Sunday 28 July 2013

Boots Haul July 2013




This is the main reason I placed an order on the boots website, as I wanted to review them as near to the release date as possible. The colours I got were Peach kiss, Pink Punch and Cherry Me and you can find my review here.


The concept of this really interested me, it can be used as a primer under foundation for added glow, it can be put on naturally sun-kissed areas or it can be used for contouring as well. Also, I've never tried a cream bronzer so it will be a first! 


If you read my post from last week then you will know that I am a big fan of these eye shadows and I decided that at such a budget price I should get another one. I chose a purple colour because I like a purple smokey eye and it will make a good base.


This was a free gift if you spent over £4 on collection. I think this was the only colour available and to be honest I wouldn't have picked it. I already have a few blue ones and I would have rather have been given a pink or a sparkly one. But beggars can't be choosers right?! 


This is my all-time favourite concealer. It runs out so quickly though so I buy another one as a back up at every chance I get!  


This is such a pretty colour, like a peachy champagne so I really wanted to try it. I think it would make a nice eyeshadow base or an inner highlight.  







Friday 26 July 2013

Review: Maybelline Baby Lips











I joined the waiting list for Maybelline Baby Lips about a week ago and on Wednesday when I received the email telling me that they had arrived to boots I rushed onto the website like my life depended on it! Then to my excitement I saw that they were 3 for 2 meaning that I could get three for only £5.98! I decided that I would get my order sent to a store so I would have free delivery and this afternoon I went to pick them up. 


There are six to choose from, three tinted and three without colour but that contain SPF. I chose the tinted ones as I already have a lot of regular lip balms. The packaging for all of them is really bold and fun, they'll look great when you have to get them out of your bag to top them up through the day!

Peach Kiss

I was a bit surprised when I opened this as I thought the actual colour of the balm would be peach but instead it is a very light shimmery brown however when it is on the lips it looks great. It isn't super pigmented but it gives a nice subtle sheen to the lips. It would be perfect to compliment a really natural makeup look or with a smokey eye for a nude lip with a touch of gloss. The smell is a really nice true peach scent.

Pink Punch

Pink punch is a pretty light pink colour. I think this is the colour that I'll probably use the most as it will just be perfect to pop in my school bag and reapply throughout the day. I think it will go with pretty much all looks and it smells super yummy and fruity too.

Cherry Me

This was probably the colour I was the least impressed with as I was expecting it to look quite red on the lips but it was really just a dark pink. It did look ok in the end (after quite a few layers on the lips!) although it probably helps me that I have quite naturally pigmented lips anyway so all the colours appear darker on me. The smell was a traditional cherry lip balm scent and was also great!


(L-R) Peach Kiss, Pink punch, cherry me

         

             Overall I am extremely happy with all of the Maybelline Baby Lips that I have tried and I am sure I will use them regularly. If you just want a tinted lip balm rather than a lipstick then I would really recommend these, they're sheer but not invisible and they taste great too!







Wednesday 24 July 2013

I ♥ Summer Tag



1. Favorite bronzer for summer?

The bronzer that I use all year round is the Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Light Matte because I'm pale and it creates a really natural look on the face. Usually, I use it to contour, but in the summer when I have a tan I will brush it over the face for definition.


2. You're relaxing in a hammock, on a tropical island. What are you sipping on? (Favorite summer drink)

Fanta have brought out a new mango and passionfruit flavour. It comes in purple packaging and it tastes really tropical and gorgeous. But to be honest, I have been know to be soaking up the sun in 30 degree heat and still be drinking a cup of tea, so if I was on a tropical island that would probably be what I would drink! 



3. Favorite summer lip product?


As I said in my top summer lip products post I really love the Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Fruiti so I will say that, but you have to be really careful that you don't leave it in the sun or it will melt, and that wouldn't be great! 


4. Pool or Beach?


I do love a swimming pool but the beach just has to win. Just lying on a sun-bed, soaking up the sun, having a picnic and eating sand by accident, being with your family, bliss! Also, where I go on holiday, on the beach there are two ladies that go up and down giving massages which are amazing!    

5. Summer = crazy hair! What's your must-have styling product?


I use the John Frieda Full Repair Flyaway Tamer that I reviewed here to tame any frizz or flyaway's down.

6. Sun bathing or fake tan?


I want to say fake tan but I'm completely hopeless at applying it without streaks! I am attempting to improve my skills by watching Youtube videos, and hopefully when I'm not to embarrassed to take a photo of the results I will do a review on some products that I've tried.

7. Favorite summer nail polish?


I love Barry M nail paints and one that screams summer to me is block orange as it is bright and beautiful and would look great next to a tan.

8. Any summer traditions?


As soon as the weather hits about 20 degrees my Dad sparks up the barbecue. I think we have had about 4 or 5 in the last week alone!

9. Favorite summer scent?


I'm not really a perfume person and certain scents give me headaches so I tend to just give myself a spritz of body spray before I go out, and my favourite summer one is hawaiian shores body mist from Avon which I think has been discontinued.

10. Favorite BBQ food?


You can't  make me choose! I like all barbecue food equally, I'm getting hungry thinking about it. Right now I'm loving the Magnum limited edition 'first kiss' crème brûlée flavour ice cream, it's gorgeous and you need to try it!

11. What's your favorite summer-proof product?


I think that in the summer you need to make sure that your makeup doesn't melt off your face and investing in a primer is one way you can avoid this. One that I have been using recently is the Nivea daily essentials express hydration primer because your makeup sits nicely on top, making it last longer, also the primer is really cooling when you apply it.

12. Any summer vacation plans this year? No plans? Tell us about your dream summer trip!


Unfortunately I am not going away this year, but next year me and my friends are going on a girls holiday to celebrate the end of our A-levels. We haven't made any plans yet but hopefully we will be having a pow-wow soon to talk about ideas, so exciting!

I tag one of my best friends Emma who has also just started a blog called


Enjoy summer - Immy x

Monday 22 July 2013

Review: 17 Wild Metallic Eyes Cream Eyeshadow

Cream eyeshadows are really hit and miss for me. I had a really nice benefit cream shadow but one day I opened it and it had completely dried up! However these ones from 17 are just as creamy as the day I bought them and they're a complete bargain.

You can probably tell from the below photo that the packaging doesn't stay intact for too long as it has rubbed off a bit. However the little round pot shape is so cute, and the fact that you can see the product at the bottom makes it easy to tell the two colours apart.

There are six colours in this product range and the ones that I have are wild silver, which is a gorgeous shimmery silver and wild nude which is a metallic bronze colour. They both have a really creamy soft texture and are nicely pigmented. They can be easily applied with the fingers and can be built up to a heavy metallic covering on the eye. I also like to apply powder eyeshadow in a similar colour to set it and give it even more colour depth (see swatches). I use these all the time and for the price of £3.99 each they are incredible and I am going to buy more colours.



Look how pretty and shimmery they are!

Wild Silver                                        Wild Nude

Top: Wild Metallic Eyes Cream Shadow alone
Bottom: Cream shadow with powder eyeshadow over it for extra intensity



Sunday 21 July 2013

Cath Kidston Mug

This is just a little extra post because I think this little Cath Kidston mug is just too cute! I bought it for my Nanna because she told me that all her mugs at home are too big and she wanted a smaller one. I got it in a sale from £5 to £3.25 which I thought was a great bargain. When I gave it to my Nanna she was really happy with it, which is all that counts!
                                       

Cath Kidston Blue Provence placement Larch Mug

I bought mine in a local shop but I've found a website called Temptation Gifts that sells this mug and other Cath Kidston mugs and they are currently having a sale too.



Top Summer Lip Products 2013


Lipsticks are probably my most purchased makeup, I just love how they can change and enhance your look completely. Summer is a time when you can get away with super bright pinks, corals and glosses and no-one bats an eyelid so here are my favourites from summer 2013. 

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter - Tutti Fruiti

This lip butter is probably the epitome of summer lips. Its balmy, it's coral and most of all it's fabulous! It's a really bright orangey-coral which looks amazing with so many skin colours. It goes on like a dream and doesn't feel too heavy or sticky and it is one of my most favourite lipsticks EVER! 



 Clinique Chubby Sticks - [L-R] Super Strawberry,  Mega Melon, Woppin' / Whooping Watermelon (name has changed since I purchased) 

I bought a set of three chubby sticks a while ago in duty free before I went on holiday and I am really glad I did. They give a really nice sheer wash of colour that is perfect for summertime but these colours could be worn all year round as well. They are very pricey individually so getting a gift-set worked out cheaper. Also, they were the first 'lip-balm style lipstick' around so now there are lots of similar products out there that are cheaper such as the revlon just bitten balm stains.


Revlon Matte Lipstick - Mauve over it

This is my go to lipstick this summer. It is new, as it was featured in my latest haul but I have worn it so much. It is a 'my lips but better lipstick and it goes well with so many looks and would still look good even in the winter. If you have quite pigmented lips and you struggle to find a nude lipstick then this is the one for you. 


Burt's Bees rejuvenating lip balm - Acai berry scented

I tend to use this lip balm every night before I go to sleep and during the day if I'm not wearing anything else on my lips. This one is in berry flavour and I also have mango, which I keep in my school bag and a beeswax one which I gave to my Mum. I find them quite moisturising but the main reason I like them is for the scents! I like to keep them somewhere warm, like a window-sill so they are softer and easy to apply.




                                  
1) Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter - Tutti Fruiti
2) Clinique Chubby Stick - Super strawberry 
3) Clinique Chubby Stick - Mega melon
4) Clinique Chubby Stick - Woppin' watermelon (now whooping watermelon)
5) Revlon Matte lipstick - Mauve over it
6) Single Burt's Bee's rejuvenating lip balm - Acai berry or a tinned trio of lip balms which is what I have (has no colour so no swatch)







Saturday 20 July 2013

Review: John Frieda Full Repair Flyaway Tamer

For some reason or another I have really frizzy and sticky-up hair at the top of my head! I have tried quite a few products to tame it but so far have found nothing that actually helps or doesn't weigh the hair down therefore this John Frieda Full Repair Flyaway Tamer looked really interesting to me.






At first glance it looks like a huge mascara, which is probably why it says on the packaging 'not for the eye area'! When you open it, it smells gorgeous and fruity meaning that I keep opening it just to have a sniff. The product is really good too, you just brush it over your flyaway hairs and it pushes them down without completely weighing down the hair. It also creates a nice shine on the hair but it doesn't look greasy. I think that this product is one that you'll need to pop in your bag and reapply at some point in the day as I can imagine that wind, heat and humidity will have some effect.


before (frizzy)
after (smooth)
     











Friday 19 July 2013

Toni And Guy: Review / Before and afters



after




before
Today I spent an afternoon at Toni and Guy pampering myself and getting my hair done. As you can probably tell from the first photo, my roots were getting BAD and as I only had half a head of highlights last time I decided on a whole head. I also had a cut, but as I am trying to grow my hair long, I only had a trim. 

I was so happy with the overall look and I don't think I will need to get my roots touched up until September time! I sometimes find Toni and Guy a bit intimidating as it's a very professional environment but the quality of the hairdressing is great and I always feel happy with what I get (apart from the awful fringe incident of 2011 but I'll put that behind me!)

Overall I love my hair and I would really recommend Toni and Guy to anyone.

On another hair note, I am thinking of buying a Kevin Murphy Colour bug just to add a bit of colour at the end of my hair but I think I will check out some reviews and swatches before I purchase!  

Thursday 18 July 2013

Review: Super Facialist / Liz Earle


On a recent Boots visit I bought these three products:





When I first heard about this cleanser I knew I needed to buy it. It smelt like rose, can take eye makeup off and calms skin as I have really red cheeks that can get irritated and dry easily. It was the perfect package and it hasn't failed to impress.

The product is a thick cream consistency which smells beautiful but isn't overpowering. You need quite a big dollop of it and basically rub it in all over your face until you almost can't see it anymore. I use it on my eyes but it doesn't say you can on the packaging, however on the website it says that you can which is very confusing! I find that when I use this product twice a day my skin is amazing, and hardly red at all but to be honest with you I don't necessarily think it removes makeup that well on its own, however, combined with the muslin cloths it works like a dream 

Moving on to the muslin cloths. I have tried a muslin cloth before from soap and glory which came with their hot cloth cleanser and didn't see it as much more use than a flannel, although the cleanser was fab! I decided to get these out of curiosity and I really love them. On the website it says that they exfoliate the skin and aid circulation and I agree. They don't feel scratchy but you can tell that they are doing a good job and when you finish washing your face it feels so soft. With the cleanser I just put the cloth under hot water and then onto my face and wipe away any product. I then rinse it off and let it air dry.



Lock me up and throw away the keys because I have to admit that I have never worn SPF on my face apart from average sun block on holiday. I feel like I can't go anywhere on youtube without being told to wear SPF every day, especially in the summer, and when I was buying my cleanser I decided to try this out as well. I'm sadly not as impressed with it as I am with the cleanser for the only reason that it makes my face look really shiny meaning I can't wear it without any other products as I have to de-shine with powder. I will definitely wear it though as it is protecting me from ageing and skin problems in the future so I will forgive it a bit of shine!

Overall I am really happy with these buys and I am looking forward to trying more products from the Super Facialist range!


Boots Haul June 2013




Right lets get started by saying, I hate moisturising! When I get out the shower it takes me ages to dry my hair and complete my skin routine so putting body cream on as well feels like such a chore. So, when I tried a sample of the Nivea in-shower body moisturiser, I just had to buy it full size. It is basically like a conditioner that you would use in your hair but (obviously) its for your skin. I doubt it's as moisturising as a body cream because you have to wash it off. I also bought the sanctuary body moisture spray for the same purposes, moisturising without moisturiser. The Champneys spa treatments wild rose body wash is a repurchase just for the fact that it smells lovely.


If you saw my wishlist you would have seen that I've had my eye on this Goody microfibre brush for a while. I would be greatful of anything that might speed up the process of drying my hair. As there was an offer on I also bought this get curls fast brush as I don't actually own a barrel brush and I thought I should get one.



I usually use either loreal or Toni and Guy products that are for coloured or blonde hair, because I dye it (shhhh.) However I thought I would try the Ignite my colour shampoo and conditioner from herbal essences, mainly for the reason that it said it contained rose and was pink!



These are two products that I've wanted for a while, a gel eyeliner and a nude lipstick.
The eyeliner is Maybelline lasting drama gel eyeliner 24h in black. I really like the effect of gel eyeliner in youtube videos so I thought I would give it a whirl myself! The lipstick is Revlon super lustrous lipstick in 003 mauve over it and it is matte. I don't really have many nude lip sticks so after much google-ing of swatches I picked this one!  



I'm an absolute sucker for magazines and Heat magazing in particular. I was also drawn towards the Marie Claire magazine as there was a free ciate nail polish and nail caviar set. I would probably never buy a pot of nail caviar but I have always been curious to try it. There was also a small toothpaste sample in there too which is great because we all need toothpaste.

PS: Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been having a bit of a crazy month! I will try and post a few times a week from now on.