Itty-Bitty Beauty Haul & Reviews

I can't believe it's been over a month, where has the time gone?

About a month ago I took pictures for a blog post haul but decided to wait as I really wanted to review the products as well, so I'm sorry for the wait but I have some great post ideas coming up soon.

 Here is a little overview of what I purchased last month... but let's break it down...

 Skin care:

The Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser at £3.55     ***/*****
I bought this product due to some amazing reviews, and the fact it's pretty cheap. While the concept of not having to moisturise after showering appealed to me as a time and effort saver, I was pretty sceptical weather this would work. I am impressed with the size of the bottle, you certainly get a lot, which I guess is great as I found I needed a lot for each use. This product does work fairly well, not perfect by any means, my skin felt somewhat moisturised afterwards without extra nourishment, however if you suffer from dry bodily skin, I would recommend that you follow up with extra moisturiser afterwards.

Vichy Cleansing Gel at  £9.50 ****/*****
After running out of cleanser, I needed a quick fix, and decided to take a peak at the Vichy counter seeing as i've never bought a product from them before. Although I never normally enjoy gel cleansers due to them being fairly drying, I find that they remove make up better than cream ones, so picked this up on a whim without any research. I surprisingly like this, due to my oily skin this gel doesn't strip my skin of it's natural oils and actually does a great job of removing all make up traces and impurities leaving a clean feel with no residue.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water at £4.99 ****/*****
So, I've never owned a cleansing water, and although contemplating Bioderma for a while, I wasn't sure if I needed one, but when I saw this for half the price I thought i'd give it ago. The reasons for not picking it up before is I always have to cleanse with a fairly strong cleanser so I am sure all my make up is remover. But yes there are those times when you still have a smudge of waterproof mascara on, and this is really perfect for removing that, and I have found I love it so much that I now double cleanse with this, but because it's soothing and fresh and calming. I really recommend it, just try it out.

Vaseline Spray&Go Body Moisturiser at £4.99 *****/*****
Yep. it's easy to use, does the job, smells great, quick to dry, not a huge amount more I can say about this one really, It's just a very very useful spray and in those situations you can't be bothered to wait for a thick cream to soak in and dry. So useful for the holiday season.

 Make Up:

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in 001 Pink Truffle at £7.99 ****/*****
Really loving this lip butter, its fairly sheer but very buildable, a nice soft caramel colour, very very wearable and also nourishing, if you're having a dry lip day but want a splash of colour then this is really fab. Gives of a glossy/satiny finish and is just beautiful. This colour is also great for all year round as an ashy rose.

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in 230 Complex at £7.99 ***/*****
I thought I would like the look of a matte finish more than I actually did. I bought this as I needed a nude colour, and thought the concept of a matte finish would look great, and I guess it does, however the condition of my lips haven't been great, and any matt finish lip product needs to have a perfect base otherwise it will cling too those dry bits for dear life and that isn't a pretty site! I do however love love love the colour, a perfect nude for me, which is something i struggle to find due to my pale skin, It also carries an interesting mint scent, nothing great, but quite fresh.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Fair at £3.99 *****/*****
Need I really say anything? This is probably my 6th pot. But honestly a great concealer.

Bourjois Cream Blush in 02 Healthy Glow at £7.99 *****/*****
This cream to powder finish blush is so beautiful, I love the shade a peachy, glowy, coral. It applies great due to its good blending power and  looks very natural on the skin, perfect for spring and summer really. It also comes in cute and small packaging. My go to spring cheek, also a perfect blush for people who aren't so confident with blusher as it's pretty hard to go wrong with this, as you can just use your fingers to apply and blend.

From top to bottom: Revlon Lip Butter,  Revlon Matte Lip Balm, Bourjois Cream Blusher.

I then used the Vichy Gel Cleanser to remove the swatches: 

Great right?

Then this is what I bought my Mum for Mothers Day. The Liz Earl Hot Cloth Cleanser, which I will review shortly with other cleansers (btw it's one of my all time favourites). And a nude/clear Revlon nail polish.


Hope you enjoyed this post, I promise there is more to come shortly,
Bye x x x

February Favourites

Welcome to my first favourites post!
... and it seems I have lost the ability to spell February correctly, thank god for auto-correct (sometimes)

I know it's late, but come on, it's my first time, cut me some slack okay!

Starting with the face products, from left to right: 

Body Shop's Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder at £13.00

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Power at £29.00

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation at £9.00

Body Shop's Tea Tree Pore Minimiser Primer at £7.50

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush at £10.00

This honey bronzer has been an absolute dream this month, with the cold, frosty weather I am paler than ever, and am constantly on the hunt for a contouring bronzer that doesn't look muddy and orange on me- and I have found the one. Using the lightest shade in 01, I have found the perfect colour, amazing for contouring due to its shimmerless formulation, so I have been able to really find my ideal contour. This compact also comes with the most handy mirror ready for on the go make up, and the honeycomb printing on the product adds a cute touch. Would really really recommend this for any one with pale skin, and even if you don't... basically everybody...

The powder has been a god send this month, for some reason my oily skin is producing a ridiculous amount of oil in this cold weather, and although I'm not a powder gall, I've been really needing this. This is so great as it's translucent and so so fine, so doesn't set heavily on the skin and also does not affect the colour, ensuring you don't end up looking cakey. Although it's a bit pricey, a little really does go a long way, so it will last for ever!

Now I haven't been using this foundation for long at all, but after all the great reviews I just had to get it and I haven't been disappointed. But I will be doing a blog post soon on a few foundations so remember to keep on the look out if you'd like to hear more.

Primer is a must in my make up bag, and after I finished my POREfessional, I couldn't justify buying another pot for £25.00 even though I do really love it. I have already written a review of this gorgeous product here so go check it out.

I can't even explain my love for Real Technique Brushes, they are just FAB-U-LOUS. I use the expert face brush to apply my foundation, and I think it gives a great flawless but natural finish, helping to buffer in the product, leaving no brush lines and just being generally everything a foundation brush needs to be! 

From left to right:

L'Orèal Extraordinary Oil at (around) £7.00

LUSH Love Lettuce Facemask at £5.95

L'Orèal TXT supersizing spray at £4.50

In the dry, cold winter months a hair oil is a must have item. I'm really liking this one from L'Orèal, it just does the job well, hydrating the ends of my hair, keeping them from splitting and keeping the appearance healthy by adding a perfect shine, this oil is totally un-greasy and much better price than some of the more well known and loves oils, however I feel it performs just as well.

This Facemask is great for people with spot prone skin it removes all the dirt, brightens the completion and even has gentle exfoliating agents in, so when you rub this off, you're getting a nice exfoliating treatment too! Even though it's deeply cleaning it does not make my skin dry in the slightest, one of my all time favourite masks and a great Sunday treat.

I am a huge hater for flat, lifeless hair. I have a rounded face shape that needs a lifted hair style, and as I have very very long hair which I refuse to cut, getting some oomph can be quite tricky. This spray is really great. I really don't enjoy volumising products that leave your hair feeling a horrible texture, so this is perfect, this can just be sprayed on dry sections of your hair, giving an instant boost and smelling gorgeous, with a purse friendly price tag I really can't fault this!

Finally for my new babies:

Nike Free Run 5.0 at £85.00

Ouch, look at the price tag! They may seem pretty expensive but boy these trainers are so worth it. I gym regularly, and these really do make such a difference in my performance, I can run longer, train harder and feel no discomfort in the slightest (in the foot area). I also wear these around college with leggings or black jeans and really like the look they give off. I get compliments on them everyday and they are just SO SO SO COMFY. The slits on the sole make them very flexible, so perfect for running and all other sports really, I can't recommend these enough. If you would like a full review with more pictures of them in action please leave a comment below.

Thank you for reading, 

Hope you've enjoyed my first favourites blog

See you soon,

Zoe xx

My Foundation Wishlist

Hello All,

It's been such a long time, been so so busy recently. Hasn't February just flown by!

I am a foundation obsessor, having perfect, flawless skin is something am always looking to get after recently recovering from Acne after my journey through Roaccutane.

Anyway, after many hours of research and videos I have narrowed my Foundation Wishlist down to 6 products, 5 luxury and 1 highstreet.

1.

Nars Sheer Glow. £31.00
I think every single beauty interested person out there will have heard/wanted/tried this product. Said to brighten and hydrate skin to give a radiant and glowing, satin-finish. Minimising skin discolouration, this 'sheer' (but said to be medium) but build-able coverage is suitable for normal and dry skin types. Although I personally have combination to oily skin, I will be trying this cult product out soon! And lets be honest, most Nars products are faultless! Would be great for a light summer foundation I think.

2.

Illamasqua Skin Base. £27.00 

Another classic, I have never tried an Illimasqua face product before, only eye and nail items, so I would be really interested to try this out having heard great things. It is said to be very easily blend able, creating the perfect undetectable HD completion, suitable for all skin types (BONUS) and smooths and softens skin. This is a natural, build-able coverage.

3.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk. £35.50

Now were talking. This is what luxe would feel like. Apparently you are able to capture the "perfect glow" in this oil-free hydrating fluid. Being light weight giving a silky texture that gilded seamlessly with it's micro-fil technology. A build able coverage foundation. A definite check for the birthday list!

4.

Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Éclat. £30.50

Anyone who's anyone knows of the world famous Touche éclat highlighter pen, and if you're anything like me you love it! Such a brilliant undetectable highlighter, making you able to get the perfect contour. Well this new(ish) product does just that... as a foundation! It targets shadowy areas and defines contours, enhancing the face's natural features by this lightweight, non-cakey feeling fluid, giving the ultimate radiance. 

5.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. £34.00

Now I have been pining over this lil' beauty for ages, each time I have gone into the department store to buy this, they have been out of stock of my colour (soft ivory) gah, the limits of pale skin 'ey. Anyway, I will be getting my paws on this soon! However it is a full coverage foundation, so will I get much use in the summer?  Anyway, this rich and luminous foundation offers full coverage while hydrating and protecting the skin. Perfect for covering dark areas and hyper-pigmentation.

6. 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. £9.99

Finally for my highstreet pick. I have only heard great things about this foundation, many beauty guru's have actually compared this to many-a luxury foundations and have actually preferred this! Giving a radiant and flawless completion for up to 16 hours, this fluid includes apricot for radiance, melon for hydration and apple to protect youthful skin, it evens out skin colour but still lets the naturalness shine through. The soft, fresh, easily blend-able texture leaves a radiant finish. I think this is a must for the summer. 

Thank you so much for reading, let me know in the comments if you have tried any of these foundations and tell me what you think of them! 

bye

xx

A Little (but pretty large) Beauty and Fashion Haul!

Hello Everybody,

Despite not having enough time to blog last week, I've found a quiet few hours on a chilled sunday afternoon to sit down and blog. (still, I'm sorry for the wait).

So although it's early February, I'm still pretty low on cash, so here are a few little bits and bobs I purchased pretty cheaply and LOVE this month... 

Starting with Beauty..

I know face wipes are a controversial topic, and I am all for a deep cleanse and really purifying the skin due to my unlucky spot prone complexion, however, after a cleanse, all that eye make up can be smudged under the eye, so for a quick fix, I don't have a problem with a gentle run under the eyes with a wipe. For cheap wipes, Simple will always be my favourite, and asking my dad to pick me up some, he chose the oil balancing ones, which I think are designed for a cleansing wipe, and that is something I am against. Using only wipes is not enough to remove skin make up, you're pores will get blocked, so I really recommend only using wipes for removing execs make up after cleansing. However because these are designed for cleansing wipes they take a bit more of a rub to remove left over eye make up, which isn't great for the delicate skin under your eyes, however, they are gentle with no harsh chemicals and it states they control shine, and at only £3.20 from Boots, you can't really go wrong. 

Next, is my absolute favourite under eye concealer at the moment, the Phwoarr PAINT by SEVENTEEN. Like it says on the tub, it really is a heavy duty concealer, covering absolutely everything. Creamy, easily, blendable, not a great colour range, but perfect for me with pale skin, this is just really full coverage and then some! Yes the pot gets messy quickly as (pretty unhygienically) you need to use your fingers to get the product, however at £5.50, this is just fabulous and I love it. Also the little compact mirror is so handy, and packaging is neat and firm, so there won't be spillages and messiness getting out that pot. 

Recently I have been using a matte foundation, the Esteè Lauder Double Wear Light in the colour 01, and I have noticed that this sits in my rather large pores after a few hours of wearing it, which isn't the look I am ever going for. Never mind though, a primer will fix the job, and after finishing my incredible POREfessional tester from Benefit, I decided however brilliant it was, I wasn't able to let myself fish out £25 for the product.

I had been hearing some great things from the Body Shop's TEA TREE Pore Minimiser primer, which is made to suit blemished skin, win-win really, blemished skin? (check) large pores? (check) so  £7.50 seemed to make my purse and myself very happy. This is brilliant. All I can say really, smooth to apply, creates a lovely base for foundation, but doesn't make the foundation slip off, and does really fill my pores. It also smells fresh and clean, that typical tea tree smell and feel, I am converted, and a small amount goes a long long way. 

As you may know Illamasqua recently had a fantastic sale on, which I thought I would have to take advantage of, for only £5 I picked up the PRECISION INK eyeliner liquid in Havoc, a beautiful aubergine-black colour, which really compliments my blue eyes. Such a good stay put eyeliner, which   gets really close to the lash line and does a great winged look.

Im in shoe heaven, bought two completely different pairs recently, the first is the gorgeous orange cut out pump with an ankle strap with a gold twist fastening. I love the strap to make it different and cute with trousers and skirts (more of a spring/summer shoe) These being only £14.00 from ASOS was an absolute bargain, although they are not the comfiest shoes, I am trying to wear them in ready for warmer weather. The next being a heeled chelsea boot from H&M at only £25.00, absolutely love love love these boots, haven't taken them off, comfortable with a rubber heel to stop the annoying clip clop sound, can be dressed up or down, looks great with frilly socks and turned up jeans, leggings, trousers and I just can't fault them. Very happy with those beauties. 

Finally my bargain jumpers. Loving the monochrome, Firstly my cute chunky knit from ASOS at only £20.00, so warm, so comfortable, a great chunky fit, but not too unflattering which i find a lot of chunky clothes are, and I wear this with my petrol jeans and the H&M boots for a sophisticated (and warm) but easy outfit, and I'm loving it. The pattern is different but not too in your face, so its an easy wear and just makes an outfit a bit more interesting. 

And lastly, my simple black knit jumper from H&M at only £15.00, can't go wrong. a lovely sloughy hanging fit, slightly shorter at the front to complement the trousers you're wearing, really love the shape and fit of this, and the cute pocket detail finishes it off nicely, a simple and can wear a statement necklace to brighten the outfit, or some bright shoes (like the orange ones) or an interesting bag or jacket. There is nothing wrong with staple pieces, and a simple thin black jumper is just so useful.

So I hope you've enjoyed this post, a few bits and bobs I've purchased cheaply and absolutely love.

See you soon,

Zoe xx

My Cosy Night In Natural MakeUp Look

Wow, what a crazy week!
Had such a busy time, with loads of exams and other bits and bobs on too, so I've only just found time to sit down and blog!

I went out on friday night, so this saturday I just had a quiet night in at the boyfriends house, so I thought I'd show you how I did my very natural, quick, not a lot of effort needed make up look

ENJOY 

So first off I prepped my skin with my all time favourite moisturiser, the AVEDA botanical kinetics hydrating lotion 

I then used the SEVENTEEN phwoarr paint in the colour fair and applied this under my eyes and on any blemishes, also over my cheeks as they were very red, so it evened the colour, and i blended this out with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, which I absolutely love for concealer and foundation.

I then used a small amount of my Estèe Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation in the colour INTENSITY 1, and used the same Real Techniques brush to buff this in... I spent a long time buffing to really get a natural finish. This foundation is great medium, buildable coverage, so I just blended for a while to get a natural finish.

Here you can see that my under eye bags are nicely covered and my colour has been nicely evened out and blemishes covered. 

I then moved onto brows, one of the most important steps for me, as I am naturally blonde, I have very very light eyebrows so I tint them this colour you see above or they would be invisible. To fill in any sparse areas I use my very well loved Urban Decay Naked Palette. For the brows i use the colour 'NAKED', the brush I use is the Urban Decay 'Good Karma' brush as I find this applies the product on really naturally, I use a spoolie to comb through then first, then push the product up rather than across to get a bolder effect.

As you can see this palette is very messy, and well loved...

I then took my MAC eyeshadow in 'SHROOM' which is a gorgeous pale creamy colour, absolutely wonderful at highlighting brow bones, and took this on a fluffy brush and applied all over my lid to even out and discolouration and on my brow bone to highlight.

I then took DARKHORSE from the same Urban Decay palette and on an angled brush applies a thin layer to the top of my lash line, I used a pressing technique to make sure the shadow would stay, this was to produce a natural eyeliner without the harshness of a black liquid liner.

After curling my eyelashes with my NO.7 curlers, I applied my Elizabeth Arden Maximum Volume Mascara in Black. It gives a full but not too overpowering look, keeping the lashes separate and looking longer.

Next onto Blusher, I wanted a natural flush so used my NARS Blush in DEEP THROAT, for that natural winter pinched look. I applied a small amount with the Real Techniques Blush Brush.

After I used my extremely old Dream Terra Sun by Maybelline, because it's great for contouring subtly, and then I dust it over the whole of my face for more of a glow. However it isn't very well pigmented, so even with extremely pale skin its very subtle! 

Then I used the same Blush Brush to apply a minimal amount of the Laura Mercier Translucent powder which i absolutely love for setting my make up!

Then possibly my favourite step is highlighting, on cosy nights in I just wanted a minimal highlight, so used one of my favourite products, the Yves Saint Laurent Touche èclait radiant touch in shade 2.

I apply this under my eye to cover any fall down and brighten and on the tops of my cheek bone, and down the centre of my nose. I JUST LOVE IT.

Lastly I wanted a simple colour and moisturising lip product so went for my Clinique Chubby Stick in 04 mega melon, which gives a lovely colour while being really hydrating for the winter time. 

and here is the finished look...

So I took some photos in different lights so you could see properly!

I really hope you like this look, I thought it was just right for a cosy night in, I apologise for the comfy hoody and terrible hair, I forgot to fix those before... oops

See you soon

Love Zoe xx

NO CLOGS ALLOWED! SOAP&GLORY FACE-MASK REVIEW

In my stocking this year, I was lucky enough to receive this SUPER SELF HEATING DEEP PORE DETOX MASK by SOAP&GLORY. 

Now I love a good face mask, for my spot prone, oily-combination skin. I like the feeling of a deep cleanse, knowing I've done my best to rid the pores of any 'clogs'... excuse the pun.

For 100ml, and only needing a small amount, I'm pretty certain that this mask would last you a while, so even though the price isn't ridiculous, (although a lot more than those £1.00 masks) it is definitely worth the money. 

This mask is originally £11.50, but you can get it on offer for £8.50 here. This will last a limited time only, but Boots always have great deals on. 

So as you can see, this is a weekly mask, and gives you easy directions to follow.
And even though it says use a 'grape sized dab', I recommend about 3 'grape sized dabs' for a fairly thick coverage all over the skin.
When you start massaging this product into your skin with dry hands, you really do feel a super heating effect, it's not at all painful, but you can really feel the heat. There is also small, soft grains t help exfoliate while you rub, to get rid of dead cells, and help clean.
Then you slightly wet your hands and rub further, the product will then turn a pale blue colour and you know the mask has been activated.
Even though it says keep on for 5 minutes, I lost track of time and probably had it on for 10.

No this is not an alien, this is a delightful picture of my face. Please excuse the red eyes due to a sleepless night, sob.
I used this mask when I had just woken up to refresh my face.
I really enjoyed it as well. Because I have only used it once, I haven't noticed a great difference in skin condition, but it did feel soft and deeply cleansed.

After use, I followed up with my favourite moisturiser, the AVEDA botanical kinetics hydrating lotion, and then my skin was fully prepped for the day.

So, all in all I really liked the mask, I will continue to use it weekly, and in a month or so, I think I will blog a 'MY FAVOURITE FACE MASKS' blog, to compare what has worked best for me.

I really recommend this mask if you want a quick, but deep fix, leaving your skin with a nice refreshed and replenished finish.

I hope this was useful
See you soon,
Zoe xx

House Of Holland False Nail Review

As I live with the awful habit of biting my nails when stressed, my hands aren't the prettiest. As well as the fact I live with the most temperamental kitty cat, who loves to play fight and destroy my hands, I wear plenty of little playful scratches, so I apologise for the condition of my hands.

I would love to have perfectly manicured nails all the time, as I think good hands and nails look so elegant and feminine. SO, I decided to treat myself to some false nails as a new year treat. I love false nails as they don't damage your nails as much as acrylics do, I have only had acrylics once, and when I took them off after 4 weeks (so they lasted well) my nails were weak and discoloured, and just felt unhealthy. False nails however, do not damage my nails, as the glue is very different to acrylics. They last around a week/a week and a half.
In Boots, they sell a range of brands, but the House Of Holland collection really caught my eye. They are all so different and sophisticated, with gorgeous and crazy designs.

I went for the 'DOTTY' style.
The is the second set I have worn from this box, as they contain 24 nails so that I could properly review them for you! So that is why the box looks tampered with.

I absolutely loved the look of these. The nails are mostly matte black with a few statement 3D coloured dot nails. And i just thought they were amazing.

Inside you can see that they provide you with an instruction leaflet, a nail glue and a nail file.

This is the finished product.
I think they look classy and natural, not to long and strong enough for everyday wear.

The colour does not chip, and coloured dots do not fall off, however the matte black does wear to show a shiny black under layer after about 5 days. The nails lasted 8 days without falling off, however you can just re-glue the fallen nail back on. I would suggest not doing this for longer than 2 weeks.

Overall, I think the House Of Holland collection is very good quality for the price which I payed £8.99 for, but other styles have varied prices.


I hope this was useful,
See you soon,
Love Zoe xx