5 Quick Beauty Reviews!

Hey hey! I've got a jam packed schedule of 'things to blog about' at the moment, and there isn't enough days in a week to be able to post about every single thing that I want to separately. Solution: Do a 5-in-1 post! This might become a regular thing, or it might be a one off ..we'll see how busy life gets. Here is a run down with some quick overviews of 5 different products, enjoyyy!

Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon - Red Sunrise

Bourjois 1 Sec Nail Varnish - Meli Melon

Stila Smudge Pot - Kitten

Vaseline 'Spray & Go Body' Moisturiser - Cocoa Radiant

Elemis White Flower Eye & Lip Make Up Remover*

Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon
Sorry to be the last person still blogging about the Color Boost Lip Crayons from Bourjois, but I haven't talked about them properly yet and I really want to express how much I like them. I have just two of the four shades and Red Sunrise is definitely my favourite of the two I have. Whoever said that these give a 'light wash of colour' was talking crazy, because this one definitely doesn't! The colour pay off with Red Sunrise is a long, long way from sheer and it doesn't take much to build up a very intense and bold statement lip colour. I love the novelty of the crayon style applicator (I'm not bored of them yet!), and I love how creamy and moisturising this is on the lips. The finish has a very strong pinky red colour and is pretty glossy too - definitely one for a statement lip! These aren't like a typical balm-stain hybrids because I don't find it to leave much trace of a stain behind at all, but the colour does last for quite a few hours after the initial glossiness has worn off. These claim 10 hours of moisture on the lips, and I'm not convinced that it lasts that long, but these are definitely one of, if not the most moisturising lip colours that I own. (£7.99)

Bourjois 1 Second Nail Varnish
Another hit for Bourjois this summer is their 1 Second Gel nail varnishes. Again, I just have two of the colours: Meli Melon and Turquoise Block - both absolutely stunning summer colours. I'm going to have to get some darker shades for the autumn now! These are similar to the Barry M Gelly-Hi Shine varnishes in texture with the way that they look flawlessly opaque after just one coat, and dry down super fast to a thick and glossy finish so that they look like gel nails. The incredibly wide brushes of these (not to everybody's tastes) makes the job even quicker as just one stroke with the brush coats the whole nail at once. Using these gives hands down the quickest, easiest and fuss free manicure ever!(£7.99)

Stila Smudge Pot
I am so mad that I spent £13 on a make up item that I hate. Does anybody want it? You're welcome to buy it from me! Everybody knows that Kitten is Stila's most popular eyeshadow shade and everybody loves it, and cream shadows are the new best thing on the block, so I obviously assumed that combining the two would be a fantastic idea.. but nope. The issue is not the shade of Kitten (Kitten is gorgeous light champagne/pink colour), the problem it is the formula and consistency of the Smudge Pot. I've tried using all sorts of different brushes from different brands, and tried with my fingers the most, but I just cannot seem to get this to work. I imagined the texture to be similar to that of the Maybelline Color Tattoos: soft and easy to blend, but this seems to be really thick and like a paste with uneven lumps through out it and it is difficult to get a good colour pay off at all. I've even tried warming the product by rubbing it in my finger tips for a long time but it still just isn't applying in the dream-like fashion I'd have hoped for. Maybe I got a faulty batch or something? Or am I just dong something totally wrong with this? (£13.00)

Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser

I was sucked into the hype and craze over these Vaseline spray moisturisers and at first I did feel very excited and impressed by them, I now just feel very indifferent towards them. I love the smell (Mm cocoa), and I think the concept is great as well because the continuous aerosol like spray does make it very easy to coat all parts of your body in seconds - your legs can be done and dusted in the time that it takes for you to move the can from hip to toe, and it even means that you can moisturise your back! (Something I don't think I've ever done?). It does sink into the skin quick enough for you to put your clothes on straight away, but the reason that I feel indifferent towards this is because of it's actual moisturising abilities. It doesn't claim to be the most intense and deeply moisturising formula in the world, but I'm not convinced it's doing a whole lot for my skin? It's okay to use every now and again, but my skin needs a stronger dose of moisture than what Vaseline is offering with this! Good try though! (£4.99)

Elemis White Flowers Eye & Lip Make Up Remover*

I'm not really much of a heavy eye make up wearer and mascara is usually my limit on a day-to-day basis, so regular cleansers or even just Bioderma will whip that from my lashes at the end of the day no problem. But, there are occasions, such as nights out etc, where the gel liner comes out, lashing of mascara are piled on, plus eyeshadow, and so on ..and this is a nightmare to remove, especially when your drunk tired and just want your head on the pillow! Elemis' first make-up remover dedicated for eyes and lips is a bi-phase make up remove (oil phase to remove, water phase to cleanse) and it will make light work of anything on your lids, lashes and lips - anything. It's very gentle on the eye area, cooling, refreshing and also conditioning. It leaves a little bit of an oily residue, but nothing compared to Clinique's Take The Day Off, and leaves the skin around the eyes (and lips) feeling calm, refreshed, and most of all clear from make up! It's more money that I would spend on a make up remover considering how much use I actually get from these things, but if this is the sort of thing you'd use then I'd recommend this from Elemis over any of it's competitors. (£19.00)

What did you think of my 5 Quick Beauty Reviews post?

Was it too long? Is a 5-in-1 too much?

Leave me a comment and let me know!

Thanks for reading! 

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook *PR Sample --- Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog: Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk ♥

Mac 'Impassioned' Lipstick

Can we all just take a quick moment to express our anger at Mac raising their prices ..again?! A lipstick from Mac will now set you back a whole £15.00. Yes, three times the price of your average highstreet lipstick. *Gasp*. But, Mac is Mac and they'll always have customers, no matter how much they may be bleeding us dry. So now we will continue what we, as regular warm blooded females, will always do anyway, and that is to admire the wonder and beauty of a Mac lipstick. The one I have to show to you today is Impassioned.

Impassioned is an amplified finish lipstick that I purchased in duty free way back in July after being a long term lust, and is now well on it's way to being my most worn lipstick ever, coming close to overtaking previous favourite: Vegas Volt.

The amplified finish of the lipstick means that it has a creamy and glossy application on the lips, but with a powerful pigmentation that lasts for hours, and even after the initial colour has worn away, a gentle raspberry stain is still left behind on the lips. Only one swipe of colour is required for an opaque finish and it glides over the lips effortlessly leaving a bright colour with a subtle shine. It does have a tendancy to show up any dry patches on the lips so I make sure to give them a quick exfoliate and coat of balm before applying Impassioned, but then I'm more or less set for the rest of the day with just a quick touch up here or there.

The shade is a pinky-red colour and I find it to be the perfect balance of pink and red and very flattering on my pale skin. It can accompany a bold eye make up look to go all out, or can be paired with a very neutral look and be the statement feature of your make up. I'm currently sitting here in my scruffy hoodie, with my hair unbrushed and not even a flick of mascara on, but a splash of Impassioned over my lips (especially for these photos) and I now feel like I could take on the world.

It gives a bold pink hue to the lips that totally transforms the face but isn't too overpowering and isn't too dramatic to be inappropriate for certain situations. This can be used as a fun colour for a night out look, but can also be worn day to day as well as in a professional environment. This is a very versatile and wearable shade considering how bright it first seems. 

Mac Lipstick in 'Impassioned' - £15.00 | link

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook --- Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog: Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk ♥

Worth The Hype: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

I'm a nails kinda gal. I really am. It would only take just one glance at my Instagram or a quick browse over some of my previous posts to be able to find that one out, and if there's one thing that I can't go without, it's a good quality top coat. Not just any old top coat, it's got to be a quick drying, high gloss, chip resistant, and long lasting top coat. Hello, Seche Vite.  

Before it went gloopy beyond salvation, I did previously use Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, which is another leading quick drying top coat and is in a similar league to Seche Vite ..but for the sake of comparing the two, I'll say for the record that I prefer Seche Vite. 

The typical RRP for a 14ml bottle is £10.95 and many people comment that a downside to this top coat is that it is quite costly, but with a little digging it can be found for much cheaper. Don't ever buy this for the full price! I got my bottle for almost half price on Amazon for just £5.56 (link), and it is also only £5.49 from Salon Services (link), so WHO is paying over £10 for a bottle of this stuff, I do not know?! Don't do it. Get it for £5.50 and it will be money well spent, I promise you. 

Using a layer of this top coat over any nail varnish at all will completely tranform it. You can use a £1 nail varnish that can look quite streaky, patchy and not that shiny, but throw on a coat of this and it will instantly look smooth, even and super glossy. It also makes the layer of lacquer to look a lot thicker, almost like you're wearing gel or shellac nails. I have often been asked if I have gel nails on, when nope it's just standard Rimmel paired with Seche Vite. If while you're painting you happen to knock a little smudge or nick into your colour, then as long as the varnish is still tacky when the top coat is applied then it can magically smooth away all imperfections and your colour looks quite literally flawless. Not to mention the glamorous shine, the chip resistant formula (for a couple of day at least), and then importantly: the quick drying formula that helps you get back to your day to day business pronto! 

For any nail obsessives out there, who take pride in the perfect manicure that they've created and want it to stay as perfect as possible for as long as possible, then Seche Vite Top Coat is a worthy investment and will save you pennies in the long run! £5.50 for a bottle will last you months and months, and will help each nail paint to last probably twice as long as usual before unbearable chips occur and a refresh is necessary, meaning you'll have to touch up your tips less frequently!

It's a winner for me, is it a winner for you?

Thanks for reading! 

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook --- Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog: Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk ♥

Review: 'It's a 10!' Treatment (..and Win One For Yourself!)

Hey howdy hey! (Sorry, I'm giddy today). I do hope you've all had a good weekend, but I'm about to make it just a little bit better for you, with a review and a giveaway! Woo! I mentioned in my pay day haul post a little while back that I'd stumbled into my local Sally's (Salon Services) and my beady eyes caught two boxes of 'It's a 10!' sitting on the shelf, so I moved quick and I snatched them both up with the intention of one for me, one for you. Always have my readers in mind ;)

For as long as I can remember having an interest in blogs and YouTube, 'It's a 10' Leave In Treatment has been a highly coveted American hair care favourite, and until recently has been unavailable in the UK. It is still extremely hard to come by, and if you're lucky you may be able to track down a battered old bottle in the midst of TK Maxx, but other than that I think the only other (UK) stockist could be Salon Services (it says £10.49 on the website, but it was £14 when I bought it in store). 

If you've read any of my hair posts in the past you'll know that I'm a big fan of Redken's Radiant-10 spray in treatment, and this very similar (only cheaper, and in my eyes is also better). Both are spray-in, leave-in conditioning treatments with 10 benefits for the hair. I won't list the 10 benefits of this treatment, as you'll be able to read them from the photos of the packaging, but the benefits are quite extensive, and also pretty impressive. I'm not sure about fully repairing damage, because I've always believed that damaged hair will technically always be damaged - end of story, but I can agree with controlling frizz, detangling, less breakage, and definitely silkiness. Ohhh the silkiness! I'm not sure if anything has made my hair so soft before! I love that it also contains thermal protection so that it's basically an all-in-one for everything your hair needs after washing, and doesn't feel heavy or weighty on the hair so no becoming lank or greasy quickly. It still keeps any volume your hair would have, only it adds extra protection, conditioning, frizz maintenance, shine, colour protection ..and the rest!! 

I can't get enough of this treatment, and if I struggled for months to find it, then chances are that you could struggle too, so I've made your life easier by offering the chance to win one! If you would like to be in with a chance of winning yourself a 120ml bottle of this amazing hair treatment, then all you have to do is be a follower of Cosmetic Crave, and then enter using the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

- The prize for this giveaway was bought by myself, with my own money.

- Entries made with accounts created for the purpose of entering giveaways will not be valid.

- The winner will be contacted by myself via e-mail on 29th September.

Good Luck! :)

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook---Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog:Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk♥

Skin Miracle Worker: Vitage Vitamin C Skin Radiance Serum

Aloha, nice to see you again. If you read my August Favourites post a couple of days ago then you may have already read a brief run down of my thoughts on the Vitage Vitamin C Skin Radiance Serum*, but seeing as though I've been loving it so much I thought I'd do a more thorough and in depth post about it. This isn't the sort of thing you'd purchase on a whim, so I'd like to offer a little bit of input to anybody doing some research on this particular product, or just anyone looking to add a little oomph into their skincare. 

Like I mentioned in my favourites post, I was kindly sent this serum as a little surprise extra along with a similar radiance mask from the same brand, and my first thoughts were not filled with enthusiasm. No negative thoughts; I'm just not much of a serum appreciator. I've always thought that moisturising twice a day was enough for my little face, and using a pre-moisturiser to make my moisturiser 'work better' was a money-making con used by skincare brands! (And maybe it actually is for most, but Vitage has got themselves a new fan in the form of yours truly). 

If you're interested in really investing in your skincare, and spending a bit of money on something that will really work then Vitage is a good place to start. Their 'Advanced Antioxidant Skincare' is packed full of innovative ingredient technology that helps to preserve, improve and protect the skin - providing both immediate and long term skin benefits. 

For the serum it's pretty standard procedure with the consistency being thin and much runnier than a moisturiser, lightweight and almost like a gel that sinks in quickly to feel invisible on the skin's surface. One pump is enough to cover the whole face, with a little bit left over for the neck too. I use this every morning (before Origins Gin Zing moistuiser) and also in the evening (before Vichy Normaderm night cream) and even from the very first use I noticed a dramatic difference in my skin surface appearance, so I continued to regularly use the product and noticed continual improvements with each use. My skin is by no means perfect and is heavily scarred, especially around my mouth (very obvious in photos from my John Frieda Frizz Ease post), so even though I'm only 20 I do still keep a look out for products that will firm, tighten and brighten the skin - mostly why I've been looking more and more at anti-aging skincare recently!  

This radiance serum works more like a skin treatment, as opposed to just a moisture booster. It is suitable for all skin types and it is enriched with potent Hyaluronic Acid to rehydrate the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (I personally don't need the latter benefits specifically, but I wouldn't turn down a little extra plumping up and diminishing of deeply set scars). It also contains encapsulated, time-released Vitamin C to energize and brighten the skin, as well as firming agents from the Argan Tree (what we do without these Argan Trees?!) that can further tighten the skin and improve skin clarity. Woah - these claims sounding amazing yet? It gets better though, because these claims are actually lived up to (..and I would expect nothing less for the price of this little bottle!). 

This Vitamin C Radiance serum is very pleasant to use, and it does offer an immediate brightening and tightening to the skin, and these are the most noticeable benefits of the serum. It also deeply hydrates and plumps the skin, adding a refreshing and revitalising boost. Extra bonus feature: the serum also helps to protect against environment damage and has long lasting effects on general health of the skin with regular and continued use. 

So if you're anything like me and need some skin rejuvenation and an extra added boost to your complexion, then I would suggest taking a look at Vitage's Vitamin C serum - especially now that it is on offer for a special discounted price (I didn't ever say that it was cheap!). 

Vitage Vitamin C Skin Radiance Serum - £51.00 / 28ml | LINK

(Current special price: £38.00)

Thanks for reading!

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook * (c/o) Skin Rejuve Direct --- Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog: Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk ♥

John Frieda Frizz Ease Range

Taking a little time out from my most recent hair care loves (L'Oreal EverStrong and EverSleek), I've been having a little test and trial of some John Frieda Frizz Ease products*. For somebody whose main hair concern happens to be uncontrollable frizz, I do question why I have never tried anything from this line by Mr Frieda before. Really, I don't know why. I was kindly offered three products from their line to try: Straight Ahead Shampoo, Straight Ahead Conditioner and Dream Curls Enhancing Oil.

The idea behind these products is that they can be used for transforming frizzy locks to smooth waves. Well, you know what - I thought I'd go one up and instead of just telling you how these products changed my hair, I would instead show you. Brownie points for Cosmetic Crave? (You have to brace yourself for the upcoming photos though because I'm only wearing mascara and have sore lips - give a girl a break!)

Okay, so we don't need to go into the reasons why I only have nail varnish on one hand, just roll with it. Soo, first off here we have me grinning like a cheese ball with freshly washed hair holding the Frizz Ease shampoo and conditioner. Next, I detangled my hair with my Denman D6 Shower Brush, and applied a tiny amount of Ojon Rare Blend Oil through the mid-lengths and ends - this oil contains thermal defence properties and also adds a boost of shine and health to the hair (along with a whole host of other great qualities; you can read my review if you're interested).  

Honestly, if I don't laugh at these pictures of myself then I'll cry. The first one looks like the world will end if I dare crack a smile, and the second one looks like I'm doing a sexy/gormless lip bite?! Haa, I don't know what's going on. But you are allowed to laugh at me - it's okay. Moving on, I shook up the two part Dream Curls Enhancing Oil, as it has a shake to activate formula, and I applied the guided amount of 10 drops into the palm of my hair before massaging through my hair. I really liked the consistency of this oil, it was light and not at all sticky so it pretty much felt invisible once it was in my hair. Whether it did much else or not, I can't be too sure. 

Now let's dry this mop! I'm no salon blowdrying pro and I don't have any particular technique for drying my hair - I don't even have a diffuser. I just sort of blast air around on the cool setting until things look dry.. I'm such a professional, I know.

Now, the interesting part: the result. Below is a double picture of my mane when it has been freshly blowdried. I have to be brutally honest and say that I'm not very overwhelmed by the results. I have said that I do have frizzy hair naturally, and I don't have the best blowdrying technique, but I can say that I have had far better results after using a different brand of hair care before. 

I didn't give up and I reached for a pair of flat iron GHDs (something that hasn't touched my hair for over 9 months!!) and I gave them a quick run over my hair, before remembering that I look like a pea head weirdo with polka straight hair, so changed my mind and wiggled them about a bit to create some loose curls and soft waves. The end result isn't too bad actually, but I don't use heat tools on my hair usually (apart from the cool setting on a hair dryer), so I'd prefer something that left my hair 'good to go' without the need for heat styling. Personal preference!

I am really sorry to say this, but I'm just not glowing with enthusiasm for this range. I don't feel negatively towards it at all, because it is far from awful and I would continue to use the shampoo and conditioner from time to time. I just feel quite indifferent towards the quality of these and feel there's others that I'd have better frizz maintenance results with. Sorry John Frieda!

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* (c/o) John Frieda / Forward 3D PR --- Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog: Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk ♥

Summer 2013 Beauty Highlights

When I drafted up this post yesterday afternoon I was huddled up in a blanket, cradling a hot water bottle and looking out a gloomy grey skies and included the phrase 'Adios 'til next year, sun!' in the opening paragraph for this blog post. So I've just had to come back and alter my introduction because of the absolutely glorious turn around today - I've even done a spot of sunbathing and got some outdoor garden snaps! Maybe it's not adios 'til next year the for the sun then, and we've got a bit of bipolar weather coming our way. I'm all in favour of extra sun, but I'm not keen on the idea waking up and it looks like December, but by lunchtime you're stripping layers off and hunting for sunglasses! Is summer over yet, or not? I want to decide whether it's time to properly pull out my knitted jumpers and fluffy socks yet.

Anyway, I don't know if it's just me and I've only been paying half attention to new releases over the summer, but is Bourjois the only brand that has been bringing anything new to those highstreet shelves? Whereas last year it was Revlon that truly ruled the drugstore roost, this year all the hype has been directed towards Bourjois and their hit after hit in the cosmetic field. But what about everyone else? Where is everyone else's new releases worth noting for Summer 2013?!

Here are my general beauty highlights for Summer 2013 - not necessarily all new releases - just the products that I have found myself reaching for on a regular basis over the past couple of months:

Skincare

Liz Earle Eye Bright Soothing Eye Lotion

Avene Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water Spray

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning*

Any fellow hayfever suffers out there will appreciate the distress caused by the higher than average pollen count in the recent months, and sympathise with the woes caused by puffy, itchy and frequently streaming eyes that accompany this wonderful season, where even just your neighbour innocently mowing their lawn can cause your sinuses to explode. Liz Earle's Eye Bright lotion came to my rescue as a soothing and calming lotion to refresh tired and puffy eyes. I get easily irritated eyes and sometimes they really just need a little calming down and some TLC, so a cotton pad soaked in this witch hazel and aloe vera lotion can really do the trick. Avene's Eau Thermale was a holiday essential for me; especially with such a hot and humid climate in Tunisia. Even though this is essentially just purified water in a pressurised container, it is still a lifesaver for refreshing skin and bringing body temperature down when it all just gets a little bit too hot. Remember those humid evenings a while back when everyone wished they had aircon?.. This little buddy was never left my bedside table and was regularly spritzed over my arms and chest area when trying to cool down and sleep! I can't say that I've used loads and loads of the Clarins Liquid Bronze, as I did get it quite recently and have also toned down how regularly I've been using it, but I could still sing it's praises all day long! You'd be best off reading my recent full post on this if you're interested as it is a really effortless and foolproof natural looking moisturising facial tanner.

Body

Garnier Ambre Solaire Aftersun Hydrating Tan Maintainer

Garnier SummerBody Gradual Tanning Lotion

The Body Shop Mango Body Mist

There's no point working hard on building up a tan and then not carrying on the effort to maintain it, and that's why Garnier's Hydrating Tan Maintainer Aftersun has been a big highlight of the summer. A lightweight gel formula aftersun that sinks in, cools and moisturises, with an extra added bonus of a very subtle self tanning ingredient to add a little boost to your natural tan. Before I actually developed any real kind of tan that needed to be maintained, though, I had to fake it out and use Garnier's SummerBody Gradual Tanner which is (in my eyes) the best gradual tanning lotion out there - on a budget, at least. I adore the fact it smells like fruit, instead of mouldy biscuits and gives an effortless and even hint of colour to the skin, that starts of very subtle from the first use and can be controlled and built up daily. The Body Shop's Mango Body Mist has been my fragrance of the summer; a beautifully uplifting and energising boost of smooth and fresh fruitiness that really captures the scent of summer.

Make Up 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Radiant Reveal Foundation

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon - Red Sunrise

Wellll, the make up section for this post is looking a little sparse, but I honestly couldn't pluck my brain for any more highlights. I've literally been using the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation every single day since I got it, regardless of the occasion, because it's just so good. It's flexible too and a light layer can be applied for an easy going every day look, or it can be built up a little more for a fuller coverage base when the occasion arises. I've only tried two of these amazing Color Boost Lip Crayons, but I definitely LOVE Red Sunrise. It's  the quickest and easiest way to switch any make up look up to 10x more glam, in about 5 seconds! In one quick and easy swipe you'll have vibrant pinky red lips with a high gloss shine and smoothing moisturisation that lasts for hours. 

Nails 

Models Own Hedonist

Models Own Luis Lemon

Barry M Gelly 'Hi-Shine' - Grapefruit

Bourjois 1 Second Gel - Turquoise Block

Oh I do love a good summer manicure. Bright colours are my faveee! I've picked a range of pretty brights that I've been drawn to over the past few months: Models Own Hedonist made it's way onto my nails the most amount of times, and was even lucky enough to be chosen as my holiday nails colour. Absolutely gorgeous vibrant coral colour. Models Own Luis Lemon is a new favourite that I wish I could wear all of the time. Seriously, fluorescent neon yellow that's so neon it practically glows in the dark! It wouldn't be a highlights post without bringing in some of Barry M's Gelly Hi-Shine nail varnishes, now would it? Like everybody else, I went totally ga-ga for these polishes. Opaque in one coat, quick drying with a super glossy gel-like finish - what's not to love. Then, along came the Bourjois 1 Sec Gel nail varnishes with a very similar concept, only with a super wide brush that made things even quicker! 

Bourjois comes out on top for this one.

Thanks for reading!

Now, excuse me while I go and curl up in my duvet with a hot chocolate make the most of the spontaneous sunshine!

Related blog posts:

Eau Thermale: Avene or La Roche Posay | Sunshine in a Bottle: Clarins Liquid Bronze | Review: Garnier SummerBody Gradual Tanning Lotion | The Body Shop Mango Range | Nails: Bright Yellow (Ciate or Models Own).

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook *PR Sample --- Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog: Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk ♥

Monthly Favourites | August

So.. the end of August has rolled around, meaning that another month has been and passed us by. The end of August also more or less symbolizes the end of Summer too! :( Boo! The silver lining on that cloud, however, is that I can now write up a Summer Highlights blog post. Yay! For now though, here's the beauty bits I've been loving through the month of August:

Liz Earle 'Cleanse and Polish' Hot Cloth Cleanser - Original and Grapefruit and Patchouli

Yep, I was the last person in the whole world to try out Liz Earle's award winning and much loved Cleanse and Polish cleanser. I've included both variants in this favourites post, as I do use and love them both equally. I enjoy the Limited Edition version for a morning cleanse because of the more uplifting and invigoration sensation from the fresh citrus fragrance, and I prefer the original for an evening cleanse because of the calming and relaxing rosemary and chamomile extracts. These both leave the skin feeling so cleansed and refreshed but also soft and supple at the same time and I would recommend either of them to anybody.

Full Review of the Original C&P: here.

Full Review of the Limited Ed. C&P: here.

Vitage Vitamin C Skin Radiance Serum*

Not usually a product I'd expect to feature in a favourites post, as serums are a skincare step I feel a little bit iffy about - probably because I've never experienced one that has done any good for me or made a noticeable difference. This one was sent as a little surprise extra along with another product that I was expecting from Vitage and my first thoughts were very much 'hmm a serum, whatevs'. But, I put it to trial in good beauty blogger fashion and WOW. This radiance serum has claims to firm, brighten and even the skin tone and these are claims that I wish every radiance product would live up to. I really feel like this step before moisturising helps to add a natural luminance to my skintone and gives it a boost of health - so I pretty much like I eat vegetables for every meal of the day and drink gallons and gallons of water all the time! Although, when it costs £53.00 for 28ml, I have to say I'd expect nothing less than amazement. 

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush*

This has changed the way I apply my foundation since using this brush! Since the first time I used the Expert Face Brush I've not touched my Buffing Brush once, and it just doesn't even compare. Seriously, if you have the RT Buffing Brush and think it's good ..try this one instead! I find that for some reason the same amount of product goes further when using this brush (e.g. with the Buffing Brush I'd use 1.5 pumps of foundation, but with this I need less than 1, for the same coverage with the same foundation). The small brush head makes application more precise in fiddly areas like the nose and under the eyes, and the result is an amazingly flawless but still natural looking coverage. LOVE.

Full Review: here.

ELF Blush and Bronze Cream Contour Duo - St. Lucia

I have wanted to do a full review post on this compact duo, but I just haven't had the chance to get around to it yet. This duo has got a very lovely NARS-esque feel to it, and I'd pay so much more than £3.75 for it! What a bargain. (This picture is from the haul post when I first got it; it looks a little bit of a sorry mess now that I've stippled the hell out of it!). Two beautifully flattering contour shades in a perfect, matte brown shade that is so far from orange it is a ideal to chisel in some cheekbones, and a lovely rosey pink shade that makes a very pretty blush on fair skin. The consistency is super soft and creamy, they're not as soft as butter - they're softer than butter! And they stay as a cream formula too, none of this cream-to-powder nonsense. They blend really easily and have the staying power to rival absolutely anything in my make up collection. My one criticism is that they so, so pigmented that it can be easy to go a bit OTT and even a slight tap into the product with a make up brush can be a little too much - so go easy! (Swatches at the beginning and end of this post show one light swipe of each colour)

Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo - On and On Bronze

Another product that I'm 10 hours late to the party with discovering how great it is. I really should just learn to listen to the hype that surrounds a product and buy into it straight away, instead of just dismissing them. Actually, I shouldn't encourage that at all - I already buy wayy to much! But why have I gone all of this time without the little marvel?! I have a sizeable stash of these Color Tattoos now, but On and On Bronze is definitely my most used and favourite shade. It's so wearable for so many different occasions and I'm pretty sure the subtle bronze colouring would be flattering on any complexion. I love wearing this as a one colour shadow for a simple day time look, or making it more intense as as base for other colours for a more dramatic look. It's also easy to smudge and use just as a liner, on either the upper or lower lashlines. Such a versatile product in a gorgeous shade.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick - #10 Rouge Buzz

I've recently entered into a full blown love affair with orange toned red lipsticks. Gone are my days of being restricted to solely fuchsia pink, and I've branched out into a different realm of bold. #10 Rouge Buzz is my absolute favourite shade from my Bourjois Rouge Edition lipsticks, and at first I compared it to Mac's Morange, but I've since been corrected and told it's actually more similar to Lady Danger (although I own neither of these from Mac so have struggled to compare accurately). The consistency is soft and creamy with a high glossy shine finish and average staying power, but it really is the colour that I'm in love with. It could just be me but I feel like it really brings out my eyes ..if you've got blue peepers then maybe take a look at this shade!

You can see an Instagram picture of me wearing this here and also here.

Full Review: here.

Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon - Red Sunrise

It's no secret that Bourjois has been on fire recently with their new cosmetic releases and I've really been enjoying a couple of their Color Boost lip crayons. We all know the drill now with these lip balm crayons and how they offer long lasting moisturisation to the lips with a strong hit of a colour, in a novelty format of a crayon style applicator. I'm personally a big fan of the lip crayon style products and haven't got bored of the endless releases of them yet! I am particularly loving Red Sunrise, from the new Bourjois range - one of their brightest and boldest shades, in a beautiful pinky red shade. For the moisturisation that these offer on the lips, it's really fantastic how pigmented and also long lasting the colour pay off is too. I love the glossy finishes of these ones too so that you essentially have a balm, colour and gloss all in one!

One last random favourite to throw into the mix, and that's my new blog design! I mentioned it briefly in my Cleanse & Polish post how happy I was with it, but now it is completely, 100% finished and I can't express enough how much I love it. Serena was absolutely amazing to work with: so quick and efficient, skilled and creative. She brought to life any ideas that I had and was done in less than a day, all for a very reasonable total of £20. It's exactly what I was hoping for and I do feel that it has a couple of very unique touches too it. If you're looking for a layout refresh, Pretty Wild Things is the place for you to go!

Thanks for reading!

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--- Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog: Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk ♥