Showing posts with label uk beauty blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label uk beauty blog. Show all posts
23/12/2015

Brand Spotlight #2: Soap&Glory


So I'm obsessed with Soap&Glory and adore a large range of products so thought I would share some of my favourites! Soap&Glory is a brand I've loved since I was thirteen and living in Thailand where I was introduced to the Righteous Butter (something my mum and I still use!).

But as we have a lot to get through, let's get going.

Makeup wise, I haven't tried that many things but it should be no surprise that Brow Archery is one of my favourites. It's the perfect ashy brown for my hair and it just looks wonderful. The nib is really fine and the spooly is wonderful! But recently, I've been trying the Brow Archery 2-in-1 which is similar to the brow archery but instead of a simple pencil, it has a tinted brow wax which has the perfect amount of colour and waxiness. Ideal for those no makeup days where the brows still need to be tamed.

Soap&Glory skincare has been something I've seriously ignored until recently but I'm a woman obsessed. I've never been big on day creams but the Speed Plump All Day Moisture Marvel is brilliant. It smells incredible (the marshmallow Soap&Glory scent) and works really well. It sits really well under makeup but doesn't make it look greasy or anything like that. And then for night, I've been loving moisture masks and with a fourteen hour flight looming, I needed something that worked in flight as well. The Beauty Sleep Accelerator is incredible and I honestly think it might be a slightly thicker dupe for the Origins Drink Me Up Moisture Mask. It smells of mango and is incredibly moisturising but leaves my skin fresh and glowy in the morning. 

And onto bodycare, I couldn't not mention the Righteous Butter because I've been using it for donkey's years and it's the best. The scent isn't too overpowering and it sinks into your skin straight away. The one pictured is from the christmas scent, hence why it's little (which is great for travelling) but normally, the tub is much larger!

Have you tried Soap&Glory? What are some of your favourites? 

This post may contain items that have been sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
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20/12/2015

Raise Boys and Girls the Same Way

T-Shirt | Jeans | Heels | Leather Jacket | Bag | Sunglasses

This t-shirt is probably one of my favourite things in my wardrobe right now. It's statement, thought provoking yet not to the extent that I would feel uncomfortable wearing it in public. 

Let's be honest, it's not really difficult to say that boys are obviously raised the same way as girls considering we go to the same schools but it's really the way they're treated which creates the difference - the whole "boys will be boys" culture that seems to always crop up whenever sexual assault/rape/harassment occurs. But I digress, a post for this will be coming in due time.

I find with t-shirts, it's incredibly easy to look incredibly casual but I was feeling myself when I took these pictures so I wanted to add something glamorous to it, hence the heels and sunglasses. 

Paired with my fave coated jeans, there's almost a biker element to it that gives it a bit of edge. 

Mirrored sunglasses were huge in the summer and with this bright sunlight we've been blessed with, sometimes sunglasses are necessary even in Autumn and winter. 

It's definitely sometimes too cold to wear this out now but I'm obsessed and shall be keeping this t-shirt for forever. 

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18/12/2015

#GBBO Comes to Life #HBBakeOff


It's not every day where an email pops into your inbox offering to cover travel expenses to London. For a day trip. It's also not every day where you get the opportunity to bake alongside Ugne from the Great British Bake Off.

Holland & Barrett put on an incredible day for all my fellow Free From bakers where we would get the chance to bake an incredible Pecan, Apple and Pear cake that was completely vegan, gluten and lactose free! It was the Deliciously Ella recipe but we used cranberries instead of raisins to make it slightly more christmassy! 

The whole day was incredible, Ugne is such an incredibly lovely person and was so down to earth and an absolute pleasure to meet (and have a little gossip with!). She also really liked my cake, which was definitely a bonus! The whole day was hosted at Cactus Kitchens which is where Saturday Morning Kitchen is filmed and honestly, it was the kitchen of dreams (far better than my student kitchen). It was also very pinterest which was an absolute bonus.

And because I'm doing Vlogmas this year, I did a little vlog on it! 

Thank you so much to Holland and Barrett for inviting me - and if you're Free From anything, you can get all your go to ingredients here.

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09/12/2015

Ultimate Christmas Party Makeup


So, Christmas is almost upon us and soon as will the Christmas parties...

Christmas parties are a great way to get away with majorly glittery makeup and deep vampy lips because what is more festive than golden glitter?

I think using a good primer is the first step to Christmas party makeup to make sure that your makeup lasts! I typically would go for something like the Too Faced Hungover Primer but I've been loving the MAC Prep + Prime Fix + which is slightly unusual as it is a spray primer. What makes it so brilliant is that it contains glycerin which helps make makeup stick. This is also perfect if you want a more intense highlight or are using a looser glittery eyeshadow.

Base wise, I always opt for a foundation that doesn't have SPF just in case someone uses flash (because there is nothing worse than the dreaded flash face). The Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is my go to for winter because it is fairly high coverage but has a lovely glow that isn't too dewy and greasy looking. If ever I wear a full face of makeup, this is perfect as it gives you a flawless skin finish.

This Illamasqua Palette in Neutral is far from natural but the bronzey shade is gorgeous. The shadows are so pigmented and beautiful and is ideal for a subtle glittery look that screams christmas. I love darkening my crease and then using the bronze glitter shade over my entire lid which looks incredible. Paired with a cat eye, it looks amazing.

And then lip wise, MAC Diva is fairly new in my collection but it's fast becoming my favourite because it is a wonderful deep blue toned red shade. Definitely line your lips first to make sure it doesn't budge but it's beautiful.

What are your go to Christmas Party looks?

 This post may contain items that have been sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
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07/12/2015

Currently Testing #1


Apologies for a bit of a blogging break from my end, the lighting has been abismal which has meant that I haven't been able to get the photos that I want (and I've slightly dubious about these ones...).

But anyways, I've been testing quite a lot of new makeup so decided to do a bit of a first impressions type review.

Glossier Skin Perfecting Tint is something I've been wanting for ages but they don't ship to the UK but I managed to get hold of it as it seems ideal for those no makeup days or when I go on holiday and really don't want to wear full skin makeup. I have the shade light and I definitely was worried it was going to be too pale but because it's so sheer, it's perfect and doesn't appear too light on my skin. It's very sheer and glowy so not ideal if you have breakouts but otherwise it covers any redness you might have!

Then onto another light base which is the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser which was definitely chosen in mind with my Sunny christmas holiday. At the moment, I am liking it. For uni, I tend to opt for basic tinted moisturisers and this is perfect. It has quite a good medium coverage but definitely seems buildable. It has SPF which is a bonus and so far seems to be ideal.

And finally, a lippy! I've recently become obsessed with the MAC Matte Lipsticks and really like the formula so when the shade Diva arrived on my desk, I was thrilled. It's your stereotypical deep berry red but definitely has more of a purple tone which is quite different for me but so far I'm loving it. 

What are you currently testing?



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27/11/2015

The Importance of Having Gal Pals


I think this post title deserves a round of applause if I'm honest (especially if you're a Amy Poehler fan like me).

But hey, onwards.

As a complete and utter introvert, I know how easy it is (especially at university) to lock yourself away in your room and never leave aside for food and lectures. And I know how hard it is when you're thrown into a house with people you don't know (or that aren't your family) but it's also really important to have a great group of friends.

To have people to cry on...
Which I've done more than I'd like to admit. Not for any terrible reasons but stress (university deadlines) and various changes have all been reasons and you always need someone just to cry on (including drippy mascara and snot) who honestly doesn't care.

To have a laugh...
I have several different groups of friends but going for a coffee with any of them is always a laugh. Some of our best "days out" evolved from simply a cup of coffee.

To have baking parties...
Okay, they're not exactly parties but when I was at halls, occasionally my neighbours and I would turn up at each others flats and just bake. Nothing bad can come from brownies or scones.

To get greasy chicken and chips with...
We've all done it but after a night out, the only answer is greasy chicken and chips. Trust me.

To simply be with...
I know this sounds seriously cheesy but sometimes nights in where you simply watch a movie or reality TV can be the best nights.
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25/11/2015

Recipe for Blemish Prone Skin


Whilst my skin has definitely cleared up so much since my early teens, I still fall victim to that monthly break out and it's not fun. Whenever I have the opportunity to meet makeup artists and ask what they think is the ultimate answer to flawless skin makeup, they nearly always say good skincare.

I know it's easy to say good skin is the answer to good base makeup when alot of it comes down to genetics so I decided to put together a handy list of how I'm currently fighting breakouts and helping them reduce down from an angry red to an easily concealable "thing".

Sometime last year I wrote a post on how I used to fight spots and I still love the Trilogy Mineral Radiance Mask. Mud masks are aplenty but it's rare to find one that isn't too drying. The Trilogy mask contains rosehip oil which not only helps reduce scaring but also is incredibly moisturising to it's a win. This is normally my first step as it starts calm everything down.

Then onto a more recent discovery; Lush's Mask of Magnaminty which is an absolute delight. It contains mint and evening primrose so is instantly cooling. I find this is incredibly refreshing and perfect for further reducing any redness. It's also brilliant for generally clearing out my skin as it gently exfoliates as you remove it. As it's all natural, it's incredibly gentle and perfect for skin that can be on the sensitive side. 

And finally, the Merumaya Mud Marvels Mask which is more a precautionary measure than anything as I find if my skin has been in good knick all month, then I find things aren't too bad... This mask contains AHA's which gently exfoliate and mean that your skin isn't as clogged up. Perfect for this time of year when the chilly wind can chap your skin. I find applying this and then removing with a flannel is the perfect way to reveal sumptuously soft skin.

What are your go to solutions for a breakout?
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23/11/2015

Flake Away Lips


With the cooler months in full swing, there are days where my skin gets so dry it feels like it's ready to shed (almost like how snakes shed their skin) and my lips are no exception.

I love my matte lipsticks so as they can often be quite drying (and sometimes cling to dry patches) so I take extra care to make sure my lips are always moisturised and soft but with so many lip balms on the market, it can be quite tricky to find one that really works.

My first step is exfoliating. I love Lush's Mint Julips because it's minty and sweet. It's basically a simple combination of sugar and oil so if you don't want to spend any money then mixing sugar with olive or coconut oil would come up with a similar effect. 

And then I load on the balm. Depending on how I'm feeling, I switch everything up but my current favourite is the Glossier Balm Dot Com which is probably one of the best lip balms I've ever tried. It's incredibly moisturising and I find putting this on before I head to bed leaves my lips soft and flake free in the morning. 

What are some of your go to maintenance lip products? 

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30/06/2015

In the Shower

 


Since I don't really do many youtube videos (although this might change...) I wanted to do a blog alternative to your standard evening routine esque videos which I love, mainly because I'm nosy about these kind of things. 

I've written several posts on various favourites but I'd realised I'd never done one purely focused on a routine as such so keep an eye out for those over the next few weeks and check out my hair care one here. But for now, have a peek into my shower and check out my choices that I use at least daily.

My hair care routine remains the same, I use the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil range as my standard shampoo and then once a week or dependent on how my hair has been feeling, I use the Sacha Juan Hair Repair Mask which I leave on as a deep conditioning treatment. 

In shower, I don't use anything particularly fancy - it's all drugstore for me as who spends lots on soap? As my standard body wash, I use this Bath and Bodyworks Eucalyptus and Spearmint Body Wash because I love how invigorating the scent makes me feel. My favourite shower scents have to be citrus or minty ones as they really help me wake up properly in time for those nine am lectures. I picked this up in Malaysia and I know it's readily available in the US but I have no idea about the UK. Before this, I used to use the Original Source TeaTree and Mint Shower Gel which normally retails for £1 in most drugstores (their pink grapefruit is also amazing!). But in times like now where Summer is setting in, I've been using the Imperial Leather Foamburst Honey & Almond Oil Foaming Shower Gel because it's brilliant for shaving your legs as it feels like shaving foam but far more moisturising. It smells sweet but it's not too overpowering and really helps reduce any pesky razor burn.

Once I'm done with the routine shaving of the legs, I've been loving the Nivea In Shower Moisturiser which is amazing. I never ever use body moisturiser unless my legs are in a really bad state or are itching so using this in the shower really reduces the amount of time required after shower, plus it doesn't leave my skin feeling tacky like many moisturisers. 

I don't do much of my skin routine (specific post coming soon!) in the shower unless I have a hair mask on but if I do, I only use two products. First off, I take off my makeup using the Una Brennan Super Facialist Brightening Facial Oil which is amazing! Despite having combination skin, I need an oil based cleanser to breakdown my waterproof mascara but it doesn't leave my skin oily at all and reduces the need for a moisturiser afterwards. Then once my makeup is removed with a flannel, I use my favourite Oskia Renaissance Gel Cleanser to cleanser my face. It smells like rose and leaves my skin bright and soft.

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11/03/2015

The Face and Body Moisturiser Duo




I've always had a bit of a love hate relationship with moisturisers and have never quite understood the hype. But I now am...

There is almost always a moisturiser of some sort on my dressing table but I only use it if my skin is overly dry and even then, I tend to use my Origins Drink Me Up Mask instead of a moisturiser. But I've recently been using the Amie Morning Light Hydrating Daily Moisturiser which I'd never heard of before until it landed in my post box. Amie is a natural skincare brand designed for sensitive skin so perfect for me! This has been incorporated into my skincare routine for the past couple of weeks, morning and evening and my skin feels so much softer. It's an incredibly light consistency and sits really well under makeup. Definitely would recommend! You can also pick it up from The Hut.

Likewise with face moisturisers, I rarely bother with a body version unless I'm suffering from day two itchy leg syndrome and even then, it's whichever moisturiser I can reach first (this typically ranges from hotel freebies to samples). But the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion is so lovely. It's a rich formula that sinks into the skin instantly and doesn't leave it sticky or oily. The air has been ridiculously dry (Yes, I cringed writing that) and it's definitely taken a toll on my skin so I've been reaching for this a lot lately. Plus, it has a handy pump which makes it so much easier for someone who is particularly lazy with these sort of things.

Are you on the moisturising bandwagon? What are your favourite options?

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This post may contain items that have been sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.
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