Feline fine.

 

I bought this ring a few weeks ago after seeing it on vipxo's blog- I think she had a gold one but I sure love silver though. I got it off ebay for about £2.99 with free P&P but there's similar ones like here but if you just type in 'silver cat ring' something similar will come up. It's quite a delicate ring compared with my massive statment ones but I really love it- I'm a mega crazy cat lady having had cats all my life. My current two feline friends are called Jess (a boy, we didn't name him) and Moshi (I named him) who are just the coolest cats in the world. Back to the ring- I love how it looks like the cat is clinging onto your finger and the black rhinestone eyes are a nice detail. If like me you love cats you should get on it.

In Your Face: Lush Cupcake Mask.

 

Lush Cupcake Face Mask (£5.75).

"We mix super oil-absorbant Morrocan Rhassoul mud with cocoa powder to soak up excess oil on the skin and mint to tone, while linseed infusion and glycerine leave the skin feeling kissably soft."

I feel that I can review this product even though I only bought the full-size the other day because I got a good three masks out of my tiny lil free sample pot. Can I just take the time to note how amazing I think the Lush sampling service- it's totally free and the all of the staff that I've encountered have been super friendly and helpful. Anyway, back to the mask! The Cupcake mask is recommended for teenage or teenage-acting skin- so essentially oily skin prone to breakouts. The list of ingredients its intreging and makes this mask smell divine!!! It smells so chocolatey and minty and delicious. I've been using it once (or twice) a week depending on how annoying my skin is being; I've found the sudden change in weather has made my skin go wild and spotty but it's calming down now. I applied a fairly thin coverage over my face, just so you can't see the skin beneath. The mask has a thick consistency which gives good coverage and feels luxurious. It suggests you leave it on for 5-10mins without allowing it to completely dry on the face. When removing, the thicker areas of application crumble off easily and the rest I find is best removed with a wet flannel. I'd recommend making sure it's all off your face with water before drying your face- especially if you have white towels! It does wash off the towels but doesn't look very nice in the mean time.

I found that the mask did wonders for my skin- it reduced redness and the look of spots as well as mattifying and smoothing my skin. It also drew out the cack in my pores and reduced the look of them without making my skin feel tight. I would say that because of the colour this product does look a bit weird when on but don't all masks? You're meant to keep it in the fridge so I've had to show it my dad and tell him not to eat it thinking its chocolate! The smell is delish and the effects are even better! I'd 100% recommend this product for anyone with oily skin or spots and this is the best mask that I have ever used. This is one of the most exciting products that I've ever used! Plus it's not full of harsh chemicals and man-made crap so it's all good! AND I just found out the other day that if you take 5 full size empties back to Lush you get a free mask of your choice- how exciting! Have you used any Lush masks and if so, what d'you think?

p.s Ebay listings end on Saturday so please go look, happy bidding!

Mini-haul.

 

Lush Face Mask in Cupcake; Lush Herbalism Cleanser sample; No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream for Normal/Oily Skin and Cleansing Water; H&M Lip Gloss; Soap&Glory Thick and Fast Mascara. 

So here's my little haul from shopping on Friday. I just thought I'd note that I also got a purple dress from Primark (the same style as my white/pink/black ones) and a skirt and shoes- both of which I'm taking back. They're doing up the Primark near me so there was minimal changing rooms and the queue was angin so I didn't get to try stuff on. I picked up a full-size Lush Cupcake mask (£5.75) after LOVING the sample size and I also got a sample of the Herbalism cleanser to try as recommended by the lovely lady in Lush. I wanted to buy so much more in there but I stopped myself! It was 3 for 2 again in Boots and look what I found! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! I'm so excited I finally found this toner! If you're from another part of the country you'll be like "yeah and?" but they recalled all the Cleansing Waters near me for some reason and there hasn't been any in store pretty much since the launch of the line in February. After loving using the Cleansing Water from my starter kit I wanted so bad to get my hands on this and I finally did!! I ended up getting it for free in the 3 for 2 along with replacement Night Cream and S&G mascara as they're both going thick and fast. I always wanna try new things when 3 for 2 offers are on but I buckled! I was just staring at the S&G stand and was dead conscious I might be boring my chum so I went for the safe options. Lil sneaky note- S&G makeup is included in the skincare 3 for 2 but no other makeup is. I bought the H&M Lip Gloss after loving the nail varnishes- this is a super dark plum gloss and you get a massive tube for £2.99 so I thought I'd give it a try. So there's my haul- in a way, it's a bit boring for you guys cause there's nothing new and exciting really but I'm loving it tbh.

In Your Face: Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover.

 

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover (£4.99).

'For each nail, simply Dip-Twist-Remove in 1 second without any cotton wool. Your nails will be polish-free in just 1 second. Plus its red berry and vanilla fragrance leaves nails delicately scented. And...its good for my nails! Acetone-free formula- gentle on nails and cuticles; enriched with nourishing sweet almond oil; paraben-free; dermatologically tested'. [Information from Bourjois website]. 

I bought this nail varnish remover as part of my last haul. Being someone who likes to change up my nails, I don't like using harsh nail varnish removers because my nails are damaged enough as it is due to past wearing of Acrylic nails (which I miss loaddssss). I'd seen a few reviews about this and thought I'd give it a try- although initially it was just something I picked up rather than lusted after. It reminds me of the nail varnish removers in nail salons; essentially, its a tub with a sponge inside soaked in nail varnish remover. When you remove the lid, there's a split in the sponge which you place your finger into and twist until the nail varnish comes off. It claims to take one second which I'd agree with in principle for it is super quick (although maybe more like 5seconds). I myself went in at the deep end and tried it with glitter polish removal and, although it takes a little bit longer, it works a treat and farrrrr better than good old cotton wool. The product claims to be 'red berry and vanilla scented' which I don't really get but it smells less offencive than normal nail varnish remover. I've found that it leaves the nail and skin feeling conditioned and smooth which is a super bonus! I really like this product- it's super speedy and there's minimum wastage because you don't need a million cotton wool balls to remove your nail varnish. I'm not sure what the life-expectancy is of this product but I'm betting its a real long time and I guess you could always top it up with your own remover (but don't take my word for that!). I also think that the price is great when considering the potential longevity of this product compared with liquid/bottled remover. Have you tried this out yet? If so, what d'you think?

In Your Face: Lush Tea Tree Toner Water.

 

Lush Tea Tree Toner Water (£3.75).

"Tea tree is a wonder oil for anyone with oily or spot prone skin. It has antibacterial, antiseptic and antimicrobal properties. Where the skin needs balancing, where there are spots, gentle tea tree is just the job. Also contains grapefruit water and juniperberry water to refresh and tone the skin. Our toner water range is an attempt to deliver good quality essential oils to your face in the correct concentration. They are not just toners, but are aromatherapy in dilution, ready to be used at a moment's notice. They can be used for removing traces of cleansers and face products – but can also be used at any time of the day as a quick facial refresher or to cool the skin." 

I bought this in my last but one haul to replace my (almost finished) Boots Simply Sensitive Toner. Although I quite liked the Boots toner, mostly because of how gentle it is, I wanted to replace it with something different. Cue my first ever visit to Lush- I'd browsed online for products suitable for oily skin and found this Tea Tree Toner. You can get 250g for £7 but I thought I'd dip my toe in with the 100g option for £3.75 which I think is a mega bargain! I like the packaging of Lush products- its nice and simple but super eye-catching and informative. It says that you can use it by spraying either directly onto the face or onto cotton pads. I like the fact that this toner has a spray applicator which I really like! It's super refreshing and a little goes a long way with a couple of spritzes. I've been using it with cotton pads at night time to really remove the last remnants of makeup and dirt but I've mostly been enjoying spritzing it on my face to freshen myself up in the daytime (if I'm just round the house not wearing makeup). 

For me, the smell of toners is more important than with other products. I know that sounds weird but some toners can smell hyper chemically and its really off putting to think that's going onto my skin and effectively ends up just stripping it. As we all know, Lush products are full of natural goodness so I wasn't even worrying about this hurting my skin. It smells of tea tree but not too intensly. I've found this product to really mattify my skin and leave it feeling cooled, calm, clean and refreshed. It just gets rid of any oil and (ew) sweat. I think it's difficult to get too excited about a toner cause it just looks like water but I'd deffo recommend this product because it just makes my skin feel so lovely. There are other toners available for different skin types including Breath of Fresh Air and Eau Roma so maybe check them out if you're noit oily like me. Have you got any Lush product recommendations or reviews?

Sugar and Spice.

 

Dress- Hell Bunny

Cardigan- Marks and Spencer

Leggings- Primark

Ring- Marks and Spencer

Nail Varnish- H&M nail polish in Lady Luck and Bella’s Choice.

So the fine weather has finally begun! This style/shape of Hell Bunny dresses are my summer staple- I have it in around 8 different designs/materials so expect to see these in outfit posts throughout the summer! I love everything about them- the fitted top with elasticated back, the a-line skirt, the cute little collar on the top- they even have sneaky lil pockets in the skirt. This pattern is one of my faves- they all have names but I’m not so sure what it’s called. I love the contrast between the colours and the pink and lilac are stunning. I also love the print with the eyeballs and bunnies and bones! I love how cute but still a bit ‘edgey’ the Hell Bunny dresses are- I have one with zombie unicorns on it too haha. I’m thinking of getting some more now that summer has arrived and I get so much wear out of them cause they look real nice for meals or nights out no matter what time of year. Have I gone on too much about how I love these dresses?

As you can see, I tried out my new H&M nail varnishes pretty much straight away. I must note that Lady Luck is not a Topshop Eclipse dupe as it’s more of a metallic green than a petrol tone. I do still like it but I’m not really a green person so I’ve said my mum can have it although I may borrow it now and again. I do, however, love Bella’s Choice- I’ve got it on my toe nails atm and its such a nice summery colour. It’s like the photos of the sea you see around exotic islands- super tealy blue. The quality of the varnishes is really good in my opinion so you should check them out for £2.99. My ebay stuff is finally up so go check it out (before it's too late!). Listings finish at various points next Saturday- due to ebay fury I had to leave it and come back to it before something real bad happened. Like I said before, there's a mixture of new and used clothes, accessories and some MAC makeup for sale. Happy bidding and may the odds be ever in your favour!

p.s Taken in my boyfriend's mum's room again.

Ebay listings.

Hey y'all, I just thought you'd like to know that I've (finally) listed some items on ebay. Is it just me or is ebay hyper frustrating?!? I can just never seem to have a pleasent experience doing listings! I just thought I'd share some pictures of the items I've put up so you can see if anything takes your fancy. If you have any questions about items you can leave a comment here but it'd probs be easier (for both you and I) if you ask any questions via ebay itself. It says on the listing itself the condtion, size etc of the items but there's a mixture of brand new and used (but in ace condition) items. Please go check them out here, the listings end a week today. Happy bidding!

In Your Face: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream.

 

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light (£7.99).

1. Creates a natural glow.

2. Compliments skin tone.

3. SPF30 UV protection.

4. Hydrates all day.

5. Blurs imperfections.

6. Oil-free, non-greasy.

7. Looks visibly smooth.

8. Feels fresh.

So I mentioned that I got this in my last haul after seeing the print ad and noting that it's an oil-free BB cream. I was using the 17 BB cream loads when I bought it at the beginning of the year but when I've gone back to it in the last few months, its made my skin really shiny and I have oily skin as it is thanks! I think this might be due to the change in the weather etc but I did really enjoy using a BB cream for the sheer effortlessness of it and how nice they make your skin look. I wasn't on the hunt for a replacement or anything but when I saw the print ad for this Maybelline BB cream I wanted to give it a try. The 8-in-1 claims are mega and I was a bit dubious initially but it really does fulfill them all for me. I bought the product in Light but they also have Universal Glow, Medium and Dark which is the most extensive shade range of any BB creams that I've come across. I really like the packaging of this product- the squeezey tube is so much better in my eyes than a bottle which I feel results in a lot of product wasteage. I like the simple background with the pink writing on it. I think the price is fairly average for a BB cream- the 17 one is obvs a budget buy for under a fiver but compared with No7 or Garnier (around £10 mark) this is fairly average.

I know I like a full coverage foundation but at the weekend when I'm just pottering about or going for walks with my boyfriend and his dog, I cba doing a full face of makeup. I usually just wear BB cream, face powder, eyeliner and mascara (low maintainance or what?). The Dream Fresh BB cream is a really thin, runny liquid consistency but it smooths into the skin beautifully and dries matte (hooray!). I wear this over my serum only as it's moisturising enough as it is- although you can wear it with moisturiser if you like. Light does look quite dark in the tube but it's fairly transparent on application, in similar vein to a tinted moisturiser, but it sets to look just like a better version of your skin. I love how its SPF30- that's like a full coverage foundation level of sun protection- which is just another of it's many benefits. I wouldn't recommend this product if you like full coverage all the time. But if you like a 'natural' look all the time, or like me, some of the time then I'd deffo recommend this product.

A Rose By Any Other Name.

 

Top- Topshop

Skirt- H&M

Belt- Topshop

Ring- Matalan

Nails- Nails Inc for Fabulous Magazine in Oomph! and Barry M Glitter polish.

I got this top agesss ago and have worn it loads but not blogged it for some reason. It’s got a quote from Romeo & Juliette on it and I’m a big Shakespeare fan so I wanted it so bad. I don’t own that many white t shirts but I really like this one- I lovelovelove the rolled up sleeve look too. I love my double cross ring and I’m so glad I replaced my lost one. I’ve been bidding on a silver spiked necklace on ebay after only seeing gold ones in high street shops. I lost twice but I finally won a bid and ended up paying less than the other two went for so I was chuffed with that. I’m thinking about buying a light denim shirt but I don’t wanna pay too much- I’m watching them pennies still! I’m going shopping in town with my chum today so hopefully Primark will come up trumps! I’m sorry my outfit posts are so short- I’ve not really been doing much since I finished uni, just trying to relax and applying for jobs here and there.

Mini-haul.

Soap & Glory Glad Hair Day Shampoo and Conditioner (travel sizes); Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light; Carex Sensitive Hand Gel; Simple Soothing Toner (travel size); H&M Candy Road Lip Balm; Bourjois Nail Varnish Remover; H&M Nail Varnishes in Bella’s Choice and Lady Luck.

I'm still really out of sync with my blog posts atm- I've been doing too many reviews all at once! It looks like I've been buying loads everyday but there's about 2 weeks between all my mini-hauls and they're also about a week late so if reviews come soon after this don't be surprised. OK so this looks like a lot but it didn’t cost all that much. In one of the Boots stores near me, travel sized items are on 3 for 2, so two weeks ago I got S&G Clean Girls Body Wash, Righteous Butter and Flake Away Scrub for my holiday to try (I think they were about £2.50 each). I didn’t think the offer would still be on cause its not been on in any of the other stores I’ve been in but it was, so this week I got some S&G shampoo and conditioner and a Simple toner for the holiday cause I’ve finished my No7 travel sized toner from the starter kit (which I’m gutted about). The lady in the Boots near me said they’ve got the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water in stock in other parts of the country but just not near me which is annoying and weird. I wanted to try the Maybelline BB cream because I saw in the print ad that it’s oil free which appeals to me. I’ve got the 17 BB cream and I did buzz off it initially but I’ve gone back to it a couple of times and not liked how shiny it’s made my skin look. The Maybelline BB cream was £7.99 which I think is fairly average for a BB cream/foundation type product.

The H&M lip balm was a total till buy- sometimes the worse kind of purchases! I just saw the cupcakes on the packaging and that it was vanilla flavoured and for £1.99 I thought “why not”. I just get cheap lip balms to chuck into my bag so it doesn’t matter if I loose them or anything. I’ve never used H&M nail varnishes before but they have some well nice colours that I wanted to try. I’ve fancied Topshop nail varnish in Eclipse but not seen it in stores (only online) but Lady Luck seems to be a bit of a dupe. Bella’s Choice is a super nice aqua/turquoise shade perfect for the summer. You get 9ml for £2.99 which seems quite good- I’m not sure what the quality is like but I’m sure I’ll soon find out. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this Bourjois nail varnish remover, it reminds me of the sort they use in nail salons- its got a sponge inside soaked in nail varnish remover. So there’s my lil haul, I’m looking forward to using all these products and I’m sure I’ll be reviewing them soon. 

I've managed to get booked in for my hair dye and fringe trim- it's super long overdue and my roots are horrendous! Tomorrow I'm going shopping with my chum- I'm gonna try my hardest to be good (cause otherwise me and my boyfriend will starve on holiday) but I'm keeping my peepers peeled for a denim shirt and any bargains. I'm also having a sneaky Chanel make over tomorrow night, curtosy of my boyfriend's mum- she's coming too of course- and then we're meeting my boyfriend and his dad for tea which will be really nice. I've gone off my Chanel foundation loads since buying my MAC, Avon and Bourjois ones but I still love their nail varnishes and lipsticks so hopefully I'll find a sneaky treat to buy. 

In Your Face: Topshop Cream Blush.

 

Topshop Cream Blusher in Flush.

As I mentioned, this is my first ever Topshop face product and my first ever cream blusher in one. I’m always a bit worried when it comes to cream blushers and eye products as I think they’re going to crease, fade or just generally slide off my face. However, my love of Topshop’s lipsticks and nail varnishes encouraged me to try this and for £6 I couldn’t go wrong really. I really like the packaging of Topshop makeup in general but the compacts are super cute! I buzz off the white with the ‘hand drawn’ black dots on it. The packaging is well sturdy too and has a good sized mirror in it. The blusher itself is a really light, creamy formula which blends super smooth onto the skin. In the pan, Flush is a super scary neon coral but on the skin it’s much more wearable. If you’re after a subtle look, then this is not the product for you- this is definitely one for those of us who like a bold cheek. I’ve been applying a bit to my finger then dotting it up my cheek before smoothing and blending it in. My only quarm with this product is that, compared with powder blushers, the intensity doesn’t last that long but I don’t mind reapplying tbh. I think this shade is perfect for summery looks and I’ll for sure be checking out more Topshop face products!

Paranoid.

 

Dress- Primark

Cardigan- Marks & Spencer

Leggings- Primark

Ring- Muse

Nails- Chanel in Paradoxial

So this is the pink version of the white dress from Primark (I’ve also got it in black) which was a bargain £6. It’s super nice and light for the warmer weather, which seems to come and go as it pleases atm! I teamed it with a cardigan cause it was way too warm for a jacket. I love the shade of pink of this dress- its a real nice coral pink. I know I’m being really boring with my outfits atm but I’m just not loving what’s in the shops this season. I’m loving loads of grungy looks that I see on the interweb but I’m totally not good at mixing up styles and clashing colours or prints. I’m gonna try and be super good this month to save up for my holiday (how many times have I said this?) so I’m gonna try not to buy anything this month without good reason! I’ve told myself that I can’t buy any products until I’ve used an existing one up- which isn’t going too well haha! I saw a blogger do a massive sale of products that she’d used a couple of times and she managed to get rid of loads of stuff so that’s something to keep in mind for the future. 

p.s photos taken in my boyfriend's mum's bedroom. 

In Your Face: Topshop Highlighter.

 

Topshop Highlighter in Sunbeam.

After not being too wowed by the GOLD by Giles highlighter, you’d have thought I wouldn’t want to try another. Well you’d be wrong! I actually couldn’t wait to get my hand on this bad boy. I’ve seen so many great reviews of this product and the Giles highlighter just made me realise that highlighter does make a difference to your makeup look. Again, as with all Topshop makeup products, the packaging is stunning. This is a lot bigger than the blusher compacts but doesn’t come with a mirror which I think is a bit weird- this is my only criticism of this product btw! For £9 you get a MASSIVE dome of product- it would be less impressive for a face powder, say, but seens as though a little goes a long way with highlighter this will last me years, literally. It’s a mega yellowy gold powder in the pan but never fear- it gives a beautiful golden shimmer on the skin. I’ve been wearing it to highlight my non-existent cheek bones and even a lil sneaky bit on my nose. This highlighter lasts all day and just adds that extra dimension to the skin. This will be the highlighter of my choice from now on for sure!

I'm Charming.

 

T-shirt- The Black Dahlia Murder merch

Shorts- Topshop

Leggings- Primark

Shirt- Primark

Denim Jacket- Drop Dead Clothing

Ring- Topshop

Nails- Chanel in Paradoxial

I wore this to uni last week- I’m super behind on outfit posts because I’ve been revising for and sitting my exams but they’re finally over now! I feel like I’ve been neglecting my many a band t shirt recently because I’ve just been living in my t shirt dresses. I want some more denim shorts but I can’t seem to find any I like. These black ones from Topshop are semi-stretchy like skinny jeans which I like cause sometimes denim can be real stiff. I normally wear a grey (mens) hoodie under my Drop Dead jacket but the warmer weather called for something less heavy so I opted for my trusty lumberjack shirt. It’s a lil bit felty which I like with these flannely shirts. I got this ring with my last mini-haul but couldn’t get it to photograph nice without being on my finger. So here it is! I love it loads, it’s well unusual and I love statement rings as it is. This pic doesn’t do the nail varnish justice but Paradoxial is one of my favourite nail varnishes ever- its a super smooth grey with a metallic, lilac shimmer running through it. I’m sorting my room out so I’ll be putting loads of stuff on ebay- I just have far too many clothes that I don’t wear any more so they gots to go! I’ll post a link so you can take a look at what I’m selling.

Creepin.

All images from Google Image search.

I'm in a dilemma. I fancy buying some creeper shoes but I dunno if they'll suit me first off. Secondly, none of my friends or family like them. Thirdly, which do I choose?! I can't afford to splash out on irl brand new TUKs or Underground creepers (around £70-£100) but theirs some real good non-branded ones knocking around on ebay and the high street for between £20-£30. I quite like the suede stud ones (the lowest photo) but I also like the dalmatian ones too. I dunno, I'm never normally this indecisive about clothes but I think because I'm trying to save up for the hols, I'm trying to attempt to be more cautious about what I spend my money on.  I think I'm just gonna go for it and get some. Has anyone got any recommendations on size with these? I'm usually a 5/6 depending on the shop- I'm thinking of getting them in 6 cause they're filled in.

In Your Face: Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub.

 

Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub.

I’ve been wanting a lip scrub for agesssss now because I have quite dry, flaky lips and its a pain when it comes to wearing lipstick. I didn’t even know if lip scrubs existed until recently and had resorted to using olive oil mixed with sugar but that was far too messy. So when I made my first ever Lush pilgrimage the other week and saw this on the counter, I picked it up immediately! I went for the Sweet Lips option instinctively but the Bubblegum and Mint options looked just as scrumptious! I love the packaging- the tub is made of glass so it’s real sturdy and I like the simplicity of it. The scrub smells amazing!! It’s just sugary and caramelly and sweet! I’ve been using it a night time after cleansing etc before I put on my lip balm. I’ve only been using the tiniest amount cause that’s all that’s needed really. It’s made of sugar (well duhh) and that’s what makes it exfoliating as the sugar crystals are whole (i.e not dissolved like in your tea). The best bit is that it says to lick off the excess so that’s a nice lil sweet treat! This scrub tub is gonna last me a real long time but I doubt that will stop me wanting to try the other flavours, and for under £5 a tub can you blame me? I'd for sure recommend this products if you, like me, have flaky lips and want them real smooth in preparation for lipstick and what not.

In Your Face: GOLD by Giles Lipstick.

GOLD by Giles Lipstick in Pop.

I bought this along with a highlighter and lip gloss from the new GOLD by Giles Deacon makeup range available in New Look. I’m a girl who does not need any more pink lipsticks but for £2.99 I couldn’t resist trying it out. Like with the highlighter, the packaging of this product feels really cheap and RRP isn’t an excuse nowadays guys- just look at MUA and Vivo prices and their packaging is much sturdier and better made than this. I do like the look of the packaging of this lipstick and unlike the highlighter the lid doesn’t fall off. I like how you can see the colour of the product in the lid- it saves a lot of rummaging and checking labels. I like the contrast between the black and gold and the G on the top is a nice finish. This lipstick feels really small so it’s good to just chuck in your handbag and forget about it. The lipstick itself is really creamy and smooth; I like the finish of this lipstick, I’d say its more on the matte side. The colour is stunning- Pop is a really nice ‘hot pink’ shade with more red than blue undertones. Unfortunately, this lipstick doesn’t last that long on the lips so constant reapplication is in order. However, I do quite like the stained look it gives when it’s faded a bit. There isn’t much more I can say really: I love the colour, think the packaging is crap and it doesn’t last very long. In another era I would have thought this is value for money but I’m afraid it just can’t compete with low-cost quality of bargain brands like Vivo, MUA, 17 and Collection (2000). Come on Giles, step it up.

Mini-haul.

 

Lush Tea Tree Water, Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub, Topshop Highlighter in Sunbeam, Topshop Cream Blusher in Flush.

I went shopping the other night on my regular Tuesday night adventures with my mum- for a change we went to the out-of-town shopping centre near us. I can honestly say that this is my smallest every haul from there! I’m not at all disappointed though- I got (almost) everything I wanted and there weren’t any clothes or anything else that I fancied apart from a pair of Topshop shorts but they didn’t have my size so I’ll keep a look out for them. Lets be honest, the clothes in the shops aint exactly appropriate for this rubbish weather we’re having atm. I dived in at the deep end with my first ever Lush skincare purchases. I’m not gonna lie, I honestly thought it was all bath bombs and bars of soap and never ventured into Lush shops for no apparent reason. I’ve heard a few people loving their face and body products so I thought I’d take a sneaky look at what they had to offer. I actually went into Lush to buy a face mask but they’d all sold out! I didn’t realise their products were made fresh etc but the lady gave me a sample of Cupcake to try before I buy the full size (when it’s in stock) because it’s suitable for oily skin. I’ve been wanting a lip scrub for ages so I got this Sweet Lips one which smells like sugary, caramel sweetness! And the best thing is you can (sort of) eat it by licking off the excess. That was around £5 and also came in minty or bubblegum flavours. I got this Tea Tree Toner Water because my Boots Toner is going thick and fast. Again, this was the product recommended for oily skin as it helps to smooth and mattify. I like the fact that this is a spray rather than just squeezing out excessive amounts (Boots I’m looking at you). You can also use this as a refresher throughout the day so I’m well excited about trying this out. They gave me a newspaper/magazine with all their products in so now I have a list as long as my arm of Lush products I wanna try! The prices aren’t at all that bad and it’s well nice knowing that all the products are made from natural ingredients; sometimes I worry I’m putting loads of harsh, angin chemicals onto my skin. My Lush obsession has begun!

After loving my Topshop lipsticks and nail varnishes, I thought I’d venture into the blusher and highlighter departments. Although I really like the colour of the GOLD by Giles highlighter I recently purchased, the packaging is crap and I’m not a fan of the cream consistency as it can look abit cakey and is abit annoying to rub in. I’ve heard many a great thing about this Topshop highlighter so I thought I’d try it. It’s a bit scary cause it looks super gold in the pan but I swatched it and it blends really well, I think that’s about £9. I’ve only every used powder and one moose blusher before so I was interested to try this cream one. I think Topshop have about 3-4 shades of cream blusher but this orangey pinky one looked the nicest to me. This cost £6 which is pretty average for a blusher in my opinion. My MAC blusher in Cubic is on the back burner atm as I’m yearning for colourful summery cheeks, but that will for sure be a stunning winter staple. Although not pictured, I also got a ring from Topshop that’s moveable bones (like in your finger) in silver- it doesn’t photograph very well unless it’s on so I thought I’d leave it for an outfit post. Have you ever used any of these products? Got any Lush or Topshop makeup recommendations?

Avon Calling! Mini-haul.

 

Cushion Brush; Nailwear Pro+ in Lemon Sugar and Coral Reef; Miami Party Body Spray; Gel Eyeliner Brush.

It’s my favourite delivery of the month when Avon comes a calling, even if it does wake you up at 8.30am!! I’m such a dweeb that I only buy things from Avon when they are on offer, even if it means waiting for ages like I have done with the powder/all over face brush (which is finally on offer hooray!). I can’t remember when I bought my hair brush and it’s so angin now so I got a new one. I’m not well up on brushes but I knew I wanted a flat one (haha) so I got this Cushion Brush for £2 reduced from £5- bargain! All you Avon fans will know that Avon have launched their nail varnishes with a new improved formula and some new shades, in addition to the old favourites. I got Lemon Sugar and Coral Reef on introductory offer at £2.50 each reduced from £6 which is well good considering the quality of the originals is amazing- can you imagine how ace these new ones are?! I got the yellow to add to my pastel shades collection and I think the coral is a perfect summery shade, adding to my forever growing pinky coral collection.

I’m a big fan of body sprays, especially when they don’t cost too much as you don’t mind spraying tonnes on compared with an expensive perfume. Plus they’re dead easy to just chuck in your bag and you don’t have to worry about crazy fiddly bottles being smashed like with perfume. This new scent Miami Beach is also available in a proper EDT for £10.50 but I got the Body Spray for £1.50 (£3.50 full price). It’s a super summery fruity scent so I’ll be using this loads! In the current brochure (10) you can buy the EDT and spray for £8 which is a good offer. Finally, I got another beloved eyeliner brush; it’s so amazing and it was on offer for £2.50 instead of £4 full price. I also got one for my friend because she wanted an angled brush for her eyebrows so I recommended this one as it stays in shape and you can get really precise lines with it. So there’s my latest Avon haul- I’m sure they’ll be more mentions of these products as I start using them. I’m already planning my next Avon attack with the new brochure- they get me every time! 

In Your Face: Travel Solution.

 

Well, I knew the day would come that I’d run out of my travel-sized No7 Day and Night Cream but I didn’t think it would be so soon! I am actually planning on doing an empties post at the end of May as part of my regime to use products up before buying new ones so that’s to come. My solution was to decant product from my full-sized tubs into travel tubs. I found this baby in Superdrug for around £1.50 and I just had to get it (also available in blue). I thought it would be ideal being the trio of tubs all in one to use for my day cream, night cream and Superdrug Simply Pure Oil Balancing Serum which I am constantly forgetting to take to my boyfriend’s when I stay over. I decanted the creams with a spatula (on the end of a medicine spoon if you’re interested) and just pumped out some serum from the bottle. I wasn’t sure how much to put in but I can obvs re-fill whenever now. I’m well chuffed with these tubs- they’ll be perfect for my over night bag as well as for my holiday that I’ve got coming up; anything to make my luggage more lighter in space for more clothes!!! Excuse the make-shift labels but I didn’t want to get confused as the night cream and serum are similar consistencies! Sorry if this is a weird post but I just wanted to share this lil nifty contraption with you in case you were looking for something similar.

p.s (added on 19/05/12):

How gutted am I? This product actually broke last night, I'm real mad. The twisty part of the bottom compartment just disintergrated and is now rendered completely useless. I've transferred everything into some inidividual mini pots that I got in a travel set from Primark. Don't buy this, it's let me down within 2 weeks of purchase wahhhhh.