Tuesday 26 August 2014

Review: ELF HD Blush

It's VERY pink, isn't it?
I was so excited to try this. I'm a huge fan of ELF's HD Powder, so I practically jumped at the chance to see what this was like.

I always wear blusher. I've definitely got big cheeks, so I tend to emphasise them a little more. Make the best of what you've got... (Even if those big cheeks are the reason that you're still getting ID'd five years after turning 18). I bought this product in 'Headliner', which is the lightest HD Blush shade.

I found that you only need the tiniest amount or else you end up looking like a garden gnome/real-life elf. The irony. 

I don't want to be mistaken for one of Santa's little helpers (especially not in August). So I would seriously recommend using the smallest dab of this product on the apples of your cheeks; or else it just looks ridiculous.

I applied it with my fingers rather than a brush like I normally would. That's because I use Rimmel's Mono powder blusher daily and I didn't want to dirty my brush with a cream blush. However, I'm sure that this would be easier to apply with a stippling brush.

The packaging states that it offers: 'Rich pigmented colour for a soft focus effect'. I suppose that this is why I'm looking especially 'peachy' when I wear even a small amount of this. It's probably fantastic to wear for having your photograph taken or starring in a video; hence the 'HD' part in the name. The packaging also says that you should use a 'very small' amount, and frankly, they're not wrong there.

At £4.50 for 10ml, this product is good value and the fact that you only need to use it sparingly means that it will last ages. That's great. What isn't great is running the risk of looking ridiculous every time you dare to apply this product. I am ridiculously pale and this product really stands out on my porcelain face. If you're darker skinned, you can probably get away with putting a bit more of this on.

I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes using blusher. Give it a try, as long as you don't overdo it! You've been warned!

Have you used this blusher? Has it made you look like an ELF Elf?

Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Monday 25 August 2014

August 2014 Glossybox!


It's Glossybox's third birthday this month, so to celebrate, they were giving their recipients an extra little gift. My 'birthday bonus' was a little Yves Rocher Nail Varnish. I bought this box with my Glossydots, which makes it even better, because all of the products were technically free!

Yves Rocher Pink Nail Varnish
This retails for £3.60. I received a beautiful pinky-coloured varnish; which is great because I tend to stick to reds/pinks regarding my nails.

I've not got round to using this product yet, but as you can see from this picture it's a lovely shade; but it is rather on the tiny side - A 3ml bottle.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer
This product was specifically made for Audrey Hepburn, so surely it's got to be impressive? At £38 a pop for a full sized tube, it's very far out of my price range; but I'm delighted to give it a try...

...Having said that, I've not actually had a chance to try this yet because it involves: Applying it on wet hair, wrapping your hair in a towel for 10-20 minutes, then rinsing and washing your hair as normal afterwards. I'm one of those people who's always in a rush when getting ready, so I've seldom got time to add an extra step to my morning routine! However, I promise that I'll talk about it in depth once I've had the chance to try it!

Figs & Rouge Mini Hand Cream
This smells AMAZING. So fruity. A full-sized tube of this costs £6.95, so I'm probably going to use it as a 'treat' - Sticking to cheaper hand creams for daily use...* My little booklet tells me that this is readily available from Feel Unique.

The smell actually reminds me of Parma Violets. You know the random purple sweets? A bit like them.

After using this (quite sparingly) my hands feel much softer. It soaks in really quickly and there's not a lot of residue that's left behind - So hopefully no greasy fingerprints everywhere and things sliding out of your hands, like you get with some hand creams...
I've learned the hard way not to try and handwrite stuff after using hand cream. It never goes well.

The packaging's really bright and ensures that it stands out. It reminds me of L'Occitane Rose Tenderness Shea Butter Hand Cream, but it's about half the price! The packaging is similar in style (but not colour), the quality of the product feels just as high to me... The only thing that's different is the aroma.

*I'm really tight with my money... 

Kryolan for Glossybox - Highlighter Cashmere
I'm really getting into my highlighter at the moment, so I'm pleased to try a new one. I've always used liquid highlighters (like Me Me Me's Beat the Blues, Benefit's High Beam or ELF's Radiance Enhancer) or powders (like Sleek's), so I was intrigued to try a cream-based highlighter for the first time.

My initial thoughts? A little seems to go a really long way. It's easy to apply and looks great. It's quite a shimmery golden finish but looks subtle at the same time, which is something I always look for in a highlighter. You don't want people guessing that you're wearing it from ridiculously shiny cheekbones/browbones/noses etc.

This product costs £12.95 for a 4.5g pot.

Lalique L'Amour
I'm sure I've mentioned before that I'm a cheapskate, especially when it comes to perfumes. If you receive beauty boxes yourself, you'll be aware that you only receive small samples of perfumes. A full size bottle of this is a whopping £67, so definitely out of my price range.

It smells lovely. That's about all I have to say about all perfumes, to be honest. I'm hardly a connoisseur.

Normally perfume samples (of which I've had quite a few from Glossybox over the past few months) come with an atomiser, but this is literally a tube with a removable lid, which then reveals a top with holes in it that you have to shake over yourself to get it out! So, as you can imagine, I looked like a complete idiot in order to smell impressive. (Maybe I was doing it wrong?)

It's described as: 'A sensuous floral fragrance, a love potion for absolute seduction'. Ooooh. So if you're looking to seduce someone, this is the perfume to wear... Apparently.
I've not tried doing that myself. Nor have I attracted shedloads of men (or any men at all, actually) whilst wearing this perfume.

Essence - I Love Extreme - Crazy Volume Mascara
I'm a mascara junkie. I well and truly hold my hands up. I'm also incredibly picky when it comes to mascara, so it takes a really good product to please me.

This costs £2.79. It's wonderfully cheap and cheery. The packaging is bright and eye-catching. You can't miss the bright pink tube with bold black lettering across it.

I really like the brush; it's longer than your average mascara applicator and bristles are made of plastic. One thing that I wasn't keen on was how clumpy it can get. I really can't bear clumpy mascara... The first time I used it, it was fine. The second time, however, it did cake my eyelashes in mascara a little too much. I had to use an old (clean) Max Factor False Lash Effect brush to try and save my eyes from looking like the legs of a fat spider. I'm undecided as to whether I'd use this mascara on a regular basis.

I've never tried anything from the Essence range before, but I always enjoy discovering new and cheaper brands from Glossybox.

After visiting their website, I'm reliably informed that they're a relatively new company and my nearest Essence stocker is actually Wilkos. Seeing as they're everywhere up and down the UK, I'm sure that this product is really easy to get your hands on! (I've not been to Wilkos for ages, which is probably why I've not seen it!)

Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Friday 22 August 2014

What's In My 'Travel' Makeup Bag?


I bet that question's been on your mind for a very long time, hasn't it? You're just dying to know the contents of my 'portable' makeup bag, aren't you? Admit it! You are!

I've seen a few posts like this and I hardly ever miss the chance to jump on a bandwagon. I'm not going on holiday this year, nor have I been on holiday for ages, soooo here's my twist: It's the makeup bag that I carry around in my handbag all the time.* (Yeah, I'm scraping the barrel here...)

*It's kind of a 'What's in my Handbag?'-type post, but without the rest of the contents of my handbag, because we'd seriously be here all day if I did that. I'm like Mary Poppins in that respect...

MOR Makeup Bag
This is a new makeup bag that I picked up a few weeks ago for £5.99 in TK Maxx. I really liked the peachy colour and the size means that I can easily fit plenty inside, but it also fits inside most of my handbags (of which there are many...)

4Head
I'm not into alternative medicine or anything like that; before the science community pick on me. This genuinely works for me. I'm a bit weird and I can't swallow tablets at all, so when I get a headache I either have to opt for drinking something containing soluble paracetamol or use 4Head.

It contains menthol, so it feels all cool and tingly on my forehead. It genuinely works for me and I don't know whether that's just the placebo effect or whether it's the ingredients, but I'd definitely recommend this if you struggle to swallow tablets! 

Carmex
I love this. I think I've mentioned it before? Or at least, I meant to. I carry Carmex with me wherever I go and I even use it as my overnight lip balm. It's brilliant.

I cannot recommend it enough. This version of Carmex (the tube one) also looks quite shiny on your lips, so it's a really nourishing alternative to gloss. It's cheap and you can easily pick it up in Boots/Superdrug or supermarkets as well.

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer
I got this after Christmas in a reduced gift set. It normally retails for £17.50, which is a little out of my price range if I'm honest, so I jumped at the chance to get a select few Benefit goodies for a fraction of the price.

It's a really good concealer, but I use it sparingly because I want it to last as long as possible. It's that good and I'm too much of a cheapskate to splash out on concealer at that price on a regular basis. It is marketed as an 'industrial strength' concealer, which is exactly what you need on those days when you've not had a great deal of sleep.

When I do use it, I tend to solely cover those pesky under-eye circles with it, on top of my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. (Yeah, it takes a lot to shift my dark circles...)

There are also two different shades in this set, but I only use the lightest one... Or else I'd look a bit daft with a pale face and orange-under-eye-circles. Wouldn't I?


Sleek Pout Polish
This is such an understated product. I got one in a beauty box a few months ago and loved the finish of the product, but wasn't that keen on the purple-y colour, so I went and bought one in a pinkier shade.

It's just like a lip balm, but with wonderful selection of colours available too.

Mac Cremesheen Lipstick
I went to London the day before my birthday (2nd Aug) and ended up wandering round Harrods eyeing up various pieces of makeup that are ridiculously far out of my price range. I'd normally be very reluctant to spend a whopping £15.50 on lipstick, however I thought I'd give myself a birthday treat... It is a girl's prerogative to buy expensive makeup, after all.

I bought this in the beautiful shade Coral Bliss. I always seem to be drawn to coral lipsticks, it's weird. Or, I'm weird... But we already knew that.

This lipstick applies with ease and stays on for ages without an additional coating product like Lipcote. It's also moisturising and doesn't really dry my lips out like a lot of lipsticks do, which is a huge bonus!

(I only just managed to stop myself from splashing out on some Chanel Lumiere foundation... That genuinely took ALL of my willpower.)

Lóreal Million Lashes Mascara
I have talked about this before in my May Favourites. So I'm not going to go into loads of detail, except for saying that I always like to carry mascara with me out and about, just in case my eyelashes need perking up.

Kleenex Blotting Tissues
I bought a couple of packets of these a few months ago from Home Bargains. They were only a pound, I think. These are wonderful for those days where your skin's on the oily side or when it's hot and your makeup looks hideously shiny, then starts sliding off. You just pat them over your face to take away the shine.

I have used a handful of various brands of blotting tissues over the years and some of them actually add powder to your face instead of zapping the oil out; like these ones do. I prefer to get rid of the oil rather than have extra product like more powder applied to my face, so that I don't clog my pores up.

Toni & Guy Classic Shine Gloss Serum
I love this. It's not pricey at all and I always carry it with me just in case I end up with the dreaded frizz. This tiny version costs £2.19 for 10ml. Even if I use it every day, it seems to last ages. It's definitely worth trying out and the size means it's really easy to carry around with you.

Collection Lasting Performance Concealer
Did you read this post earlier in the week? If so, you'll know how much I adore this concealer. I take a tatty older one (that's pretty much run out) with me everywhere, just in case my dreaded dark circles start to show.

The mirror is Cath Kidston. Oh, and the candle is from Sainsbury's. It was only £2.50. 
I'm not a pyromaniac, honestly.

Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Thursday 21 August 2014

Results Day

Uni assignment: Not quite as stupid as I make out, am I?


I'm not trying to be some kind of mediocre lifestyle guru, honestly. Here's my experience of receiving my GCSE and A-Level Results. (You best get your reading glasses out. It's a long one...)

My GCSE grades were average. I got seven Cs, three Bs and one D, which I'll not dwell on. I've always been a Jack-of-all-trades, and it's people who are okay at everything but don't particularly excel at anything that are ignored in a classroom environment. Those who are visibly struggling get help from teachers, so do naughty kids and those who are exceptionally good at subjects get noticed too. Those who are stuck in the middle, muddling their way through GCSEs and A-Levels often get overlooked, which doesn't help their confidence. If you're one of those people, as was I, remember: You're doing just fine.

I'll admit that my A-Level grades were quite bad. To me, they were abysmal, in fact. I'm so ashamed of them even today (five years later), that I shan't admit here what they were, but I still got into my first choice Uni. It's only at Uni that confidence grew and I started to work to the best of my ability, like I never managed at school. In the end, I really knuckled down and graduated last year with a 2:1. So I didn't do too badly in the end, did I?

Moral of that story? It's never too late to pull your socks up and try to excel... You might just surprise yourself.

Don't compare yourself to others. Most of my friends are ridiculously clever and usually put me to shame. I'm proud of them and proud to be their friend, but it doesn't mean to say that I haven't gone through phases of feeling inferior next to their exceptional intelligence and talents. You can only be yourself and achieve what you are capable of.

Let it go. If you're not good at Maths, try your hardest and then move on. Focus on what you're good at and; most importantly, what you enjoy. Not everyone can be good at Maths and Science and there's nothing wrong with being better at Drama and English. Those who tell you otherwise are the stupid ones.

Try and ignore the politics. I know Michael Gove is a tallywacker, to say the least, but he's gone now. (Cue a collective sigh of relief from teachers and students alike). I also know that it's desperately unfair that politicians are moving the goalposts and effectively playing with your lives. I was lucky that I never had to endure this added uncertainty when I took my GCSEs in 2007. You can only do your best, even though they're in ever-demanding circumstances.

Ignore the news. Every single news channel will broadcast live from schools across the land, bombarding you with those special kids who got 20 A*s at GCSE and are now going to study 17 million A-Levels at the best college that's ever existed. Well done to them. They even got to open their magic brown envelope live on TV. You literally can't escape the high achievers; the media LOVE them. It's no use letting that drag you down on what should be a special and memorable day for you (Hopefully for the right reasons...)

So you didn't get into the paper. Okay, so you'll never experience acclaim like having a picture of you literally jumping for joy whilst clutching that once-terrifying brown envelope, but that's alright. At least it won't come back to haunt you in fifteen years time.

It really isn't the end of the world if you fail. So, you got a D in Graphic Products (like I did...). Is it really the end of the world? Will you really need to complete Third Angle Orthographic Projection again in your future career? Or will you just forget it like most things you learned at school? You can retake failed subjects or forget them and move on. Like I said, focus on what you're good at and what you enjoy. I never really liked Graphics that much anyway...

Don't cry. Please don't do this. Embarrassingly, I did this once. I was so disappointed with my AS results that I walked home crying past some builders who clearly thought I'd lost the plot. It's not worth getting too upset about. Everything'll be alright in the end.

And if you passed with flying colours, well done!

Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Wednesday 20 August 2014

Review: La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

I have talked about this before, albeit briefly. In my Spotty Summer Scrapping Schedule, I did promise that I'd go into more detail about the much-lauded Effaclar Duo. So here you go!

The box claims that the product: 'Corrects the appearance of imperfections, unclogs blocked pores and fights against marks.'

'After 24 hours the product is supposed to make imperfections look visibly less red. After 8 days, imperfections should appear significantly reduced. After 4 weeks, pores should look unclogged, skin texture should look refined and this product is supposed to control the appearance of shine.'

I'm not sure that it solved all of the above problems for me, but if you suffer from spots and nothing else seems to work, I'd give this product a go. It's worth a try.

For me, this product seems to work about 50% of the time. Sometimes, it's a miracle product; getting rid of huge, horrid zits within hours. However, at other times, it just doesn't seem to do that much. I've no idea why, but one of my friends uses this product too and has exactly the same problem.

As an aside, it smells quite unusual. I'm really not sure how I'd describe it... You soon get used to it though.

Effaclar Duo balancing on a couple of Shakespeare's Sonnets; which I understand about as well as the instructions...
When I first bought this product, I had no idea how to use it. I didn't know whether it was a moisturiser in its own right or whether it was more of a 'treatment' before moisturising. I saw the instructions and assumed that those would cover the steps...However, the instructions were only in German and French. I'm part-German and studied German at school but that doesn't mean to say that I can translate it word for word... I didn't do French at all, so I'd be absolutely useless. In the end, I had to resort to Googling it and reading instructions from La Roche Posay's website. (Which isn't really ideal, is it?)

It's for use on oily skin and can be used on sensitive skin too. I have the latter, but my skin's more combination than just oily. On its own, I found that it doesn't moisturise those dry parts quite enough. To combat that dryness, I often use this product in conjunction with a small blob of my normal moisturiser, so that my skin's definitely getting the nourishment it needs. 

Obviously at £15.50 for 40ml, it's a pricey product. I thought it was risky to spend so much money on this product, but I wanted to see if it would help my ever-worsening skin. I've made it last for about six weeks, often using it just at night. Obviously, if you use it day and night, as advised, you'd run out considerably quicker.

I've suffered from red skin for years and it's something that I can hide quite well under foundation. This product boasts about eradicating redness and I do believe that my skin is a little less red. After I started using it, I kept on catching my own reflection and seeing that I looked paler, not beetroot-faced like usual. So either I'm ill or it's worked in that respect...

Regarding spots, I'm having fewer breakouts, but I don't know if that's due to lifestyle changes or this product. About three-four weeks into using this product, I had one of the worst breakouts I've ever experienced and had to launch a vicious assault on acne with myriad products; this being one of them. So I'm honestly not sure if it's worked.

It's one of La Roche Posay's flagship products; and I do like it, but I wish that it would've had a more dramatic effect on my skin. Maybe I expected too much from this product, on account of it being expensive and coming from a premium skincare brand?

Will I repurchase? I'm not sure. It's very nearly run out now, but I'm not made of money. As I said, I'm not sure if it has worked; so I'll give myself a break from the product to see if my skin worsens again without it.

Advantages:
  • Good base for makeup,
  • When it works, it's brilliant,
  • Lasts a few weeks,
  • Great for reducing redness.
Disadvantages:
  • Expensive,
  • Doesn't always work,
  • Unusual scent,
  • Can make drier patches of skin a little worse.
Have you tried Effaclar Duo? Did it improve your skin?

Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Tuesday 19 August 2014

All Time Favourites!

Ooooh. How exciting is this? Not very, you could argue... But please don't. I'm going to take you through my top five all time favourite products! Surely you're at least a little excited now...?


Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Yes. Surprise surprise. Ha. I know absolutely EVERYBODY talks about this and adores it, so I won't go into great detail. Suffice to say, I've been using this for years and it's seriously the best concealer I can get my hands on (that isn't too orange) in high street stores.

I buy the lightest shade which is 1 Fair. I mainly use it to conceal the dark circles under my eyes, and I'll let you into a secret: The older I get, the more of this I seem to get through. It's quite depressing really.

This miracle product retails for £4.19, but Boots have it on offer every now and again. The fact that it's quite often out of stock is a testament to how good this is (and how much everybody already knows about it...)

It also covers up spots wonderfully and seems to last pretty much all day. I don't know where I'd be without it.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara
I'm getting better at balancing mascara, aren't I?
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before that this is my favourite EVER mascara. Again, I've been using this for years. Since I was about 17/18 and I'm still using it now at 23. (Yeah, I'm old, I know...)

I know it's not to everyone's taste, but I love this mascara. It gives my eyelashes a dramatic lift and volume to make my eyes noticeable, without making them look too 'spidery'. I normally use Black/Brown because I have blue eyes and I don't want to emphasise them too much for daytime wear. However, the Black is great too.

Granted, at £10.99, it's quite expensive for a high street mascara. However, I'll also let you into another secret, Fragrance Direct are selling it for £7.99... You can thank me later...

Max Factor also offer waterproof and 24 hour versions* of this mascara, but I still tend to opt for the bog-standard one.
*Who's wearing mascara for 24 hours in one go anyway?


Vitapointe Leave-In Conditioner

I really need to buy some more, don't I?
I'm not sure that many people will have heard of this. It's a bit of a hidden gem; tucked away on bottom shelves in Boots.
It costs £2.09 or £2.29, depending on where you shop. You can use this during the day, but I prefer to use it at night as a 'hair mask'. It's a white cream that smells quite 'soapy' to me and it just makes your hair look a lot healthier whilst making it feel softer too.
If you suffer from frizzy hair, this is such a great product to tame it with! It's so understated, but it's honestly a brilliant product and it won't break the bank either!

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Body Lotion
Yellow, gooey bliss in a bottle.
I adore this. It's more of a treat for me, because my daily body lotion is a Boots £1.49 one, on account of me being a cheapskate.
It's bright yellow, super-nourishing and smells gorgeous; quite chocolatey.  As someone who's quite picky when it comes to body lotion, I'm always after a good all-round product and this is probably my favourite 'cheaper' one. One problem is that it's quite difficult to get out of the bottle towards the end, because it's just so gloopy.
It's also supposed to be quite good at reducing the appearance of stretch marks and it's much cheaper than other alternatives which boast about having mark-reducing qualities.

The price normally ranges from about £4-£6, depending on what size bottle you buy.

Anatomicals Body Washes
Sud the Lot of You...
I'm a huge fan of Anatomicals. With their tagline: 'We only want you for your body', they're a comical brand who don't really take themselves too seriously. 
I have a bit of an obsession with their body washes, which I use every day. I've built up quite a collection of them over the past year or so, from 'Sud the Lot of You' and 'You Should Be So Mucky (Mucky, Mucky, Mucky)' to 'Shower to the People'.
They put a great deal of effort in to ensure that the names are funny and the packaging is littered with jokes too. All of the body washes that I've tried smell amazing and they also lather up really well too.

A little goes a long way and a bottle costs between £2 and £3. You can buy them from ASOS, Superdrug and selected Morrisons stores, I believe.

Have you tried any of the above products? Do you love them as much as I do?

Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Monday 18 August 2014

Disappointment - Max Factor Whipped Cream Foundation


If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that a couple of months ago, I reviewed Max Factor's Whipped Cream Foundation in shade 40 Light Ivory. Which you can find, by clicking here.

I remarked upon the fact that it was a tad too dark for my very pale skin. I also remarked that it would be SO good if Max Factor created a lighter shade, and lo and behold, my prayers were soon answered.

I stumbled across a new lighter shade of this foundation on Fragrance Direct (a budget beauty and fragrance website, for those who aren't aware); which was 30 Porcelain. You'd think though, wouldn't you, that this would be ever so slightly lighter? However, to me, it doesn't really appear to be.

30 Porcelain. I thought Porcelain was really white? Not... Orange?
40 Light Ivory. It doesn't look Ivory-coloured, does it?
You'd think that Ivory and Porcelain would translate as just off-white, wouldn't you? But a great number of cosmetics companies seem to continue churning out '50 Shades of Orange' under the guise of 'Porcelain' and 'Ivory'.

I'm gutted. I applied it yesterday and realised quite quickly that I looked like I'd been tangoed... Just the same as with the Light Ivory. If you compare the two pots, they look like the same shade, or at least, uncannily similar.

Boots and Superdrug don't sell the new Porcelain shade, which puzzles me. As I said before, I really like this foundation and I would seriously consider adopting it as my main foundation if Max Factor got their act together and created noticeably lighter shades.
Left: 40 Light Ivory, on the Right: 30 Porcelain.
They look so similar. I can see a slight difference in colour, but only very slight. I'd say that 40 Light Ivory looks 'brown-er' whereas 30 Porcelain looks a bit 'pink-er'. Either way, they're both too dark for my skin. The above photograph actually makes the two shades look more distinguished from each other than they do in real life.

The foundation normally retails for £9.99 and when I bought it last week, Fragrance Direct were selling it for £5.99. I really like the texture and finish of this foundation, so I thought by finding a 'paler' shade which might actually match my almost deathly pallor, I'd struck lucky. Perhaps not, eh?

Have you bought this foundation? Have you found the two shades to be the same? If so, drop me a comment!

Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Friday 15 August 2014

July Favourites!


Is it really that time again? Here are my faves from July!

Sleek Contouring Kit
Teddies need to contour too, you know.

I bought this in light, because I'm so pale... (It's genuinely becoming a catchphrase now...)

It's a fantastic product. Admittedly, I've not really used the bronzer section of this kit, just using the highlighter instead at the moment. I really like it, but I only use it on days where I need a little more sparkle.

The highlighter is sparkly, obviously... The bronzer is a matte one. I'm opting for a shimmery Natural Collection £1.99 bronzer instead at the moment. (Which has lasted absolutely ages and it does seem like it might well outlive me at this point...)

At £6.49 it's a really great value version of contouring kits made by other (much more expensive) brands.

Inecto Coconut Glossing Spray

I LOVE this! I'm not sure if it's readily available. I've been buying it every now and again from Bodycare. It smells amazing. Really coconut-ty. (Obviously.)

I also love this because it makes my hair really shiny. If I'm having a bad hair day, a spritz of this before blow-drying seems to help me to look a little bit less disheveled than usual.

I'd definitely recommend this to people who suffer from the dreaded frizz!


Bourjois Little Round Pot - Shade 54
This is after months of use and there's still loads left!
I've had this for absolutely ages, probably to the point where it's not even hygienic any more? Months. Anyway, I adore this. It's probably my favourite eyeshadow and shade at the moment . I'm really not the most experimental of people when it comes to eyeshadows. (Too dark and my eyes look to small, too light and they just look weird... So I'm picky.)

It's shimmery, but not too much. It's perfect for day and night wear.

The pot has a little mirror and also a little applicator that bends over the mound of product. It closes with a magnet as well, so it ensures that it won't open by accident in your make-up bag, break into a powder and then go everywhere...

Bourjois offer loads of different shades and this product retails at £6.99.

 Palmer's Coco Butter Lip Balm
No, I couldn't be bothered to take it out of the packaging.
This is lovely. I don't know about you, but my lips often dry out quite quickly when the weather's really hot or really cold. I always keep one of these in my coat pocket in the winter and often carry another in my handbag too. They're super moisturising and it tastes amazing! Quite like coconut/chocolate and that's only got to be a good thing, hasn't it?

At £1.89 it's not pricey and they're easily picked up in Boots or other 'drugstores'.

Boots DermaCare Daily Moisturising Lotion
Teddies need moisturising too.

This one's really only for those who suffer from the dreaded dry skin or eczema, like me. It's wonderful. A bottle will easily last me a fortnight or so.

There are different types of this that you can buy which are priced slightly differently. They're coloured-coded though, which helps! Yellow is cheaper than green... About a pound cheaper. It is more watery, but it's much cheaper, so bear that in mind.

The one pictured (green one) currently retails at £3.89, which is why I prefer the yellow one at £2.59.

It's a really well-hidden product. Boots seem to hide their own brand products (which are often really good) on bottom shelves.

Thanks for reading!
Katie
x
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Thursday 14 August 2014

Poorly - Ways to Deal with a Cold

I am so sorry it's been such a long time since I last blogged, it's just I've been a bit ill (if you hadn't already guessed that from the title)... It was my birthday at the start of the month and I was busy celebrating but... just after that I came down with a horrid cold, which I'm only just managing to shift. Urgh.

So, here are some of my best methods of dealing with a pesky cold:

TEA. OBVIOUSLY.
Yes, I like tea. No, you're not having any.
Like a quintessentially English person, one remedy that I wholeheartedly recommend for dealing with a cold is to drink tea. Of course... Herbal teas. Green teas. I'd avoid anything milky though, because it could increase your catarrh levels.

You need plenty of fluids, which you probably already knew and you definitely need to ensure that you keep on eating too, even if you don't really feel like it.

For a sore throat, guzzle a tea with lemon, ginger or honey in it. It'll soothe your throat and the warmth with do you good too.

MOISTURISE.
Yes, that's a Cath Kidston purse. No, I won't lend you a fiver.
Lots, if you can be bothered in your cold-ridden state. I always feel like my skin dries out completely when I've got a cold; but I also get spotty (thanks, skin...) It pays to nourish your skin if it's crying out for moisture. 

I also, like a bit of a weirdo, smear super-moisturising products over my nose, because that's where it dries out the most. With this cold, I opted for Superdrug's Little Soothing Green Tin (which is basically a cheap version of Vaseline's green tin with Aloe Vera). With previous colds, I've used Moa's The Green Balm, which is still relatively unheard of, I think... 

...I bought if from Feel Unique a few months back and it's one of those products where you're not sure exactly what it does... Until I used it around my nose when I had a cold. That's when it really came into its own. It was wonderful. It's quite a bit pricier than the Little Green Tin*, but it's a really nice product. AND, AND, apparently you can drink it as a tea as well! Two problems solved in one!

*£4.99 as opposed to 99p for the Little Soothing Green Tin.

REST.
Yes, that's my bed. No, you may not join me.
Rest, rest, rest. Yes, you have my permission to be as lazy as humanly possible while you've got a cold; because it'll help you recover quicker.

It pays not to push yourself to carry on as normal, which I normally try to do when I'm ill. Just give in a little and give your body a bit of a break. Let your body fight the virus without having to fight you as well.

HAVE A GIGGLE.
Yes, I'm a comedy junkie. No, I'm not ashamed.
Find cats funny? Watch them on YouTube. Adore The Inbetweeners? Get the box set out. It'll do you the world of good. When they said that laughter's the best medicine, they weren't joking. (Cringe.)

So, go on... Pop the kettle on, whip your moisturiser out and relax, snifflebums.
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