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

Liebster Blog Award #2

Back in February I was nominated for a Liebster Blog Award by the lovely Katie, who blogs over at Beauty, Boo and Tea Too. This is the second time my blog has been nominated for the award, and you can read all about it here.

What is the Liebster Award?

The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. So, what is a Liebster?  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. It's a great way to connect with other bloggers and help spread the word about newer blogs.

Rules

1. Link the blog that nominated you
2. Choose 11 bloggers to nominate who have less than 200 followers
3. Answer 11 questions given to you
4. Let the people you nominated know you have done so
5. Create 11 questions for the blogs you nominated
6. You can't nominate the person you nominated you
7. You must follow the blog that nominated you

So here are the questions Katie sent me, and my answers:

• What is your favourite beauty product?
  At the moment I'd say it was the Max Factor Whipped Creme Foundation, it's one of the best foundation's I've tried and it gives a lovely finish.
• What does your blog mean to you?
  I love my blog, it's a place where I get to practice my writing skills and write about all the things I love - something I don't always get to do as part of my Journalism degree. It's a great way to meet new people and find lots of amazing products
• What's your favourite song at the moment?
  That's a hard one! There's so many, I usually have a playlist of about 20 songs which I listen to on repeat but if I had to pick one for right now it would be Be My Only by FM Radio
• When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
  I think a friend and I planned to have our own beauty salon, we even drew plans of what it would like haha! 
• Did you make any new years resolutions, and have you stuck to them?
  I didn't make any proper ones but I wanted to try and be more motivated this year and I'm really trying. I've started to blog more, go to the gym, tried to eat a bit healthier and get stuck into my university work
• If you were a Disney character which character would you be?
  I think I'd like to be Cinderella
• If you had to describe yourself in three words what would they be?
  Creative, thoughtful and determined
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
  I'd love to be working in London, in a media based job - perhaps writing for a magazine or working in PR.
• What is your most prized possession?
  Sentimentally it would be my photographs and the toy bunny my grandma gave to me the day I was born. Money-wise it would be my laptop - because it has absolutely everything on!
• What's your guilty pleasure?
  Long, hot bubble baths with a good book
• If you could have any superpower what would it be?
  I would love to be able to read people's minds and know what they were really thinking, you'd want to be able to turn a power like that on and off though because it would be pretty annoying to have to hear everything all the time!

Okay, so I'd like to nominate: 

ChattyNics,

The Beauty Swatch 

Sophie Says 

Liverpool Lashes

Alexandra Quinn

ChantellEve

Blog de Sherrell

Fearless Vogue

Lady Brunette

Touch Of Belle

Ellie's Beauty Edit

Here are my questions for you:

1. What are your five favourite beauty products?
2. If you could go on holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go?
3. What is your favourite book?
4. What was the last film you watched, and what did you think of it?
5. Favourite candy?
6. What inspired you to start blogging?
7. What beauty products have you splurged on?
8. Top three blogs you read all the time?
9. Where do you hope to be in five years time?
10. What is one of your favourite memories?
11. What is your favourite thing you own?

Good Luck! I look forward to reading all your answers!

Beth xx

Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Top Coat

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat £5.99

A few months ago I shared the Sally Hansen No Chips Acrylic top coat with you all, and I was incredibly disappointed with the formula. Not only did it make my nail polish crack and chip, but it actually damaged it more than wearing no top coat at all. The experience did put me off Sally Hansen a little bit, but I've heard so many positives about the brand from friends, family and other beauty bloggers that it was difficult not to go back and try a different product. Plus I would hate to write a brand off completely just on one bad performance.
The first time I tried this top coat I actually borrowed it off my housemate, who blogs here, and I was really impressed with it! It completely made up for my bad experience with the No Chips Acrylic Top Coat, and more! If like me you are too impatient to wait for your polish to dry, or if even when it seems dry you still manage to smudge it, then this is the perfect product for you.
As it says on the bottle Insta-Dri is a clear top coat which you can apply to freshly painted nails to "instantly dry" them. I was a sceptical when I first tried this top coat, I thought there was no way it could dry my polish s quickly but it has worked every time. All you need to do is apply your nail polish (after you've put on a base coat of course), wait two minutes, and then apply a single coat of Insta-Dri and in a minute or so your nails will be completely dry! The top coat also contains UV filters, which helps protect your manicure and prevent nail colour from fading. Definitely worth the £5.99, just for the frustration it has saved me with ruined nails.
The only downside I've found with this product is that towards the end of the bottle it can tend to get a little sticky and tacky. I'm not sure why this is, maybe it's the drying properties, but if you try and apply it when it's like that it will ruin your polish. So just go out and get another bottle! You can buy Insta-Dri at Boots and Superdrug stores, or online here and here.

Have you tried the Insta-Dri top coat? What did you think?

Beth xx

Weekly Wishlist 001

I was going to title this post "March Wishlist" but there's so many lovely things out there that I want at the moment I didn't think it would all fit into one post. On another note, how is it March already! This year is flying by so quickly it makes me sad, I don't know whether it's because I only have a few more months left of university and I don't want it to end or because there's so much I need/want to do that it's making the time go faster. The only thing I'm hoping that is on it's way quicker is the better weather! We are in desperate need of some sun, and I want my spring wardrobe to start making an appearance. It's definitely one of my favourite seasons and it's definitely inspired this week's wishlist.

1. Blue Longline Relaxed Boyfriend Blazer: £35.00 As soon as I saw this blazer I fell in love. Baby blue, as you can tell from the rest of my wishlist, is one of my favourite colours! It's perfect for spring and this blazer is so versatile, it would look great with a dress or teamed with skinny jeans and heels.

2. Black Ditsy Floral Belted Playsuit: £19.99 Florals make up a great deal of my wardrobe, and this playsuit would make a welcome addition. I love the structured look of this playsuit, with it's belted waist, I think it would be a great shape for anyone. The red belt also adds a lovely pop of colour.

3. Navy Cut Out Polka Dot Playsuit: £25.00 I already own one polka dot playsuit, but this one is so cute I couldn't resist. It's the perfect transitional outfit for spring/summer: great during in the days with sandals and a denim jackets and then swap the shoes for some heels, ditch the jacket and you're ready for a girls night out.

4. Mini Tulle Skirt: £15.00 this skirt reminds me partly of one I used to wear when I was really little and partly of my younger sister's ballet skirt. Pink is not usually a colour I go for, but this is so pretty with the tulle overlay that I think it would make a great addition to anyone's summer wardrobe.

5. Pale Blue Gemstone Statement Necklace: £12.00 this necklace combines my love of pastel colours (blue, mint and yellow) with flowers. Everyone loves a statement necklace but this one is just a little bit dainter, making it the perfect partner for all sorts of outfits.

6. Light Blue Satchel: £28.00 The final baby blue item (for today), satchels are my favourite type of bag because they're so versatile and, to be honest, really pretty. Of course the colour caught my eye with this one, but the mini size makes it perfect for everyday use.

What items have made it on to your weekly wishlist?

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 

Life Lately #2

Celebrating handing in my Major Project with my closest friends

It's hard to believe that this is my first ever post of 2014, and I apologise for being M.I.A for the last few months, I've been swamped with uni work and, if I'm honest, I lost all motivation to blog in general. It's taken me a couple of weeks to get round to writing this post because I wasn't sure whether I wanted to come back to my blog at all, I'm in that difficult place we all get to once in a while where I'm not really sure what I want to do after university and where my life is heading, it's quite a scary thought but I've decided to try and get back to blogging a few times a week because it's something I enjoy, and something I can actually do just for me. So here's a little run down of what I've been up to since September!

1) My final year of university! I cannot believe how fast the last two years have gone, and now I only have about 3-4 more months left before I hand in my dissertation and uni is officially over! It's terrifying not knowing what I will be doing in a few months time - I've always been a person who meticulously plans everything to the last detail - but hopefully all the hard work will pay off. Journalism is a very difficult industry to break into, so I'm under no illusions about walking into the perfect job straight away (as lovely as that would be) but I love to write, and it's all I've wanted to do.
2) Final year project For the last four months I've been working on my final year project - which you can view here - all about elderly people and malnutrition. It was really interesting, but the most stressful thing I've done to date. While I was putting it together I was a bit upset that it hadn't turned out perfectly, but looking back now it's handed in I'm really proud about what I was able to achieve by myself.
3) Dissertation This has got be one of the most horrifying words ever! I've just started writing my first draft so I'm currently bogged down reading some very serious books and journals - another reason I can't wait to get back to blogging to have a fun break!
4) Work, work, work As I mentioned in one of my older blog posts, I've been working at a cookshop for the past five months. It's something I really enjoy - as you've probably noticed from recipe posts on this blog I love to bake! - and it's only one day a week so perfect to balance with uni work.

So hopefully this is me back to blogging more full time now! I can't wait to get out and start finding lots of beauty gems to share with you all.

Beth xx