Empties #1

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - £9.90 for 30ml & £28.80 for 100ml

at Feel Unique

Garnier Summer body - Currently half price (£2.55) at Boots (yay)

Decleor Hydra Floral Moisturiser- £40 at House of Fraser

Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation- £33 at House of Fraser

The Little Bubble co, Vanilla Biscuit Bath & Shower gel- £2.99 at Boots 

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara- £10.99 at Boots

I loved using the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. It's so refreshing and calming on my skin, especially on a hot day. I used it more as a toner rather than to set my makeup. A lot of people don't like the scent but I like it! It's quite herbal and pretty strong but I'm used to that sort of smell and I think it's lovely. I'm looking forward to trying more of their products.

Would I repurchase? Definitely! I think the 30ml is good for my handbag and the 100ml for home.

I use fake tan every single week. I wouldnt be without it! I used to use fake tans in the mousse form but I found they dried my skin out too much. Then I found Garnier Summerbody! This is perfect for me because it moisturises as well as giving me a natural bronze glow. It smells of apricot to begin with and then after a couple hours the fake tan smell comes through but that doesn't bother me. It's no where near as strong smelling as other fake tans I've used!

Would I repurchase? Definitely! Love this stuff!

I love this moisturiser. It felt so nice on my skin , kept it moisturised, smooth and smells lovely. As i'd finished it, I decided to try another. I bought La Roche Posay Hydreane Riche which is for dehydrated, sensitive skin. I like it so far but I'm not sure if I'd repurchase it. It's quite thick in consistency so maybe I should have gone for the lighter version... It doesn't feel as nice as my Hydra Floral. 

Would I repurchase? I would... (if I can't find another I love as much).

Ah! I hate it when I run out of foundation. Especially if it's this one! It ran out just at the right time (payday Friday). 

See my post on the Laura Mercier foundation

here

Would I repurchase? Of course..!

I got this when I was in Boots for some kind of offer. The packaging was so cute I couldn't resist! It smells exactly like the Vanilla cupcake Yankee candle which is why I got it! My boyfriend hates the smell and to be honest I don't really want to smell like a vanilla biscuit!

Would I repurchase? Yes! But definitely going to try the Strawberry Sundae next time...

I love this mascara soooo much! It really does wonders with my lashes. Wouldn't use anything else.

Would I repurchase? 100% yes!

Have you tried any of these products before?

June favourites

Hey lovelies.

I thought i would do a post on my favourite products from the month of June (a bit early I know)

Benefit Porefessional

Aveda Dry Remedy shampoo & conditioner

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Molton Brown White Mulberry hand wash

Caudalie lip conditioner

YSL Rouge Volupte in Falbourg Peach #30

Viva la Juicy perfume

Sorry about the poor quality photo :/

I got Benefit Porefessional at the end of last month after hearing so much about it. I'm so glad I bought it. I've used a couple primers before, Mac Prep & Prime, BareEscentuals Prime time and I also tried the Laura Mercier primer (which I wasn't too fond of). I can definitely say I prefer them to be sillicone based. It's the best primer i've tried. I love the way it feels on my skin. It's so smooth and silky but doesn't clog my pores. It definitely helps my foundation last a bit longer. I apply it mainly on my t-zone and smooth the excess onto the rest of my face. Love it!

My hairs been pretty dry on the ends recently due to my previous 'dip dye' faze. Dry Remedy has really helped me with the condition and has made it feel ten times softer and more moisturised.

Here's a link to my post about it

Aveda Haircare 

I also got this Cetaphil cleanser at the end of last month and I've really enjoyed using it. We all hate taking our makeup off at the end of the day but this makes it that little bit better.

See my post on Cetaphil Gentle Skin cleanser here

My Newest Skincare Love 

I got the Molton Brown hand wash a couple weeks ago from one of my clients at work (so sweet). I've never really been a big fan of Molton Brown products. I only really like 2 of the scents from the hand wash range and this is one of them. I love it! It's very concentrated so you only need one pump every time. Really enjoying using this.

I only have a little bit of the Caudalie lip conditioner left and I've been using it a few months now. I put it on first thing in the morning when Im doing my makeup and before I go to bed, to smooth and hydrate my lips, and it works a treat. It has a subtle vanilla smell which I like and its in the stick form so it's nice and easy to apply.

I absolutely love the YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks. The formula is great and they last quite a while on me. I love how they smell! They actually smell like sweets! I've been loving wearing this to brighten me up, especially when the suns been out.

I purchased Viva la Juicy a while back and I love the scent. It's quite sweet smelling but not overpowering and I always get compliments when I wear it. Gonna have to get some more when I run out...

So there you have it :) What have your favourites been this month? 

My Top Foundation of the Moment

Today i'm going to talk about the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation. I'd heard a lot about her foundations and decided to give one a try.

I don't know where to start..

It's described as a long-wearing, rich and luminous oil-free foundation, offering full coverage while hydrating and protecting the skin. I can't disagree with any of that! There's 35ml of product and it's designed for all skin types.

I like my medium to full coverage foundations. I like the flawless look and this foundation definitely gives me that! Its quite thick in consistency and a little goes a long way so although its on the pricier side, it lasts me ages. The finish is dewy rather than matt which I prefer with my foundations.

I am in the colour 'Beige Ivory' (I fake tan!)

Some foundations tend to go patchy on my skin and this is one that doesn't. An example of a foundation that went patchy on me is the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. There was a lot of hype over that foundation but I really didn't like it. I really wanted to like it.. but it just wasn't gonna happen! Slightly off track there...

I purchased my Silk Creme foundation back in March and I'm just running out now, so its lasted me quite a while. It lasts well on my skin (I work 9 hours a day) and I never have to touch up. I do wear primer but i don't have to with this foundation, I just prefer to. My skin has an an oilier T-zone at this time of year so I always set it with a powder (Mac Mineralize Skin finish) to help it last that little bit longer.

It's priced at £33 which I wouldn't normally spend on a foundation but because I love it so much, I have to have it & it's definitely worth every penny.

Overall this is one of my favourite foundations ever and i would definitely recommend it.

Check it out here
Link

Have you tried any Laura Mercier foundations before?

 

My Newest Skincare Love

I'm going to do a quick post on my Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.

I'm a lover of the Decleor Aroma cleansing milk, but as I was running out I thought I would have a look for another cleanser to try. I have normal/combination skin and I like my cleansers to be moisturising and balancing.

So I was in Boots having a mooch about when I saw the Cetaphil stand. I'd already heard of this cleanser through various YouTubers but I never thought of giving it a try because of the lack of availability in the UK.

It's a 'gentle' cleanser designed for all skin types and is especially good for sensitive skin. It's also designed for those with skin issues such as eczema, acne and psoriasis. It's soap and fragrance free so it doesn't really have a smell to it. It can be used as a face wash as well as a 'tissue off' cleanser. It's almost a gel consistency rather than a cream so it's quite cooling on the skin.

This is probably one of the only cleansers I've tried that leaves my skin feeling really healthy, soft and moisturised. I've got quite sensitive eyes when it comes to cleansers and eye products in general, even the Decleor cleanser made my eyes sting a little, but Cetaphil doesn't at all! It takes all my make up off so easily. I massage it into my skin and take it off with a cotton pad. 

I've been using this a little over a month and it's about half full (i wear makeup everyday) so it will give me another month of use.

It's priced at £8.99 which I think is a reasonable price for a good cleanser. 

I highly recommend it to people with sensitive or dry skin.

I will definitely be repurchasing it.

Check it out here

http://www.boots.com/en/Cetaphil-Gentle-Skin-Cleanser-236ml_1238606/#BVRRWidgetID

 Have you tried any Cetaphil products before? 

My Everyday Makeup Look

This is just a quick post on my everyday makeup...

Face-

Primer- Benefit Porefessional

Foundation- Laura Mercier Silk Creme ( Running low so today I used Mac Studio Sculpt in NC25)

Concealer- Mac Studio Finish in NC20

Powder- Mac Mineralize skin finish in 'Medium plus'

Bronzer- Nars 'Laguna'

Blush- Nars 'Orgasm'

Highlight- Mac 'Soft & Gentle'

Eyes-

Primer- Urban Decay primer potion

Base- Mac paint pot in 'Painterly'

Shadow- Mac 'Vanilla', 'Naked' and 'Buck' from the Urban Decay Naked palette

Mascara- L'Oreal Telescopic in 'Magnetic black'

Eyebrows- Sleek Brow kit in 'Dark'

Lips-

Lipstick- Mac 'Myth'

Have you used any of these products?

 

Aveda Haircare

Hey Lovelies!
I thought I'd do a post on my Aveda Haircare routine. Ive loved Aveda hair care since the first time I used it and I can't find anything better for my hair. I've used it for over a year now and my hair has never been in such good condition. I have to admit, when I first started using Aveda, I really had to get used to the smells! Theyre very 'earthy' smelling if you know what I mean, compared to Tigi, Loreal which are more sweet and artificial. Now I'm used to it, I love the smell!

If you don't know much about Aveda, they basically manufacture plant based products, recycle all their packaging to reduce their carbon footprint etc... & they don't test on animals!

So I used to use the Damage Remedy range which has been featured in lots of magazines recently and it is amazing! Its main ingredients are Quinoa protein and Pure plant oils, which help repair the damage and stop any breakage. I used the whole system-

Shampoo, conditioner, Intensive restructuring treatment (which has won several beauty awards) and the Daily hair repair (sort of like a leave in conditioner).

I still use the Intensive treatment once or twice a week. Its definitely a staple in my hair care routine. It makes my hair feel so soft and healthy. It doesn't weigh down your hair* and I always get compliments on how shiny it is.

I finished Damage Remedy a few weeks ago so I thought id change it up a bit...

*Just a little tip: If you use damage remedy every time you wash your hair for months on end, the effects will reverse because too much protein can make the hair greasy! (Nice) Change to another shampoo and conditioner and maybe use the Restructuring treatment once or twice a week.

My most recent purchase from Aveda is the Dry Remedy shampoo and conditioner. This is another one of their popular ranges. My hair's been due a cut for agesss now and i know i work in a salon, but its easier said than done! The ends are pretty dry because of it which is why I decided to give this a try. The consistency of the shampoo is weird.. It doesn't really foam like a normal shampoo but still manages to clean thoroughly.

Now, I straighten my hair pretty much everyday so if I don't use heat protector, the ends will get really dry and I hate that feeling. My hair has a natural kink to it, not a wave or a curl, a kink! It really annoys me, hence why I straighten it. I've noticed a difference already with using the shampoo and conditioner. Even before I straighten my hair, it feels soft and silky and it really smooths the hair. Love itt! The conditioner also acts as a detangler so i never have any trouble combing through my hair after. I have been quite lazy with my hair recently (not good) so I've just been putting it in a topknot everyday. It's nice to give my hair a little break from the straighteners and my hair feels a lot better for it. So far.. Aveda has never failed me!

I would definitely give either Damage or Dry remedy a try, depending on your hair. Or pop into your local retailer and grab some samples. I'd definitely try before you buy because they are pretty pricey.

Check out the Aveda website for more info- www.aveda.co.uk 

Here are some prices:

Damage Remedy shampoo £18.50

Damage Remedy conditioner £20.50

Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring treatment £21.50

Damage Remedy Daily hair repair £18.50

Dry Remedy shampoo £18.50

Dry Remedy conditioner £20.50

Have you tried Aveda Haircare before?

Disclaimer: The salon i work for is an Aveda salon, so we use all Aveda products. I genuinely use Aveda haircare, not just because i work with their products but because i really do love them! I went back to an old Tigi shampoo and conditioner a while back and it didn't have the same effect as Aveda did. Just saying... :) 

My current wishlist

I probably have a wishlist the size of the M25... (no joke) but here's a few products I've been eyeing for a while...

1) NEOM Luxury Organics Happiness candle

2) Caudalie Hand and Nail cream (smelt this is Harvey Nic's and its lush!)

3) Cauldalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching serum

4) NUXE Reve de Miel Baume Levres (heard such good things about this)

1) Essie- Figi (of course!)

2) Ren Glycolactic Skin Renewal mask

3) Clarins Lip Perfector

4) Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

I'm so excited to get my hands on a few of these at the end of the month. I'm counting down the days til payday! 

Let me know if you've tried any of these or have any recommendations.

#Instagramming

(From left to right) 1. Dominican Republic- Amazing place 2. Saturday night with the girls. 3. And again.. 4. Usher- Lemme see, which i am loving!

(Left to right) 1. My first AngelBerry- lush! 2. Me & my beautiful sis. 3. Benefit meets Glamour magazine! 4. Movie night with the boyf.

Sigma Brushes

So today I'm going to post about my growing Sigma brush collection.

My first purchase was the Synthetic Kabuki Kit which consists of the

F80 - Flat Kabuki

F82 - Round Kabuki

F84 Angled Kabuki

F86 - Tapered Kabuki

There was so much hype about these brushes and i wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I have to say, i absolutely love these brushes! They're so soft on my skin and the density is great. I use the F80 for my liquid foundation. The F84 is great for contouring and the F86 for highlight. I still haven't really found a use for the F82.. Yet!

I'm so excited because I finally received my Sigma Mrs Bunny Essential kit this morning! It's so pretty! You get 12 amazing brushes, 8 eye brushes and 4 face brushes, that are all synthetic. The brushes include:

 

E05 - Eye Liner: Create smooth and even lines. Use with gel or liquid liners.

E30 - Pencil: Soften and smoke out lines. Soften pencil liners along the top and bottom lash lines, add shadow to line the eyes, or use to highlight inner corner of eyes.

E40 - Tapered Blending: Soft blended crease. Using just the tips to apply color, sweep back and forth through the crease for a diffused and blended finish.

E55 - Eye Shading: Even application of color. Place color across the whole lid for an even and strong application of product.

E60 - Large Shader: Uniformly cover the whole lid with product. Apply cream shadow base or cream shadow for quick and even coverage.

E65 - Small Angle: Create precise lining. Moves fluidly and easily across the upper and lower lash lines. Use with gel, cream or powder liners.

E70 - Medium Angled Shading: Soft application of color. Use for brow highlighting or to blend the crease.

F30 - Large Powder: Even powder application. Uniform blending of powder products onto the face and body.

F40 - Large Angled Contour: Subtle cheek application. Use the angle to softly contour the cheekbone. Can also be used to apply blush.

F50 - Duo Fibre: Creates an airbrush effect onto the skin. Can be used with powder, liquid or cream products.

F60 - Foundation: Smooth foundation application. Apply liquid or cream products such as foundation and primer.

F70 - Concealer: Conceal small areas. Conceal the hardest to reach areas such as around the nose and eyes.

The brushes come in a container that turns into brush holders which i loove! So far, i really like the quality of the brushes. I can't wait to do my make up with them tomorrow! It took 12 days for them to arrive which I think is pretty good seeing as I live in the UK. The Essential kits are $109.00, which is around £70. I payed £77.05 (to be precise) which was including the postage and packaging. For the quality of the brushes and what you get, i think its definitely worth the money.

You can check out all the Sigma brushes at:

www.sigmabeauty.com

I'll keep you posted on those...

What do you think of Sigma brushes?