Illamasqua I'mperfection Spring Collection

As a huge fan of Illamasqua since they first came on the beauty scene, I like seeing all their new and exciting collections. One thing I love about the brand, is that each collection will be so well thought out, and have so much meaning behind each product and specific "look". I was recently invited along to see the new Illamasqua Spring Collection and I wanted to share my thoughts with you all. 

One cannot simply snap away at new products without a comedy shot of their best friend inside a blusher compact...

The collection is titled "I'mperfection" (get it... I'M PERFECTION = IMPERFECTION) Personally, I think this is one the best collection names i've ever heard. So simply but SO clever. The difference an apostrophe can make! It's all about embracing the things that are typically seen as imperfections and highlighting them instead of hiding them away. 

Alex Box describes the collection as "a stand against the homogenised nature of the beauty industry today, and a celebration of freckles, scars and birthmarks - the things that make us who we are. To borrow a line from Marilyn Monroe, "Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring". I love that quote! 

The first thing in the collection that caught my eye was this gorgeous blusher duo in "Lover & Hussy*", both gorgeous matte shades. The colour that stood out to me the most was the orange/peach tone, as these shades really compliment my skin in the summer once i've had a bit of sunlight on my face! Illamasqua blushers are my favourite thing about the brand. They are far more pigmented than plenty of others I have tried and the consistency of them is really lovely to use and blend. 

Next up is the lipstick. Lipstick was the first item of makeup I ever bought from Illamasqua as they had such a vast and interesting colour range. They have the best selection of matte lipsticks you will ever find, and the colour payoff is amazing. This shade is called "Immodest*" and it's a gorgeous vibrant, fuchsia pink. The lipsticks are really long lasting and contain vitamin e for nourishment, which is almost a necessity when wearing matte lipsticks as many people stay well away in case of major dry lips. 

Above are swatches of the lipstick "Immodest" and both blush colours from the "Lover and Hussy" duo, as you can see, all three are extremely pigmented.

Next is a brush* which really excited me! Illamasqua have designed this brush for a more chiselled and precise blush technique when applying. This new "brush up" design has an ellipse shaped head designed to tuck directly under the cheekbone. Gone are the days of big rosy round cheeks, it's all about creating more shape and structure to your face (hello fake cheekbones) and the best way of doing that is a more precise way of applying your blusher. I am so excited to start using this on my face, although it definitely sounds a lot easier than it probably is, and could take a few attempts in order to make it look just right. 

Besides the brush, I was also really intrigued by the new nail polishes that Illamasqua had brought out with this collection. Each nail polish is in a pretty pastel shade with a speckled finish inspired by the beauty of a bird's egg. At first I raised an eyebrow at this bizarre concept, thinking it looked a little like sparse glitter, but the more I looked at these, and when I saw them on the nails, I was completely sold. They look SO good! The two shades I have above are "Freckle"* and "Speckle"*. Speckle being my favourite in a gorgeous pastel purple. I can't wait to do my next manicure with this and I also think it would look great on toes!

In keeping with the campaign and collection, they had also designed a speckled effect for the eyes using the precision ink liners in black (Abyss) and white (Scribe). I would have never thought to do anything like it but it looked amazing on the girls, and sounded so easy to do. I also love the other creative ways of using other colours with your eyeliner. Who would have thought white cat-eye liner would look really good with a neutral eyeshadow? Not me, but now I really want to try it. 

The one amazing thing about Illamasqua is that their collections aren't just "pretty" but inspiring, and the campaigns that run alongside new collections are really interesting and make you think outside the box. If there is ever a brand to open your eyes to the creative world of makeup, it's Illamasqua. You don't have to be daring in your makeup choices in order to indulge in any of the products, but keep an open mind and be inspired. Makeup can become a very boring chore in our every day lives, but it's nice to keep everything a bit fresh and exciting, and I always feel like Illamasqua do that. 

Buy items from the new I'mperfection collection here on the Illamasqua website

What are your favourite items from the new collection? Anything you'd love to buy and try for yourself?

♥

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Someday Summary - Sunday

♥ Using my spin dryer is definitely going to become a much regular styling method from now on. I get asked a lot to do a "demo" on how to use it. Besides a video of me with my head upside down looking a fool & you not really being able to see what i'm doing, i'm not overly sure how I can demo how to use it. I just blowdry my roots with a normal hairdryer, then tipping my head upside down, I take my hair into three sections and use the spin dryer. Thats it. Oh, also use a mousse. Vital.
♥ Vintage scarves are also going to be appearing on my head & just generally on my person a lot more. They are so easy to tie up in your hair, and I think they make outfits that little bit more interesting. When carboots start up again, I am definitely going to be buying some more.
♥ I need ideas on what to do for my 21st Birthday in 2 months time. I literally have no idea. Do I go away? Have a party? Have a sophisticated do? Go out for a meal? I kind of want to do something a bit...different. Ideas would be lovely thankyou please :)
♥ I've become addicted to mini milks. Could literally eat a whole box in one sitting i'm sure of it.
♥ Loving Adele's new album as well as her. She is hilarious. So down to earth and normal. Probably one of my favourite singers for sure. If you dont have her new album yet, i'd definitely urge you to get it. You won't be dissapointed.
♥ Currently reading I Want You To Know & Daisybutter

GlossyBox | January "Valentines Edition"

This months GlossyBox has been eagerly anticipated as it's hot pink box was flashed about the twittersphere. I for one, was really looking forward to peeling back the paper to reveal what was inside. The Box itself is super pretty, I love that GlossyBox are changing the colour schemes with different themes, it keeps everything a lot more interesting and exciting. Who doesn't love a hot pink box?

The theme for this month is Valentines Day. Whether you are single and fancy a night of preening or meeting your fella for a night of romance, this box offers you the ultimate pampering experience. The first thing that caught my eye was the Murad primer, as a primer is something I always leave out of my face routine, so I was looking forward to trying that. I also loved the look of the moisturising balm. I wasn't mad-keen on the body washes though.

Contents & Thoughts:

• Murad Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer - Dewy Finish - As I just said, primers are something I always forget & so I was chuffed to have one to try out. I also love that it gives a dewy finish. A lot of primers are for mattifying the face, which is something that has always put me off as I have quite dry skin sometimes.

• Davines Moisturising Balm - This balm is all purpose and can be used on the face, on the body and in your hair. When I first got it, I was under the pretense that it was like a moisturiser, but after reading up about it, it says it needs to be rinsed off. When using on the face, it's more like a cleanser, which when rubbed in with cotton wool, removes makeup. It's then used the same way on your body, and like a conditioner for your hair. I'm not overly keen on the scent of this, it smells faintly of hair dye.

• Davines Cleansing Nectar - Again, although it appears that this product is more of a shower gel, it's mainly for cleansing your hair (shampoo). It contains lots of natural oils, so I'm looking forward to trying this and seeing the results. Unfortunately is does bare the same natural-with-a-hint-of-hair-dye smell that the balm does although it's definitely the sort of scent that could grow on you.
  

• FAB Gentle Body Wash - A moisturising, irritant free everday cleanser ideal for sensitive skin. This body wash is aimed towards those with dry, irritated or sensitive skin. It feels really lovely on the skin and does leave you feeling squeaky clean. I'm a big fan of shower gels that moisturise aswell as clean your skin. Again, not really too sure of the scent of this one, it's a lot more fresh and not a very strong scent but still a little strange. I can't quite put my finger on it. I'm not sure if my nose is just being fussy...

• Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner - This is the first time I have come across these eyeliners from Eyeko since they re-branded. The formulation is lovely. Creamy, easy to use and pigmented. The colour I received is a light pink, which dissapointed me at first, as I was unsure of where or when I could wear a colour like this. Then I realised that it was the perfect shade for lining the waterline to make you appear more awake, and to brighten your eyes. I even think it would be great to add a little shape and definition to the arch of your brow or lighten the inner corners of the eye. I'm unsure I like the long silver handle on the liner, as I feel it's a bit of a waste of product & therefore means the actual liner is a lot small than your average. However it does feel lovely to hold, and is good for precision.
  

Last months Christmas edition GlossyBox was my favourite so far, so I knew it would be a tough one to follow. I do still think last months box just pipped the top spot. Although I will use all the things in this GlossyBox, I'm not the biggest fan of body washes & shampoo's as I own SO many. I'm definitely more of a makeup and skincare enthusiast. I have noticed that the contents of some other boxes have included some Clarins skincare, which I think would have been best suited to me, but that's the joy of not knowing what you will receive. Overall, a very pretty, well thought out box!

♥

Makeup & Jewellery Storage Ideas/Alternatives

I like to think of myself as quite a creative person, always looking for new ways to store things and pretty things to add to my bedroom. I'm a firm believer of the fact that a girls bedroom is very much a personal space, to dress up as she chooses, with whichever soft furnishings and bits and bobs take her fancy. Everyone has different tastes, but I think it's refreshing to see a variety of ideas and solutions. As most of you will know, I'm a huge fan of searching out unique and vintage items for my bedroom from charity shops, bootsales and home clearance shops, so it may not come as much of a surprise to you that I don't store my jewellery or makeup in a modern glass jar. The selection of things I have pictured here were all under £5. Unlike buying a plastic box for my makeup from a shop on the high street, I get such satisfaction out of finding pretty little trinkets that I know will make my room slightly more interesting. They really aren't that difficult to find either, you just need to open your eyes a bit more. Charity shops are always stocked with cute little plates and saucers & bootsales are absolutely FILLED with vintage, one off items.

Each of the plates you see above, cost me 20p. The tins are a more recent find. I got them from a house clearance shop, which if you ask me, is an amazing idea. It's like a permanent bootsale stand & everything is so reasonably priced. Each tin cost me £2.95. I used the Alice in Wonderland tin to store all my tiny studs and small stacking rings and the Typhoo Tea tin has all my cotton wool pads and cotton buds in it. The Jacobs Cream Cracker tin, as you can see, is used to store all my lipsticks, so simple & so effective. The Mrs Tiggywinkle tin, I have used to store more earrings & the tin beneath that, has my necklaces in it. The mirror on the wall cost me £3 from a bootsale & the cup & saucer candle was also from a bootsale for £2. The retro "Annual for Girls" book was bought on a day out with Louise in Market Harbourough Oxfam for £1.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to store your jewellery or makeup or to add a touch of personality to your bedroom, you just need a creative eye & the ability to make nothing into something.

How do you store things in your bedroom? Have you found any vintage gems?

10 Favourite Items In My Wardrobe.

I was tagged to do this by Claire (The Fashion Teller) and i thought it was a fab idea!

You have to pick 10 of your favourite items in your wardrobe, say where it's from, why you like it & any memories of you wearing it. No Accessories allowed :)
I found it really hard picking 10, but i managed to whittle it down eventually.



From Left to Right:
♥ New Look baby pink top with sequined shoulders - A relatively new addition to the wardrobe, but i just love the baby pink colour, and it hugs my figure nicely.
♥ Floaty silk cream top with flowers - I don't know where this is from, it was a charity shop find by my mum & has no label. It also has a cute ribbon to tie at the back. I love this & wear it a hell of a lot.
♥ All Saints dress - I like this because it's unique. It is very baggy and ties in three different places. I like to wear it with a plain tshirt & leggings with either boots or plimsoles.
♥ Topshop rose & bird crop top - I bought this in Leeds a while ago. I love the pattern & the way it looks on. Again, i team this with leggings. :)
♥ Topshop Vintage Lace top - Bought this about a year ago, i just think it's pretty & girly & lace is my favourite.



From Left to Right:
♥ All Saints yellow sequin top - This has a weird shape, but i love it, it hangs in all the right places. I wore this to the Barry M Event last year & on my 19th birthday :)
♥ Vintage stripe dress - This came into my mums shop & i tried it on and fell in love. It looks kinda shapeless on the hanger, but the material is so thick and heavy & i feel really 60's when i wear it. I can't wait until the sun comes back out so i can wear it with pretty flipflops and a flower in my hair.
♥ Primark sequined top - I very rarely love something so much from Primark that it lasts a whole 6 months in my wardrobe. This hangs really nicely & i just think it's pretty.
♥ New Look cropped black blazer - I chose this because it was totally bargainus. It cost me £3 in the sale & it has been a staple to many an outfit since. I love it, it fits perfectly.
♥ New Look floaty spot top & cargidan - I cheated slightly here and put two together. Both are currently in New Look & I am totally loving the nautical theme at the moment.

Hope you enjoyed that small insight into my wardbrobe.
I tag anyone else who would like to do this. I'm sure Claire would also love to see what else you all have in your wardrobes..as would i :)

♥

Review: Lush - Flosty Gritter Bubble Bar

I recently recieved this as a freebie in a goody bag. I had seen it in the shop before, but i'll be honest, i never touched it because of the glitter coating. It looked pretty, but the thought of getting glitter everywhere was enough for me to bypass this completely.



This bubble bar does look super pretty, i hadn't even smelt it before in fear of walking out of the shop with a pink glittery nose, but it smells AMAZING.

It smells like Vanilla & Lavender & i could sniff this all day long.
One thing i was a little apprehensive about was whether or not all this glitter was inside aswell as out..thankfully, it's not, which means most of the bubble bar crumbled into your bath will be glitter free. On first look, this bubble bar does seem a tad smaller than others, especially the comforter, but actually, you'll be surprised by how much use you can get out of this.
The water turned a gorgeous pink & there were no obvious traces of glitter.

This bubble bar is right up there for me with Creamy Candy & Mar Bar.
I will most definitely be buying these again & again.
So there's your lesson folks, do not be a glitter snob.
♥

Primark purchases of late.

Mink crop top £5 - Scooped neck navy top £8

Bag £7 - Sailor Pumps £6

Just a few things I picked up in Primark recently. They don't have a lot of newer things since the last time. I really loved the fabrics of the two tops. The crop top is a really heavy, flowly material which I think will look flattering & I loved the mink colour. The navy top is also really baggy and floaty. The bag was one of those "oh my gosh, quick grab it" purchases. I'd seen this in the SS11 collection photos, and it was the one thing that I knew I had to have. I spotted it in Oxford Street & there were literally about 5 girls standing around them when I grabbed one. Think there were 2 left after i'd gone. They may get more in but if you want this, grab it now while you can or if you spot it. Looks to me like it's a popular item. The shoes were just too cute to pass up really. I think they'll look good in summer with little white dresses and pretty skirts.

♥

My 5 Current "Go-To" Blushers.

Throughout the past few months, i have been using the same handful of blushers over & over.
I have quite a nice collection of blush too, but i just keep going back to these beauties.
At some point, I am going to have to give my other blushers some well deserved attention but for now, i will share with you the 5 that are very close to my heart. ha.

P.S I'm sorry about my lack of eye makeup and generally lacking full stop on the makeup front today..but it's all about the blush..right?



Illamasqua Powder Blush in "Tweak"



This blush was kindly sent to me by Alex over at Illamasqua as she had seen it in my wishlist. I absolutely adore the colour of this blush. It's a shade i don't often see. I'd say it was a red based hot pink. I know it looks scary, but honestly, you just need the smallest amount and it brightens up your whole complexion. I honestly think that warmer tones suit my skin alot more than cool tones. I have been wearing this alot during the winter because i think it gives your cheeks a naturally "cold-kissed" glow (been out in the cold) I am one of those people that doesn't go pink when cold, or after exercising, so this is perfect. I'd also like to add that it's the most pigmented blush i own.

Mac's Mineralize Blush in "Daft Pink"



This blush came out with a collection earlier on in the year, and i instantly knew i'd love it. I get so many compliments on my skin when i wear this. It does give you a healthy glow. However, if you don't like small particles of glitter or a sheen..this isn't for you. As my skin is mostly dry/combination, i love a bit of a sheen to give my face more dimension. I'm going to have to slow down with this one, as it was limited edition. If you are after something similar, The Body Shop came out with a mineralize blusher not long ago, it didn't look similar, but had almost the exactly same effect on the skin. They had a few in the winter sale, so you might still be able to find one of those somewhere.

Benefit Powder Blush in "Coralista"



Since I recieved this at Christmas, i have worn it to death. I don't care if coral is typically a summer shade for the face, it brightens up my complexion and softens it. Sometimes pink can get a bit boring & when that's the case, coral is perfect. I think because my skin is a "warm" shade, coral is easier for me to wear. I can't wait until the sun starts coming out so i can really whack it on with my bronzer. haha.

Illamasqua Cream Blush in "Sob"



I love this one when i am going for a "doll faced" look. What i mean by that is just simple pale matte skin, long full lashes, and simple lip & eye colours. This cream blush gives the ultimate dewy effect, it has a gorgeous shine to it, and when paired with flawless matte skin, it looks so pretty. It's got a much blue-er undertone than anything else i own, and for this reason i don't wear it as much as the others. I wore it alot more towards the start of winter when I still had a bit of face colour from the summer, otherwise it CAN make you look slightly cold. I still wear it at the moment though. It looks pretty with brown neutral eyes and a neutral lip colour.

Mac's Powder Blush in "Well Dressed"



A favourite of many, the trusty Well Dressed. A gorgeous milky pink with slight shimmer. It goes on smoothly, blends well & looks good with ANY makeup look. Pale or sunkissed, this blush will suit my skin whichever. The only thing i WILL say about this, is that Illamasqua puts Mac to shame when it comes to pigmentation. In order to get the achieved amount on my face i do have to go back a few times, whereas Illamasqua's blushers are very highly pigmented..and i believe they are around the same price.

What are you're current "go-to" blushers?
♥

Style Heroine: Kim Kardashian

Isn't that a surprise..she's only a hugely vast majority of every young girl's idol?
But seriously, after hours of watching "Keeping Up With The Kardashians", i soon realised that if i could switch lives & looks with one person, i would absolutely choose Kim Kardashian.
Why?

♥ She is absolutely bloomin' gorgeous! Some of you might not agree, and that's fine, we don't all have the same perception of what's beautiful. Personally I think she has the most amazing facial feautures, figure & hair...ever. I'm starting to sound like a lesbiano now, so i will shh..but the pictures speak for themselves surely. I also love that she's curvy. Like Beyonce, she has a real booty, and she's not affraid to show it off. Not all beautiful women are stick think like we see on the catwalks. If anything, i prefer to see curves, it shows a real woman. Her confidence is just as amazing as her beauty, she is really very inspirational & such a sweet person.

♥ She is making a living from being these things..imagine being born so beautiful, you can just smile & make money from it. Sounds like my idea of a fabulous career, who cares if she is a bit vein..i'm pretty sure i would be too if i looked like that. :)


[All Images taken from Google]

♥ Her style. Now, normally, i am one for a bit of quirky-ness. I do get bored of seeing the same old when it comes to celebrities..but i also know, that those who do like to try and be a bit different, can get it wrong just as well as getting it right or becoming the next massive trend. I actually love how Kim just dresses classy..she keeps it simple, yet stylish. You don't have to wear a huge flower in your hair, or hot pants teamed with knee lenght socks. Kim proves that simple dressing is enough, and some of her outfits are absolutely gorgeous! Of course, she has been known to get it wrong aswell...i have seen her wearing a few outfits which have made me wince..and wonder why oh why..but then that's predictable being in the public eye. Kims style is very sharp & almost business-like. She teams crisp/frilly shirts with high waisted trousers and gorgeous heels. When she dresses down she likes to team t shirts with leggings, and long waistcoats. Then she has accessories to die for that top off every single outfit.

♥ Her amazing family. I have always wanted to be a part of a huge tight-nit family. I only have one brother, he will do, but i'd love to have sisters who shared my passion in the same things as me, could go out shopping with me etc etc. They fight, they laugh, they love. end of. It's so cute to watch.


These are a few of my favourite Kim photos..all taken from her personal blog.
The one in the bottom left is one of my favourites, purely because she looks stunning. The dress, the hair, the tan, the sunset..grr. Jealous much? haha

Kim also inspires me greatly with her makeup. She can pull off the smokey-est eyes, and the reddest lips. She can be a bronzed goddess, or a pale beauty. Anything goes.
I know some of you may like to point out the whole "air brush" issue. But she wasn't airbrushed in the Kardashian Series..and even admitted to having cellulite. We're all human :)

Any other Kim K fans out there?

♥

Someday Summary - Wednesday

♥ After walking past the "Hummingbird Bakery" on Portobello Road in London too many times, and never actually stopping to investigate, I decided that last week, whilst visiting, I was going to go in & make a spontaneous purchase on cupcakes. I absolutely friggin love cupcakes. I never get enough time to make them, and mine never come out as amazing as the ones they have to offer, so I did treat myself. I think the one's I purchased were £1.95 each. They are of the basic vanilla & butter icing variety, but they did have other fancy ones. To be honest, I felt a little overwhelmed & felt like the ladies behind the counter were thinking "Hurry up woman, they're only blummin cupcakes, pick some". I'd also like to add, they were DELICIOUS & I definitely urge you to visit. If anyone knows anywhere besides "The Hummingbird Bakery" in London that offers scrumptious cupcakes, do share.

♥ After my last blogpost on Charity Shopping, it inspired me & the muvster (that's mum), to hit the charity shops. So that is exactly what we did today. We went to 4 different towns, and about 10 different charity shops (call us crazy if you must) and I picked up a fair few amazing garments, and a nice amount of books that some of you had reccommended to me after my book post. I will post up on my finds if you so wish.

♥ Whilst out today, we went into a little gift shop & I fell in love with the Valentines "Juicy Lucy" range. There were cards, chocolates & other little bits and pieces. I wanted all of it, but alas, I only have one boyfriend & so more than one card could be deemed somewhat naughty. I did buy a little pack of "Filthy Fairy Notes". Don't be alarmed, I do have a slight sense of humour & when it comes to silly things like Valentines day, you definitely won't see me buying huge cards with hearts all over them & gag-worthy lines like "To the one I love" or "To the very special man in my life". I'd rather buy something slightly less cheese. Some of these were surprisngly "filthy" but some were a little more softcore haha. So, If you're like me, and you prefer to have a slight laugh & not take Valentines too seriously or cheese-fest-ingly (Yes, i think i just made this word up) then check out the website. Or, yanno, if you do like being a big cheeseball, just stick to a 5ft teddybear.

A few of the cards they had that I liked. How adorable is the peanut one? haha

♥ I think I have a slight obsession with Jessie J. I've been following her on Youtube for what seems like years, so for her to now be playing on the radio is madness. I'm ever so pleased for her. I must admit, I find her mannerisms slightly distracting annoying but her voice is absolutely amazing. I've been listening to this song over & over, and I'm guessing it's going to be on the album in March as she's called it "Who You Are". Listen & Enjoy.

♥ I have also been a little obsessed over Iphone Photography apps. Mainly Instagram & Pudding Camera - Both free :) If you are a bit of a photography enthusiast & love photos with a retro/vintage feel, I urge you to get these Iphone apps and have a play around. 

♥ Currently Reading Little Chief Honeybee & Shutterbug

♥

Review: Benefit Powderazzi

It's true..i sing "Powderazzi" like Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi", it was inevitable though right?
I asked Father Christmas for this, and low & behold, there it was under my Christmas tree come December 25th AM. Never underestimate that friendly bearded chap.

I do not own any of the individual blusher/bronzer boxes from Benefit. The reason being, i could never justify spending £22 on one. (I actually believe they have increased them to £23.50 now..boo) so when this cute little box came out around Christmas time..obviously it was a good opportunity to try out 3 different bronzers/blushes all at a very good price.



The three cheek colours included are: Hoola, Dallas & Coralista..funnily enough, the three i was most eager to try.

The first thing i love about this product is the packaging..its bright, colourful, and works. I also like that it's thinner in depth than the original boxes, which in my opinion, are a lot more bulky than they need to be. Of course, a few moths down the line, cardboard is not going to be as pristine as plastic.
The little brush is adorable, but i haven't had to use that yet, i'm going to keep it for emergencys only as i think it's just too cute to dirty up. It is very soft, and i know a fair few people who do use the brushes for applying their blush with no problems at all.



The powders themselves have a surprisingly creamy consistency. I was worried they would be quite chalky, but i was not let down. The girl who was showing me the box before Christmas was saying how these are actually more pigmented than the original. How does that work? Why would they do that? I'm guessing because it's a smaller size, they upped the pigmentation in order to get more uses from it. I have been using this everyday since Christmas and i'd say it's holding up extremely well. I absolutely love Hoola & Coralista. I have had so many compliments on my cheeks and skin when wearing this combination. Dallas i'm not such a big fan of..as of yet. I think it's a gorgeous warm colour, but i want to wait until the summer before i wear this one, as i think i need a bit more colour in my face for it to really benefit me. (HA benefit..get it...hmm)

This cost £25 but was also in the sale after Christmas. I'm not sure you can get your hands on this now, but what i will say is that it was totally worth it & i'm now a Benefit blush/bronzer convert. Maybe this is why they are so expensive?
If you are considering buying a pretty little box in Benefit for £23.50, even if it seems a bit pricey, in my opinion, they are really good quality. The packaging may be a total fail when it starts falling apart, or if it ever got wet..but the colours are so pretty & they are soft & very easy to blend.

Which is your favourite Benefit cheek colour?
♥

Review: Lush - Happy Blooming Bath Melt

I was extremely excited to see that in the latest Lush Times, there was a page of new & exciting products that were soon to be released.
The first thing I have bought to try out is this bath melt.



I am a big fan of the bath melts, a little more pricey they may be, but they are full of beneficial ingredients for the skin.
"This melt is full of Ylang Ylang, Sweet Benzoin & masses of other beautiful frangrances"



The first thing you notice about this bath melt, is the fact it is made up of three slices (if you like)
Yes people, we can get 3 baths out of this little beauty.
Hoorah!
I used 1/3 of the bath melt last night, and my hopes of it being moisturising with only a third were very slimjim, but i was surprised by it's strength. I'm thinking they have upped the ingredients by 3x in order to make it just as good with 3 uses.

One thing i am sort of undecided on, is the scent.
The guy who served me said this was hands down his favourite lush scent ever & i can definitely see why. It smells like Cherry Drops...but, as my brother also pointed out..it has a small tinge of playdough mixed in there too. I'm not really a massive fan of generic cherry smells, they always remind me of cough sweets or vitamins..or even those glacier cherries they used to put in your coke in pubs. (Er..whatever happened to that anyway? I never used to eat them as they are vile, but it was nice to get them in there..someone enlighten me)

The water also turned a pretty pale pink, it did moisturise my body & the smell DID linger.
3 massive ticks.

I am actually pretty impressed by this bath melt, i am still undecided on the smell, but people like different scents. Also, the whole "No bubbles with bath melts" does make me a little sad. Next time im going to add some bubble bar into the bath with it, but for the pursposes of the review i thought i would bathe with it on its lonesome.

RRP: £3.60

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Granny Chic on a Budget.

Handbag - Bootsale - £1 Silk Scarf - Bootsale - 20p

It became quite apparent to me, whilst strolling through Topshop on Oxford St, London (I literally get lost in there) that a lot of the things on sale for stupidly high prices, could be found at a fraction of the cost in charity shops all over the UK. I still have a very love-hate relationship with Topshop...

Affordable fashion? Really?
Long-Lasting? Questionable.
Unique? Not Always. Every girl & their mum has the same item.
Quality? Sometimes.

Overall it's pretty hit and miss, and i go through phases of wanting things from there, and then I go back to dissliking it again. If they dropped their prices slightly, I might be more inclined. Although the point of this post is not to go into detail about Topshop, it's simply to highlight other places you can grab similar things, for much, much less. This winter, I have mainly bought my jumpers and cardigans from Charity Shops. The prices in high street stores of winter clothing always shocks me. Especially if you want quality. I have had a bit of an obsession with 80's batwing jumpers. I wear them with leggings, or shorts, or a bandeau skirt.

Top photo: left - Batwing Jumper bought from Brick Lane for £5, Right - Cardigan from Charity shop for £6
Bottom photo: Vintage Beaded tops L-R - Charity Shop £5, Ebay £6

I'm also a big fan of the beaded "granny chic" evening tops. You don't really see anything similar on the high street the best place to find them is Charity shops and Ebay. I like to wear them with leggings. Just something a bit more exciting and different for a night out or evening do ;)

Top left photo: Both jumpers from a Charity shop, £3 & £4
Bottom left photo: Chairty shop again, £5 & £4
Mohair coat/jacket - Charity Shop £5

The mohair coat was such a find, I absolutely love it with my military boots and a messy updo, and it kept me warmer on minus freezing days than any other coats I own. I really can't encourage you enough to check out the Charity shops and bootsale's for vintage items, be it clothing or accessories. Even if none of this is your style, you will find something,to suit you and it's somehow a lot more satisfying.

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Review | Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm

This might not come as much of a surprise to you, that after so many fellow beauty fanatics raved on and on about this cleanser, I had to try it out for myself to see what all the hype was about. I ordered the 'Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Professional Cleansing and Exfoliating System' (that's quite the mouthful). It contains the Moringa cleansing balm, aromatherapy infused rosehip exfoliating seeds and the buff and polish cleansing cloth. Being a complete lover and addict of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, I considered myself quite brave for stepping out of my comfort zone and steady skincare regime to give this a whirl. Totalling at £33.60 for the whole kit, this cleanser isn't cheap, but I also don't consider that sky high for good quality skincare. After all, we have to spend a decent amount of money on our skin to enable us to have the perfect canvas for makeup.

   Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm 100ml £33.60

The cleansing balm itself is contains moringa seed extract, wild sea fennel and vitamin E to minimize the appearance of pores. Orange, Neroli and Mandarin extracts to rejuvenate and revitalise and Jasmine, Cedarwood and Rose to help re-hydrate and re-condition dry or dull skin. It also claims to be very calming on sensitive skin too. I really like the smell of the cleanser, it smells really fresh and natural (none of that strong artificial stuff). I actually prefer the scent of this to my trusty cleanse and polish as it is a lot more subtle. I wasn't sure that I would get to grips with smoothing an oily balm over my face as opposed to a cream but it's pleasantly nice. The balm breaks down all traces of makeup and is safe to use on eyes too (nothing worse than getting cleanser in your eye and hopping around your bathroom in pain splashing water at your face). 

When I first looked at the size of the tub, I was a bit apprehensive about how long it would last me, but a little goes a really long way. I find that a £2 coin sized dollop is enough to do a whole face (bearing in mind I have a pea head) and then a little extra swipe afterwards if my makeup is a bit on the heavy side. I can see this lasting a lot longer than I initially thought. I also really love the cloth that is provided with this. I thought I'd forever be a muslin cloth girl, but the soft, gentle flannel is so much nicer to use on my skin. Saying that, it's not as exfoliating, which is where the rosehip exfoliating seeds come in. You can incorporate these into the balm, and gently scrub your skin with the cleanser to give yourself a pampering treat. I have also enjoyed using these, however I don't use them very regularly as I prefer to just use the cleansing balm on it's own. You can also use the balm as a face treatment when left on for 10 minutes and wiped away. 

Since using the Emma Hardie cleanser, I have noticed a difference in the overall appearance of my skin. As someone with combination skin (oily and dry in places), it has definitely balanced it out, and the dry patches aren't as dry and the oily patches aren't as oily. I also feel as though my skin is a lot more hydrated and looks a lot more healthy. I also just really enjoy using this on my skin, it's a real treat when it's the end of the day and I can use this to remove my makeup, I almost look forward to it. As this cleanser is so gentle and natural, I would say that it is suitable for most, if not all skin types. If you haven't ever tried a balm, or the thought scares you a little, I really advise that you give it a go, like me you might be pleasantly surprised. 

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