing long lasting shine to my nails and it helps to prevent chipping.. Ordinary nail varish that doesnt state that it can last days without chipping can stay on my nails for 5 or 6 days without the hint of a chip however without it and when i used OPI's top coat my nails would chip within 2 to 3 days.

For me the chip factor is a major thing when choosing a top coat. The shine it gives is just a bonus. I havent tried Seche Vite but when i run out of Essie that is next of my wish list.

I couldnt tell you more how horrible the OPI one is. It gets very thick and clumpy and takes hours to dry properly. It's nothing like Essie. The Essie one helps to dry your nails faster and it is very runny. A little goes a long way.

 

As you can see i have used a lot of this product.

 

But if you are unsure, like i was when i first purchased this, of what top coat to try next then i would recommend this, it helps to dry nails faster, provides a great shine and doesnt dry out and become clumpy even when you are halfway through the bottle! :)

 

 

NOTD

This post follows on from the last as my nail of the day cannot change for 2 to 3 weeks :)

It is in the colour Raspberry Wine by SensatioNail It is a gel nail colour and it is the perfect christmasy colour. It reminds me of the colour of mulled wine.

It is the perfect festive colour and it really does go with anything. I love how it adds a splash of colour to any outfit.

Check out my last post about SensatioNail Gel Nails, they are a DIY kit and have turned out really well!



Without Flash

With Flash

The bottom picture gives you a true image of what the colour looks like. You can also see the slight sparkle in this picture. The light really does capture the beauty of this colour.

 

Gel Nails - DIY

I recently bought the SensatioNail starter kit in Raspberry Wine from the SentaioNail website. I really love gel nails however they can become very expensive and time consuming to go to the salon if you don't have enough time. Therefore i decided to buy my own kit after hearing about it from All That Glitters 21's youtube channel.

In the UK if you buy it from the SensatioNail website you can choose any colour to come with your starter kit however i really liked the look of Raspberry Wine so i went with it. It takes about 30 minutes (because it was my first time) to completely do the nails. I suspect i will get alot faster with time as it's pretty straight forward. All you have to do is follow the instruction booklet they have given you but if in doubt here's a quick run through:

Step 1: file your nails to their desired length and shape. Then file the actual nail to rough it up a bit to provide a nice surface for the primer to attach itself to. (be careful not to be too rough as this is the step that can damage your nails)

Step 2: Use the lint free wipes they provide along with the gel cleanser to wipe the nails that you have just filed.

Step 3: Apply one layer of the gel primer and allow to air dry.

Step 4: Apply a thin layer of the gel base and top coat to each nail avoiding the cuticles and skin, cap the nails. If you get it on you just use the wooden stick they provide to remove it. Now cure the nails for 30 seconds. The led lamp will beep at 30 seconds so just remove the hand.

Step 5: Apply a thin layer of gel nail colour to your nails and then cure for the full 60 seconds. Again use the wooden stick to remove any spillages. Again ensure you cap the nails to help prevent premature chipping.

Step 6: Repeat the 5th step again, however be a little more generous than a thin layer if you would like darker thicker nails. I prefer them slightly thicker and darker so i did this and curing for 60 seconds still drys them.

Step 7: Apply a layer of base and top coat on and then cure for the last 30 seconds. Ensure you cap the nails.

Step 8: Get another lint free wipe with gel cleaner on it and rub over the new painted nails. The nails will be rock had now and once cleansed the nails will be extremely shiny.

*Top Tips*

• Capping the nails will ensure the manicure will last longer.
• Use lint free wipes to stop fluff and tp from sicking to your nails, as once they are cured and you see lint you have to acetone them off.
• Wash your hands once you remove ordinary nail varnish and have filed the nails to the desired shape as this helps the products stick to the nails better and prevent sliding of the gel.
• if you apply 2 think coats and its still too light a colour for you apply a third thin layer and cure for a further 60 seconds, i did it and it works just fine, follow the steps as normal from there
• If you want to use ordinary nail varnish instead of gel be sure to allow the nail varnish to dry before applying the base and top coat to make them hard and like gel nails.
• Do not try to cure ordinary nail varnish, it will just make it hot and bubble up and you will get in to a mess.
•  Do your thumbs separately than from your fingers as they will not all fit into the machine
• Only go around the outer parts of the nail with the primer leaving the centre of each nail free from the product as this makes removal of the gel nails easier.

Over all i love this kit and would really recommend it. I know £60 is a little pricey but just think about it, it is anywhere between £25-£40 for gel nails to be done professionally so you would make you money back in no time! The starter kit gel nail varnish lasts 10 applications i believe so you would at least make your money back and then some.

They sell essential packs and everything else like nail tools separately so you only need to buy the starter kit for the LED light. If you already own an LED light from acrylic nails then all you have to do is buy the gel nail varnishes. These are £10 and come in a wide variety of colours. Don't forget you can use other brands with the nailine led lamp so don't feel restricted to the SensatioNail brand.

The below picture is how my nails turned out after my first attempt:

Without Flash

 

With Flash

 

The second picture is more of a true to life/colour picture. It is a very raspberry and sparkly colour. The sparkles are only visible when the light hits it therefore it is not a very in your face chunky sparkle. This is one of the reasons i like this particular colour.

 

To remove these gel nails i will do a separate how to guide but the basics is just to soak them in acetone or nail varnish remover that has acetone.

 

If you have ever used this or a similar one then please leave a comment with your reviews. I am really keen to pick up any more tips and tricks at applying this.

 

At the time i bought this i also purchased 2 other colours:

 

I'm sorry i cannot rotate this! Blogger has done it automatically and it wont let me rotate it the right way! :S

 

Purple Orchid and Blue Yonder. I have yet to try them but they look really pretty. I think Blue Yonder will be my favourite. It looks similar in make up to Raspberry Wine ie sparkly in the light.

 

Thank you for reading :)

 



 

 

Glossy Box - November 2012

I know i am a little late with this post but this is my first ever Glossy Box and i got it very late in November and i wanted to do a genuine review so here i am..better late than never!

 

 

I received the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant.  really wanted this product to try because i had read a few good things about this on other blogs but i would never have went out and bought it and tried it blindly as i think it is too expensive for that. Plus i already have a Clarisonic so i wouldn't have thought it necessary, however ever since giving it a go i have to say i do love it. It makes my skin nice and soft and i have seen a slight improvement on some acne spots that i have recently started to get and couldn't get rid of. The smell is the only thing i could say that would let it down. It reminds me of a chicken stock cube lol! But in saying that the smell is absolutely nothing that would put me off buying this in the future!

 

The next thing i got was the Nails Inc nail varnish in the colour Notting Hill Gate. This was the colour i was really hoping for and i got it. It is a fabulous bright hot pink. It is the perfect colour to add a splash of colour to any night out outfit. I often wear Disco Pink by Max Factor on a night out because it adds a lot to a very black outfit.

 

I was surprisingly pleased with the ESPA Mango Body Butter. It really does smell good enough to eat and i love using it as a hand moisturiser. It's not like other body butters that take ages to dry which is why i think i like it so much. It leaves the skin like a babies bottom so i would seriously consider buying this when i run out of this generous sample!

 

This was only my first box but i honestly can say i was pleased with almost everything i got. I was extremely over the moon when i realised i got the Dr Jart + BB Cream. I really wanted this product and i was actually going to buy it the same day i got my box so when i received it i was so please i could try before i buy. And there is not one bad thing i can say about this product! I will be doing a review on this soon because for a few weeks prior to this i was using the Garnier BB Cream so i have some great views about them.

 

The last product i received was the WEI Beauty hydrating face treatment pads. To be honest i am still unclear what this product does and i cannot see myself using this so i will be setting this aside for another day or for someone else.

 

All in all i am extremely please with my box, i can say i love 5/6 products and am so thrilled that i got this as an early Christmas present from a family member. I have been subscribed for 12 months so i am looking forward to doing the monthly reviews.

 

I have to also make a comment on the packaging. Out of the many photos i have seen of them and the views i have heard from youtube videos i have to say it is a different experience seeing it in person. I go really excited and like a kid opening their presents of Christmas morning. The box is simply gorgeous and the fact that the boxes can be kept and collected is an extra bonus! I will most certainly be collecting my glossy boxes :)!

 

Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

iPhone Covers

Since i have recently got my iPhone i have been on the hunt for the perfect cover It took me about 4 minutes after i purchased my phone to realise it would need a cover and so when i came home i was glued to the computer until i found the perfect one.

I had heard of  Lux Addiction a while ago and have been wanting to order a case from their but my last phone (the Blackberry Tourch 9800) was bulky enough without adding a 3D cover on to it. However now i have my new phone i cannot wait until my new cover arrives!

Previously I have sent my phone away to Crystal Skins. This is a company that puts Swarovski crystals onto your actual phone. This is a very costly luxury and for me i didn't want to go through that again. It cost me £205 including postage to get my blackberry curve covered. This time i have spent £68 including international postage for the phone cover. I do think it is dear but i am willing to pay this for a really pretty cover. I ordered the style 449. It is a Juicy Couture style cover and it is in various shades of pink and clear/silver crystals (this time it's not Swarovski but it looks just as amazing, maybe even better!).

I will definitely be doing a review on this when i get it and i will be posting a lot of pictures :) I imagine it will take a few weeks as it is coming from America and due to the time of year. I do hope though i get it before Christmas!

This is my old blackberry curve that was sent to get bedazzled :) It was so pretty but just too dear to do again with the iPhone.

Thanks for reading and i look forward to sharing my new phone cover with you soon!

Clarisonic Review (4 Months)

Hi everyone,

I want to do a quick 4 month review about my clarisonic, I should start by saying that i have the Mia 2 in the colour Peony. It is the most gorgeous colour ever and it is an amazing tool. I bought mines off ebay for £60 cheaper than it would be if i bought it from a uk seller.

 

 

I want to start off with a quick update with my Clarisonic I'm just over 4 months in and i have to say i haven't been that impressed with it. I am unsure if the Sensitive brush head is the right one for me and i have reach the 4 month mark which is when you are supposed to replace the brush head so i think i am going to try a new head. I had planned on trying the Acne one but i have read a few reviews about it and they're pretty mixed so i really don't know if i want to go down that route of having really bad broken skin if it doesn't work out for me. If you have tried the Acne one lease leave a comment and let me know how you got on with it either way.

Other than the fact i am still having acne like spots around my chin area and several very small bumps on my forehead i do like the clarisonic. At the moment i believe changing my brush head will help solve the problem of my spots but i do find that if i skip using the clarisonic (i only do this when i realise it is out of charge) my skin feels really dirty and that just using my face wash with my hands isn't giving me the clean feel that i am now used to and love. So even if this doesn't help me get rid of my spots i still think it is an excellent product for making me feel really clean and a good exfoliator.

So to conclude i will still continue to use this as 4 months using the product really isn't a long time, and i still have to find the right head for me. The sensitive head is really just a brush head to help get your skin used to the clarisonic and basically to introduce it so i am really looking forward to exploring the range and hoping that very soon i can get the right one for me.

Just in case you are wondering my skin type is dry and sensitive. I use moisturisers for dry skin and face wash and cleansers/toners for sensitive skin- I use the Clarins brand. I would highly recommend the Clarins brand, i feel i am just experiencing this acne breakout due to the fact that i stopped using the clarins moisturiser and face wash as they where too expensive for me to repurchase at the time i ran out and opted for the cheaper Cetaphill range, however my skin has went really bad again that in the last 4 days i have switched back to the complete range of Clarins. I will keep you posted on how long it takes for my skin to heal and get back to normal and i will also do a post of my full daily skin care routine!

 

Thanks for reading :)

 

 

 



This or That

Hello :) !

 

I have found a tag that i would love to do, i also think it will help you get to now me a bit better, so if you like tags keep reading.

 

MAKEUP

Blush or Bronzer- I rarely put on bronzer so i have to go with blush
Lipgloss or Lipstick- I love lipstick however i own more glosses, its hard to choose but i wold probably say i opt more for the gloss
Eyeliner or Mascara- I could live without eyeliner but i need mascara, it makes my eyes look much bigger
Foundation or Concealer- If i could only live with one it would be foundation, it would cover more and could be layered thicker lol
Neutral or Coloured Eyeshadow- Neutral is what i go for everyday, but I love a dark smokey eye for nights out.
Pressed or loose eyeshadows- Pressed it's  much easier to work with.
Brushes or Sponges- Brushes, i don't even know what i did before them!

NAILS

OPI or China Glaze- OPI as i have never bought any china glazes before.
Long or Short- I love long nails but short ones are much more practical for me
Acrylic or Natural- I love the look of acrylic nails but they ruin your actual nails so i have to say natural (or if the choice was their i would go for Gel)
Brights or Darks- That's a hard one! It depends on the occasion and my mood. Black can be a really nice sophisticated nail however i also love hot pink for a flirty fun nail on a night out.

BODY

Perfume or body spray- Perfume.
Lotion or Body Butter- It depends on the brand but lotion in general as they sink in faster
Body Wash or Soap- I use both, i love Rockstar soap from Lush and then i use body wash

FASHION

Jeans or Sweat Pants- Jeans to go out in but sweat pants to lounge about in
Long or Short Sleeves- I don't have a preference, half of my wardrobe is full of sleeveless pussy bow blouses and the other has long sleeved blouses! lol
Dresses or Skirts- Dresses.
Stripes or Plain- Plain, stripes don't suit me
Flip flops or Sandals- Sandals
Scarves or Hats- Scarves, I'm one of those people hats don't suit :(
Studs or Dangly Earrings- Studs for everyday bt dangly earrings for the evenings/weekends
Necklaces or Bracelets- Bracelets
Heels or Flats- Flats! Heels are pretty but hurt.
Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots- I have only ever owned a pair of cowboy boots (when i was 10!) so for that reason I'll say cowboy boots!.
Jacket or Jumper- Jacket
Abercombie or Hollister- Hollister (especially their Crystal Cove body spray!)

HAIR

Curly or Straight- Curly.
Bun or Ponytail- I love the look of buns but my hair never looks right or sits right in one so i would have to say ponytail.
Hair Spray or Gel- Hairspray
Long or Short- Long hair
Light or Dark- I suit dark hair better but i really want to Ombre my hair..
Side Fringe or Full Fringe- I've had both, a side fringe is less maintenance!
Up or Down- Down but sadly for work i have to wear my hair up :(

Thank you for reading this if you got this far :) I love reading tags and doing them is a lot of fun, if you have done this or other similar tags please leave a link and i will check it out!

Christmas Wish List 2012

As it's nearing Christmas its natural to only peruse websites in the hopes that my loves ones will buy me everything i want. Well there's no harm in looking right?

I have compiled a list of this i would love to receive off Santa this Christmas so feel free to keep reading if you too love to see what other people put on their wish lists...

 

1.  I am in love with Rebecca Minkoffs Mac Bag! I have been wanting one for a while and i love tanned bags so i came across this one in Almond and i am in love with it.

2. I love gel nails and i have previously bought the nail extension diy kit and it ended horrendously but i have done extensive research about the Sensationail and it looks sooo easy to apply! It's simply applying nail varnish like normal and then drying them fast in a light! For £60 i think this will be worth it.

3. Later next year i am going to London for a week and i love making scrapbooks, i have just finished one from a recent trip to New York and so this scrapbook would be perfect for that trip so i will be visiting Paperchase very soon to purchase this baby!

4. I spotted the Desert Camouflage when i was on the mac website and the colours in it are every shade ones that i would wear on an everyday basis so this would make the perfect gift for me.

5. I love the shopglitzyglam website that elle and blair have and i want 2 things from their site, the brush holder (number 5) and the Santa thermos mug (number 6). They are extremely reasonably priced and i love that i can get my initial on the brush holder. I am also a massive coffee drinker and i currently use a Grey's Anatomy travel mug so i think this Santa one would be perfect for the winter months :)

7. For the longest time i have been wanting to expand my make up brushes and i have had my eye on the Sigma brushes and i love that they come in pink and with a case that will be perfect for me to travel with so i am really hoping that this finds its way to me this Christmas.

8. Michael Kors' watches are to die for and i really am in love with the rose gold Chronograph watch. It has "diamonds" around it and its just very feminine and everything i am after in a watch.

9. After seeing Kevin Bridges live a few weeks ago i am keen to have it on DVD, he is the most funniest man ever! Even funnier than Michael Mcintyre! and i love him too. So i would love this and i can even see me giving this away to people as presents, most of my friends love him too.

10. I am loving the Not On The High Street dress, it comes in the most prettiest fuchsia colour and would be perfect for the Christmas night out party in work.

11. I am upgrading to the iPhone5 this December and i have been on the lookout for the perfect cover and i think i might have found it from Luxaddiction.com. There is so many to choose from but the one pictured is one of my favourites.

12. Earlier in the year i bought the Naked 2 palette but i think i would love the shades better from the first one, i think they are described as warmer. I feel in the second one they can be a little too harsh for me sometimes but don't get me wrong i am still in love the the Naked 2 palette and would hate to not have it.

13. I have never tried anything Burts and Bees wise and so i think the Tips and Toe Kit would be the perfect place to start.

14. I seen this recently in akayadolls youtube video and i have been obsessed with getting one. I never knew this existed and now i do i need 5! lol. They would be perfect for a night out and for general day to day carrying about in my bag rather than the big bottles i always seem to have. I know for sure that if i don't get this i will be buying a few of them as they look amazing  especially in pink :)!

 

 

So that's a few of the things i want the most this Christmas and i know a few of the items are very expensive but there no harm in dreaming :)

Thank you for reading and be sure to leave me links to your wish lists! I love this type of post :)

Cheryl Cole Red Lips

This lipstick has been around for a while however i never got around to buying it until recently. It is the perfect bright red colour that has a little bit of glitter in it. It can be worn day or night but i think it looks at its best at night because it is extremely vivid and really sets your outfit off.

 

 

You can see how vivid the colour is from the above picture, this was taken in natural daylight. If you look closely you can see the gold flecks of glitter in the picture.

The lipstick itself is good quality, highly pigmented and lasts on your lips for quite a while. It starts to fake after about 2 hours and then once you touch it up it last for another few hours. When you apply this lipstick you cannot feel grit from the glitter unlike from others I've tried. I have also found that it is not too drying or too moisturising on the lips, for me it is the perfect consistency and if i have particularly dry lips that day i will just add a touch of lip balm.

I have tried adding gloss over this lipstick and it doesn't, to me, look particularly nice. I prefer it straight out the tube like it comes.

I would definitely recommend buying this product if you have been thinking about it but where unsure. I had wanted this lipstick for months and finally bought it when i found it on ebay, there was a seller selling them brand new for only £5 with free p+p so i jumped at the chance when i seen it.

I haven't got any bad comments what so ever to say about this and i have to say i haven't read any either so i would consider this blind purchase a good one!