Weekly Wishlist | 004

This week has just flown by! I actually have some pretty exciting news to share with you all... I've just got my first job! Well, six month internship actually but, it's a start, it's paid, it's in London and it's in an industry I love. I can't believe how lucky I am! Another post will be up soon explaining some more details, but for now here's a little peek at some of the products I'm lusting after this month.

Weekly Wishlist | 003

Thank God it's Friday (and payday)! Am I right?! Over the last couple of weeks the summer sales have started in earnest, and loads of gorgeous beauty products and fashion lines have been launched in stores - or so it feels like. Somehow I've managed to narrow this weeks list down to just five items, otherwise the post would have gone forever. This week I've lusting products that will give me healthy, glowing skin and summer nail polishes

My Top Three | Beauty Sins

Image by Rozzhew

Just because I'm a beauty junkie, obsessively read blogs and beauty articles and am constantly on the lookout for new products to try does not mean my routine is always top notch. Infact some parts of my beauty regimen leave a lot to be desired, and I've shared my Top Three Beauty Sins here with you.

1) Using my fingers to apply my foundation
I know using a brush or sponge leaves you with a more flawless foundation application but I still often find myself skipping this important step. Sometimes I can't help but grab my foundation and quickly use my fingers to apply a layer instead of a brush. I think investing in the right tools for each of my different bases will help solve this problem.

2) Forgetting to take my make up off
This is part laziness by also partly due to self-esteem issues. I've suffered with acne since I was about 15 years old, and while I'm lucky that it's calmed down and not left any scars I still feel self-conscious going completely bare faced. In the beginning of our relationship, I would never let my boyfriend see me without make up. I would go to sleep with a full face, before jumping up in the morning to wipe it off and reapply it before he could see. Of course, this was terrible for my skin, so soon I started taking it off bit by bit and now I can go make up free in front of him without any issues.

3) Keeping my brushes clean
I think this one is something that a lot of make up lovers can associate with. When I do use brushes to apply my make up - namely powder, blushers and eye shadows - I leave them languishing in their stand for weeks on end. I often look at my brushes and I know I should wash them, but I always forget to set aside ten minutes a week to give a deep cleanse.

So there's my Top Three Beauty Sins! Do you find yourself doing the same, or do you have different ones? 

Beth xx

Weekly Wishlist 002

Weekly Wishlist 002 

Another week that's just flown by! This week I've tried really hard to be motivated; going to the gym, blogging and sharing all the time, and most importantly keeping up with the dreading dissertation. So this morning I decided to treat myself to a bit of online shopping (read: online window browsing) and these are just some of the beauty items I'm lusting after at the moment. (From l-r)

1) Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream: £29.00 I've loved Smashbox ever since I tried their Photo Finish Foundation Primer, which is one of the best primers I've ever used, and I'd love to try out this CC Cream next. £29 is quite a lot to shell out for one product, but when it comes to foundations/BB creams/CC creams and the like, I think if it's something you're wearing everyday it's worth spending a few more pennies. I'd also like to switch to something lighter for the spring and give my skin a chance to heal from its latest breakout!

2)No7 Peony Petals Blush Palette: £12.00 No picture online can do this palette justice, I've seen it in store and it is absolutely stunning. The background colour is lovely warm pink, in the foreground you have a dusky rose colour and the back to shimmery gold petals to highlight. Three products in one for just £12, what more could a girl ask for!

3) Essie Nail Polish Twinkle-Belle Duo Kit: £12.99 I always love the little kits that Essie come out, they're really well put together and the colours complement each other perfectly. In the Twinkle-Belle kit you get a Crème-de-Menthe green and a multidimensional top coat in incadescent pink. Wear alone, wear together, it's up to you.

4) Marc Jacobs Honey Eau de Parfum 30ml: £39.00 This perfume has been in stores for a while now, but I still can't resist a spritz whenever I pop into my local Boots. I'm not much of a perfume girl - I stick to my two favourite DKNY fragrances - but this lovely summery floral scent. With top notes of green pair and juicy mandarin, it's very fresh and energetic, and the honey scent isn't overpowering at all.

5) Barry M Aquarium Nail Effects: £3.99 each Barry M is my favourite nail polish of all time, and one day I am determined to own every shade they have! I saw these on Twitter yesterday and I instantly thought it was such a pretty collection for summer. There are four mirror tone shades and two glitter top coats in the range, perfect for creating that mermaid look.

Have you tried out any of these? What beauty products are on your wishlist this week?

Beth xx

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - £4.99
(Currently available at Asda for £3.33)

I've always struggled with finding an effective make up remover, most them - even Simple - are far too harsh for me and dry out the delicate skin around my eyes leaving them feeling tender and painful.
Micellar Water was the beauty buzzword a few months back, with every blog raving about them and every company releasing one, but this is the first time I've actually tried the product. They contain micelles, which act as magnets to draw away make-up, dirt and impurities from the skin. I picked up this one by Garnier in my local Asda store for the bargain price of £3.33. To be honest with you, it was a bit of an impulse purchase. I knew I was running out of make up remover and I couldn't see anything on the shelf that took my fancy, and met my sensitive skin needs.
I've tried out this cleansing water for the past few days now and I have to say it is on it's way to becoming on of my favourite cleansers of all time! A big claim, but this stuff really does the job. I use this Micellar Water at twice a day as part of cleansing time - a third time if I've just come back from the gym - and it so gentle and refreshing, perfect for even the most sensitive of skin types. I find that one or two cotton pads dampened with Micellar Water is enough to remove all traces of make-up, including waterproof mascara.
Another thing I love about this product is the size of the bottle. Most make up removers come in tiny, little bottles which I go through in no time at all where as the Garnier Micellar Water comes in a whopping 400ml, enough for 200 uses - or so the bottle claims.
You can buy Garnier Micellar water at your local Boots or Superdrug store, or online here for £4.99.

Have you tried Micellar Water before? What's your favourite brand?

Beth xx

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo*

Corrective and unclogging spot treatment*

3ml sample size*

I can never say no to a freebie! If an email lands in my inbox telling me about a free sample, and all I have to do is sign up to the website, then I'm there! Of course it means my inbox gets buried in newsletter emails and like, but on the plus side it means I get to test out some fab products like the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo.
This is one of the best quick spot treatments I've ever tried and, trust me, I've tried a lot. As I've mentioned before I've suffered from acne for the past five years so a lot of my top spends are on skincare which promises to clear your skin and leaving you blemish free. I've tried endless bottles of face wash, lotion, creams and toners and it's very rare that'll you find one that will consistently work for you. Now I'm 20 a lot of the highstreet ranges targeted at blemish prone skin are far too harsh for me, because they're designed for teenage skin which can face a bit more of the oil-stripping tendencies they come with.
This is the first time I've tried something from the La Roche-Posay range so I was excited when this sample landed on my doorstep. I've heard nothing but good things about the brand throughout the blogosphere so my expectations were high, and I have to admit I was not disappointed.
The Effaclar Duo is a targeted spot treatment designed to help unclog pores and correct imperfections. It has the same texture and consistency of a light everyday moisturiser, and I apply to this a particularly bad spots at least a couple times a day. Unlike other highstreet spot treatments it doesn't leave your skin feeling dry and tender, in fact my skin has felt much softer and smoother skin I started applying this cream. The light consistency also means I'd have no trouble dabbing this on over make-up if I felt a spot coming up in the day.

La Roche-Posay have just released a newer version of the Effaclar Duo, called Effaclar Duo+, which I can't wait to try. You can buy the new formula in Boots stores and online, or from the Escentual website.

Have you tried the La Roche-Posay range? What's your favourite product?

Beth xx

Max Factor Whipped Creme Foundation

I hope you all had a great pancake day yesterday! I was by myself this year, but I still whipped up a stack of pancakes which I ate while watching When Harry Met Sally - not as fun as last years pancake day, but still a nice evening. Today I'm sharing my thought's on Max Factor's Whipped Creme Foundation, a product which I have been using for a couple of months now.

Max Factor Whipped Creme Foundation

Swatch: Light Ivory (40)

This foundation reminds me of the first time I bought my first proper "grown-up" foundation, the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse. I think I must have been about 15, shopping with my mum and swatching loads of foundations to try and find the right shade for my skin tone. I remember being so excited to be allowed to wear actual make up for the first time - the truth is I was so nervous putting it on that it probably looked like I was wearing nothing anyway!
Unfortunately I did my usual blogging thing with this product: bought it and got so excited about using it that I forgot to take any pictures! So I'm doing more a look-back review, and seeing as I use it everyday I feel I know everything about this foundation.
I've always loved mousse foundations, they're light, easy to apply and really blendable. The only downside is sometimes they can get a bit cakey if you try and layer it on. Although the website recommends applying it with a foundation brush, I prefer to blend it with my fingertips because otherwise the coverage is far too heavy for me. The hydrating formula means it's perfect during the winter when your skin can start to dry out (unsightly dry patches? Anyone else?) but it's light and dewy enough to keep using right throughout spring/summer. As an added extra bonus it's also oil and fragrance-free, so suitable for even those sensitive types. I loved this foundation so much that I've already picked up my third pot - my sister pinched the second one for her make up stash, so it must be good!
You can pick up a pot from Superdrug or Boots stores or online here and here.

What's your favourite type of foundation? Have you tried the Whipped Creme Foundation from Max Factor yet?

Beth xx 

Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer

COLLECTION 2000 CONCEALERS

My little sister actually introduced me to this concealer after seeing beauty vloggers rave about it on Youtube. Personally, I think it's nice to see beauty bloggers raving about a drugstore product. Everyone is so caught up in high end beauty pieces that they forget that there are some really good high street products out there as well. At £4.19 this a concealer that everyone can afford, and one that actually works. 

Now apologies for the bad picture, I wanted to take some of my own but unfortunately the black writing on the tube has already started to smudge with continued use. It's quite disappointing, considering I've only had the concealer for about 3 weeks, but that is the downside sometimes of high street beauty products - the packaging isn't as always a good quality as some of the more expensive items.

This liquid concealer provides good medium coverage that can be applied directly to problem areas with a foot applicator. This concealer is best at covered up dark circles and red marks rather than spots, as too much coverage can make it look cakey. I prefer to use my Revlon Photoready concealer, which is a thicker stick consistency to cover up any raised blemishes. I've also found that this concealer really does last, with some you can find them slipping after only a few hours and revealing the imperfections you wanted to hide, but with Collection 2000 I don't need to worry. I can apply my make up in the morning and go about my day without worrying if my blemishes are on show. This has also been excellent at hiding my dark circles, an unfortunate by products of late night studying at uni.

There are four shades available, light, fair, medium and deep. I usually class myself as fair skinned but even I found the light and fair shades fare too pale for me so I went for medium instead. Again there might not be as many shade choices as some higher end brands but if you are looking for a good basic concealer that can actually, well, conceal then this one will do the job for you without breaking the bank.

Have you tried the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer?

Beth xx

Beauty Wishlist #1

Beauty Wishlist #1 

There's rarely a time where I am not lusting after new make up. A new season means new trends and my wish list growing ever longer. I have to admit I don't follow trends too passionately, I prefer to stick with what suits me, I don't believe you should wear something just because it's "in". Here's a few beauty pieces which I currently have my eye on.

Nails Inc Autumn Winter Collection feat: Old Bond Street (violet), St Martins Lane (deep wine), Oxford Street (toffee nude) and Regent Street (glossy grape): £25.00

Okay, so I really don't need any more nail polishes but I can't help myself. I really need to invest in an acrylic stand soon, my storage box is pretty but it's a right pain to try and find the right polish. This autumn is all about rich, deep colours which I just love for nails. I think my favourite is St Martins Lane because I adore berry shades and this would take you all the way through winter. I've never tried Nails Inc polishes but I love the range of shades they offer so I think a bottle could should make it's way into my collection soon.

Benefit Rockateur: £23.50

The latest in Benefit's famous box-o-powder range. Rockateur is a gorgeous shimmery rose gold which I think will be incredibly flattering.It's only recently been released but already the blogsphere is a-buzz with positive reviews. I'm not one to follow the hype but I genuinely think this is beautiful, I'm a bit worried the shimmer will look bad on my combination skin but luckily my cheeks aren't oily.

MAC Rebel: £15.00

I've have been driving my friends insane telling them I want to try a plum lipstick but it's just trying to find a flattering shade which is the difficult part. I'm quite fair skinned so I don't want something super dark, but I have quite full lips so I can pull off a statement colour. I saw Rebel on another beauty blog and thought how stunning it was, I was able to see from the swatches it was the perfect in-between shade I was looking for to start autumn.

Pixi Lip Blush in Energy: £12.50

This Lip Blush is a light coral apricot, which seems completely at odds with the MAC shade I picked but I genuinely do think this is a lovely colour and something which is much more wearable everyday. It's a lip stain which means the colour will sit on your lips, usually, for much longer than a stick or gloss.

ARTDECO Illuminating Shimmer Cream in Golden Glow or Bronzed Glow: £10.25

Just because summer is over doesn't mean we have to say goodbye to gorgeous glowing skin. I prefer golden based highlighters myself as I think they look more natural so I would go for Golden Glow. I used to love the highlighter from Benefit but now I find it's just a bit too glittery for me so I would love to try out this ARTDECO one instead.

Clinique Superprimer: £20.00

Last but by no means least on the beauty wishlist is the new Superprimer form Clinique. I tested this out in Boots a few weeks ago and it was lovely. So soft and silky, it glided on like a dream. I love trying new primers, they're probably one of the only beauty products, along with foundation, that I don't mind splashing out on. There are several in the range but most are designed for colour correcting, because my main problem is an oily t-zone the lady at the Clinique counter recommended the universal shade.

What beauty products are on your wish list for autumn?

Beth xx

Ecotools fresh and flawless 5 piece complexion set

We all know the importance of keeping our make-up brushes clean. Or do we? I'll admit, I'm awful with mine. I don't mean to be, I look at my brushes sat on the shelf and think "I really should give those a clean" but then the day goes by and I forget again.
Dirty make-up brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to blocked pores, bad breakouts and even infections. It's amazing - and quite disgusting really - when you actually do run your brushes under the tap how much make-up comes out of them. I had to wash my powder brush twice yesterday because it turned the water such a questionable shade of brown.

While I was in town today getting my laptop fixed I decided to pick up a new set of brushes, the only problem I have is that some of them are so expensive. Some of the top brands are £25-£30+ each, or £109 for a Dior set!, which is quite a bit of money. I'm always thinking that with that cash I could buy something lovely from Topshop or several beauty pieces.
That's why I was so pleased to see this lovely set from Ecotools in my local Boots. It specifically designed for your complexion which is really handy for me because I don't wear a lot of eye make-up very often and I'm more concerned about getting a smooth, as-close-to-perfect base that I can.

The brushes in the fresh and flawless complexion set, like all Ecotools products, are made with soft cruelty free bristles and sleek bamboo handles. But what I love about these is the aluminium ferrules around the top of each brush. They're made of recycled materials and designed by an artist, each brush has a different colour so hopefully the longer you use them you'll be able to remember which brush is which! The box even comes with a handy guide so you can apply your make-up properly with each brush.
I can't wait to try out the set tomorrow morning and see if it helps my make-up look better and last longer. There are five brushes in the set: flat concealer, buffing concealer, precision foundation, complexion blending and full powder, a lot more for a girl that usually uses her hands, a powder brush and blusher!

If you like these brushes then you can buy them here for £11.95 or at your local Boots store.

Beth xx

Umberto Giannini extreme taming spray

Umberto Giannini extreme taming spray *

Hello, I hope you're all well. Today I'm sharing a product that, unfortunately, I was very disappointed with. I have very thick, wavy hair so I'm always on the look out for products that promise to bring me the sleek, shiny and (most importantly) straight hair do I desire. I remember the first time the hairdresser straightened my hair for me, I had such tight waves at the root that I had to have two people straightening my hair at the same time! That was nearly six years ago now, so years of daily straightening (and growing my hair out long again) have helped to tame the waves but not enough that I could simply blowdry it and walk out the door.
This bottle was part of our goody bag from the Cosmpolitan Careers Masterclass so I was really looking forward to trying it. 3 days of frizz free hair just seems too good to be true doesn't it, and while the product did stand up to the label for me it just wasn't worth hassle.
The spray is heat activated, so you can use it both before a blow dry and before you straighten you hair. The only problem I found , and it may be just because I have thick hair, was that the spray started to dry in your hair before you could properly blow dry it. And when I say dry, I mean dry ROCK HARD! I had to - very painfully - drag a brush through my hair and try to separate it so I could finish blowdrying it. It's even worse when you spray it into dry hair and try to straighten it. Although I did find it helped to keep my hair a bit more frizz free than usual the results weren't worth the extra time I had to spend drying and straightening my hair, maybe if it was a special occasion I would use this but it won't be going in my everyday collection. I think I will probably be trying some other products from the Frizzi collection as I think the shampoo and conditioner may be more up my street.
You can buy Umberto Giannini ultra taming spray online here, or in some Boots stores for £5.99

Have you tried the ultra taming spray? What did you think of it?

Beth xx

Bourjois blush

Bourjois Blush £7.49

Now here's a product that you won't see on my blog very often, it's not that I have anything against blusher it's just because I don't wear it very often so I'm wary off ending up looking like a clown! Maybe I should just learn to apply blusher properly and then I wouldn't have this problem. A couple of weeks ago Superdrug were running an offer where if you spent £12 on Bourjois you could get a free little round blusher pot, seeing as I needed to get some face powder anyway I thought I might as well make it up to the amount and then I would get to test a new product out for free.
First of all how cute is the packaging! Bourjois is celebrating it's 150th birthday - 1.5.0 that is amazing - so they have bought out these really cute little vintage pots, it's the same design as their regular little round pots of blush (or eyeshadow for that matter) but with a new silhouette sticker. Personally I think they should keep it like this for all their products but it's nice to own something a little different.

I also love that the little brushes are included with the blush, one less think to try and pack into a make up bag, and the little mirror makes it perfect for touch ups on the go. Because the brush is rounded it not only sits perfectly in the pot, it also picks up just the right amount of powder to sweep on to the apples of your cheeks. The product also has a lovely, subtle rose scent, which I only realised recently, but it's a nice touch.

As you can see from the swatch - and apologies for the poor quality - Rose Ambre is a fairly light, dusky pink that doesn't leave a pink stain on your cheeks. You need to layer it up to get a rosy glow but I don't mind that because it allows me to control how much I want to wear. I really love the shade of this blush though, I think the pink tones really suit my fair skin and bring out a natural glow where as some blushers can be really heavy. Because of the baked texture, the powder is ultra-fine and extremely easy to blend on to skin.

Apologies for the picture, it's the only decent one I have of me wearing the Bourjois blush. Recently I've been layering it up with the Revlon Baby Stick to add a highlight to my cheekbone, but you can read my review about that here.
All in all I'm very happy with this blush and I'm glad I tried it. It's much better than the one I was using before from Neal's Yard Remedies, it was a lovely colour I'm just not a big fan of loose powder products.
You can buy Bourjois blushers online from Superdug or Boots and also in store, for £7.49, there are 12 shades available so I'm sure you will be able to find the right shade for your skin tone.

What's your favourite Bourjois product?

Beth xx

Origins super spot remover

Origins Super Spot Remover £13.00

Hello everyone, hope you're all well, looks like the nice weather has lasted past the weekend so I'm pretty happy. I didn't blog yesterday because in all honesty I was feeling pretty rubbish after the birthday celebrations (haha) and I had an assignment due that needed finishing.
Origins super spot remover is one of my all time favourite products and part of my night time routine. I have struggled with my skin for several years, it's oily, my make-up is always sliding off and I suffer with regular acne breakouts in my t-zone. I started medication for my spots when I was 15, and I'm now on my third treatment from the doctors and while I'll be the first to admit that my skin texture and type has improved vastly over the last four years I still feel that it needs an extra boost now and then and that's where this spot treatment for Origins comes in. Like most spot treatments it contains salicylic acid which speeds up the healing time, although it also means it might cause a slight sting on your skin, especially if you try and use it on open spots. It also contains caffeine to calm the skin and red algae to visibly reduce redness, super exfloiaters (whatever they are!) are also designed elminiate excess oil and skin blogging dirt. I am very impressed with this product as I find it really helps to attack and heal my skin in quite a short amount of time, I'm not going to lie and say that you can put this on in the morning and by the evening all your spots will be gone (if that was true I think it would be a lot more expensive!) but it will reduce spot size and redness over the day, and in a couple of days you will find your blemish fading. But even if it doesn't work in a few hours, I am still happy to invest in this product as you only need a tiny dab for each spot and it really does work in the end, unlike those spot treatments which claim to heal them within four hours.
You can buy Origins super spot remover online here, also available in some departments stores such as Debenhams, Beales or House of Fraser.

What is your favourite Origins product?

Beth xx

DHC deep cleansing oil

Deep Cleansing Oil *

Hello! It's another beautiful day here in Bournemouth, looks like Spring is finally here at last although I don't know how long it will actually last! I'm off to a friend's 20th birthday this evening so I'm spending the afternoon getting ready for that - who doesn't love a good pampering session? Last night I fell asleep still wearing my make-up - I know, it's terrible but everyone does it once in a while don't they - so I thought it was a good chance to test out this cleansing oil. It's not something I'd buy myself because I'm wary of using oil based products on my skin because it's already oily enough, but the bottle was actually part of our goody bags when I went to Cosmopolitan Careers Masterclass so I figured I might as well give it a go anyway. The cleansing oil contains a blend of olive oil to hydrate and vitamin E to moisturise. A couple of pumps should be enough to massage into dry skin, dissolving make-up, dirt and other impurities.
I wasn't super impressed with this product though, it feels really strange the first time you use it because it's literally like rubbing cooking oil into your face and that's a feeling I just can't get used to. It claims to dissolve make-up but in my opinion I don't think it does much of a better job than a normal facial cleanser. If you have dry or sensitive skin then this might be an ideal product for you because it does really very gentle and ultra-moisturising on your skin., I just don't think it's the right for me.
You can buy DHC Cleansing Oil online here. This sized bottle (70ml) is £11 and a full sized (200ml) is £21.50

What do you think of cleansing oils?

Beth xx

Phil Smith Hair Transforming Cream

Phil Smith Hair Transforming Cream *

Another cheeky free gift from this month's edition of Cosmopolitan, I have to say they've been really good with their samples lately. Anyway on to more important things. Now this little bottle makes a lot of big claims but does it live up to the hype?
I've spent more than my fair share of pennies of so called miracle products which claim to rescue dry, damaged hair - I've haven't exactly been kind to my hair over the years ever since I discovered the joys of hair straighteners - so I was a little bit sceptical when the bottle claimed it would "transform" my hair and leave it feeling "unbelievably silky . But I was actually pleasantly surprised. You only need to apply a pea sized amount to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair before blow-drying as normal. It actually really helped my split ends (I haven't had my hair cut in over 6 months eek) and my hair felt much easier to straighten. I know make sure I use it every time I blowdry my hair because I think it really makes a difference. Plus a full size bottle is only £10.99 which I think is really good, because I don't know about you but I find that any products with argan oil tend to be pretty high priced.
Available to buy here online for £10.99. Sainsbury stores also stock Phil Smith products.

Have you tested out any Phil Smith products?

Beth xx