May Empties

Thursday 31 May 2012


It's been another good month for using stuff up, here are my empties for May:-
  •  John Frieda Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight - I have a love/hate thing going on with this one.  Sometimes I really love using it because it de-frizzes and straightens my hair like a dream.  Other times, it feels like it leaves a lot of residue which leads to product build up and makes my hair look dull.  Needless to say, I've had this bottle for about 7 months and have only just finished it.  Repurchase?  Probably not, I think I'll stick with my Macadamia Oil instead.
  • Boots Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover - This has been a staple of mine for years.  It's cheap and does the job.  Repurchase? Yes.
  • Bodhi Ylang Ylang Incensa Sensual Bath & Shower Therapy* - Love, love, love this!  My absolute HG high-end all-natural bath product.  Smells absolutely incredible!  Repurchase? Yes, it's pricey but worth every penny IMO.  Going onto the birthday wishlist.
  • Lush American Cream Conditioner - Really like this and have bought it several times.  Smells great and makes my hair lovely and soft, without weighing it down.  Repurchase? Yes.
  • Burts Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar - Didn't get on with this at all, sorry to say it's one of the worst shampoos I've ever tried and I had to throw it out after just one use.  Left a horrible greasy, sticky residue type film on my hair which took several rinses to get out.  Not good!  Repurchase? No!
  • A'kin 24 Hour Intensive Moisture Leave-In Conditioner - Was pleasantly surprised by this because a lot of leave-in conditioner leave my hair feeling on the greasy side, but this one absorbed into my hair straight away and it felt beautifully light.  My hair was sleek and frizz free, as well as feeling properly hydrated.  Amazing stuff from such a natural product.  Repurchase? Definitely, I got 2 uses out of the sachet sample, which makes getting the full size even more affordable as a little goes a long way.
  • Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover - One of the best makeup removers on the market, takes off everything and never irritates my skin.  Repurchase? Yes.
  • Lavera Basis Hand Cream - I like this for using in summer as it's nice and light.  Smells good too, a bit like subtle marzipan!  Repurchase? Yes, have another sample tube in my handbag that I'm using.
  • RMK Cleansing Oil - Wanted to like this because it's often raved about, but it was just too heavy for my oily/combination skin.  I imagine it would be great for dry skin though. Repurchase? No, not for me.
  •  Bodhi Jasmine Falls Relaxing Bath & Shower Therapy* - This is another gorgeous all natural bath product that I adore using.  So soothing and great to use before going to bed.  Repurchase? Yes, I would save up and get a full size of this once I've used some of my other bath products up.
  • Lush Fair Trade Foot Lotion - Another staple of mine, I've bought this countless times and find that a tub lasts a good couple of months.  Makes my feet soft and smelling fresh!  Repurchase? Yes.
  • Smooch Lip Gloss in Jelly Bean - I liked the sheer colour of this, a pretty coral which is great for layering over lipstick.  Has taken me ages to finish this though because the formula is very sticky, so I mainly used it on nights out.  Repurchase? No, there are others I like more than this.
  • Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid - Love this, smells and tastes just like lemonade and is super moisturising, whilst also delivering some subtle shimmer.  Repurchase? Yes.
  • bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation in Medium Beige - Really do like this a lot, excellent for oily skin, especially in summer.  Coverage is on the sheer side but can be built up if wanted.  Repurchase? Yes, will buy a full size of this soon!
  • Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF 15 in 01 Light/Medium - Received this in a bonus time GWP last year I think?  It's far too shimmery for my liking to be used as a bronzer, however it looked gorgeous when used as a highlight which is how I used it up.  Repurchase? No, I have too many highlighters as it is and don't use them that often.
  • Evolve Organic Beauty Protein Build Conditioner for Dry/Damaged Hair - Oh my, this smelt insanely good!  Sweet like cookies and cake batter, so strange for a hair conditioner, but I'm not going to complain!  Great conditioner too, noticed my hair feeling softer after just one use.  Repurchase?  Yes, I'm sure I'll get a full size of this at some point.
  •  Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup - I thought this was OK but nothing amazing.  Repurchase? No.
  • Inlight Organic Daily Face Oil - Lovely oil that absorbed straight away into the skin and didn't feel greasy at all.  Smelt good, bit like vanilla.  Repurchase? Maybe.
  • Lush Ceridwen's Cauldron Luxury Bath Melt - Great for dry skin and when my eczema flares up, calms everything down and makes my skin feel normal again, whilst leaving it incredibly soft.  Reviewed here.  Repurchase? Yes.
*PR samples
What are your beauty empties this month?

May Books List


Books I have read this month:-

(1) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - I don't usually go for mystery novels, but I like to read them every now and again for a change, and this one was chosen as a book club read.  The Thirteenth Tale is full of secrets to unravel, and it has a creepy tone to it which is similar to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.  Found this quite enjoyable; it's the kind of book I would have liked to have read on a beach somewhere. [3/5]


(2) News From Nowhere by William Morris - It is something of a miracle that I actually managed to finish this and not give up on it.  I know that it's a revered classic and many people love it, but I found it, for the most part, pretty tedious.  Morris' fictional story of a happy socialist/communist utopian community could have been so much more, but lacked so many extra details that were sorely needed to really engage the reader with the world that he was trying to build.  I also struggled with his ideals of how everyone in this new society was technically 'equal', yet the same gendered stereotypes (e.g women doing all of the housework because apparently they 'like' doing it etc) still remained and are heavily reinforced in this book. I'm not buying it Morris! You can wash your own clothes!  [1/5]


(3) Insurgent by Veronica Roth - After the action-packed Divergent, I felt that Insurgent began to fall into that awkward second book / filler-in-the-series category a bit.  The story seems to drag itself out a bit and you can see where it's heading pretty quickly, but I still enjoyed most of it.  The last third of the book was definitely the best part for me, and of course it ends on a great cliffhanger which will make sure that I'll read the next book in the series. [3/5]


(4) American Gods by Neil Gaiman - American Gods has been recommended to me so many times, that I felt like I just had to read it sooner or later.  The characters are colourful and mostly bizarre (as I guess you'd expect anyway from an epic fantasy novel!), and I loved Shadow and of course, the ominous Mr Wednesday.  An absolute must if you like intelligent fantasy stuff.  [4/5]

(5) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson Took me a long time to finish this, but I'm glad that I've finally gotten around to reading this. Found it quite slow paced (especially with all the details to do with the magazine, those parts seemed to drag for me), until the last two hundred pages or so, where I really started to get into it.  Must admit that I liked the film more than the book, which is quite rare for me to say.  [3/5]

What books have you read this month? 
 

Review: Weleda Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash

Tuesday 29 May 2012


I am a huge fan of anything pomegranate scented, so when I ran out of my bottle of Weleda's Regenerating Pomegranate Body Oil, I rushed to Boots to get another, but they were SOLD OUT! ARGH! Determined not to leave empty handed, I decided to get the Creamy Body Wash instead.

I've used this before, since discovering it in a Carmine beauty box (RIP Carmine, you're missed!) ages ago, but for whatever reason at the time, I decided not to repurchase it.  Using it this morning reminded me of how good it really is.

Weleda's Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash is a mostly natural, gentle wash for use in the shower.  It's has a thick and creamy formula that lathers well and it feels wonderful on the skin, never leaving it feeling dry afterwards.  And of course, it has that amazing subtle pomegranate scent which is so light and fresh.  I really rate this if you're looking for a summer shower product which is more like a cleanser for your body.    

And a heads up for you bargain hunters, Boots currently have some Weleda products in their 3 for 2 summer promotion! 


Whilst I'm here, I thought I'd show you some Weleda samples that my mum sent me recently.  She lives in Germany and Weleda are very easy to find over there, especially in their huge pharmacies/health stores (think of a Holland and Barrett but the same size as a highstreet Boots).  Can't wait to try these out, aren't mums the best?

What are your favourite Weleda products?

Review: Compeed Anti-Blister Stick

Friday 25 May 2012


I hope everyone is enjoying this absolutely glorious weather we're having at the moment!  I know I certainly am!  I treated myself to a new pair of summery sandals the other day, which were fine when I tried them on in the shop, but agonizingly painful when I got them home and actually tried to walk in them.  I was in two minds to return them but thought they might just need breaking in a bit instead (plus I got them in a sale and they are GORGEOUS!).  I attempted to wear them for most of yesterday to break them in, but nope, they were just hurting too much.  With a sad face, I went along to the local chemist to pick up some plasters for my poor abused feet and saw a display of these sticks, and I was immediately intrigued.

This Compeed Anti-Blister Stick does just what it promises to do; it's a natural based balm like formula that you apply to places on your feet where you get friction from shoes (so, back of the heels etc).  The balm provides an invisible barrier of protection that's no greasy and doesn't mark your shoes.  And it works! EUREKA! No more rubbing on my feet!  It's packaged in a handy handbag sized plastic wind-up tube and doesn't really have a scent.  I got mine on offer for £1.99, but I think most places like Boots might have them on sale for a pound or so more.

Has anyone else tried one of these?

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover

Tuesday 22 May 2012


Finally got my paws on one of these!  Seems like I've been looking for it for forever!  It is of course the much hyped and much raved about Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover.  It comes in a hot pink fat tub and is acetone and paraben free.  The big claim with this is that it removes regular nail polish in 1 second (per nail), simply by dipping said nail into the sponge inside and twisting the tub, eliminating the usage of cotton wool.  Apparently, it's also supposed to have some kind of 'red fruit and vanilla fragrance', but I certainly wouldn't recommend deeply inhaling this.  OK, it's not as potently whiffy as most nail polish removers, but it doesn't exactly smell of strawberry fields either. 

I wasn't that obsessed with finding it when I first saw this being mentioned, until I saw a couple of bloggers commenting on its amazing super powers of removing glitter nail polish.  After that, I was like, YEAH I NEED THIS!  Being a NOTD junkie and general lover of all things sparkly and shiny, I wear my fair share of glitter polish, and like everyone else, I find removing it to be a pain in the ass.  Yes, the tin foil wrap thingy works fine, but I'm lazy, and it's fiddly and time consuming.  Anything that will take it off in less than ten minutes without dissolving my nails is obviously going to appeal to me.

Before I go through my experiment and try this out, I thought I'd quickly point out that I don't think this remover is actually meant for getting rid of glitter nail polish.  By this, I mean the 1 second per nail claim isn't going to apply to glitter, so bear that in mind.       



I picked four of my favourite glittery (and stubborn to remove) nail polishes.  Deborah Lippmann - Razzle Dazzle, Revlon - Facets Of Fuchsia, OPI - Teenage Dream and Barry M - 150 Red Glitter.   I applied two coats to each nail.


You put your nail one at a time, into the sponge inside and twist the tub.  I assume that 1 second = 1 twist?  For my experiment I first did 5 twists per nail, the results being...


 ... OK.  You can see that it has taken off a good portion of Facets Of Fuchsia (second nail) and has probably taken off one coat of Teenage Dream (third nail).  I think it took a lot of Red Glitter (last nail) because of the way my little finger angled itself in the sponge.

I then did another 5 twists per nail...  


... HELLO!  Here you can clearly see that practically all of the glitter has come off, with just a tiny bit left (there's more left of Teenage Dream (third nail) as it's a very chunky glitter).  My nails were a little oily after using this, but I always wash my hands after using a remover and apply cuticle or hand cream, so this wasn't an issue for me.

I'm very impressed with the results overall and will definitely continue to use this for removing glitter nail polish.  I'm not sure how long a tub of this will last for and because it's on the expensive side of things (this is £4.99 for 75ml and my regular acetone free remover is £1.25 for 150ml), I'll probably only use it for glitter removal, but it's certainly very handy to have if you wear a lot of nail polish.

Have you picked one of these up?

Review: LUSH Ceridwen's Cauldron Luxury Bath Melt

Monday 21 May 2012


Most people who have heard of LUSH will be well aware of their colourful and fun bath bombs that often dominate the shop display windows.  As much as I love those products, I love LUSH's luxury bath melts more.  They are so understated and simple, that I feel they sometimes go under the radar a bit in the blogging world.  To help amend this, today's review is going to be dedicated to my favourite luxury bath melt from LUSH, Ceridwen's Cauldron.


Ceridwen's Cauldron was one of the first products that I ever bought from LUSH and it came highly recommended to me from a friend who used to work there.  I suffer from flare ups of eczema every now and again, so I have to be careful of not using anything that would aggravate it.  Instead, I want something that will soothe it and make my skin happy again.  Ceridwen's Cauldron is quite frankly an amazing product to use if you're in the same boat.  It comes wrapped in a muslin cloth, tied with red ribbon and has a very subtle scent to it (I can mostly smell the cocoa butter).  Packed full of oats, cocoa butter, walnut oil and skin calming herbs, it very slowly melts into your bathwater and is perfect if you enjoy long soaks in the tub.  Once it has all melted, you can use the remaining oats and herbs in the muslin bag as a gentle exfoliant in the shower the next day.  When I get out, my skin always feel softer than it's ever been before and I never have to use any body moisturiser.

Priced at £3.99, this is a great treat for your skin if it's feeling dry and unhappy.  I always enjoy using one of these when I want some relaxing 'me' time.

Have you tried any of the luxury bath melts from LUSH?

NOTD: OPI - Basque In The Sun

Friday 18 May 2012


Still no sign of any sunny weather in the UK (or at least where I am anyway!), but I'm slowly being drawn towards more summery nail polish shades.  Kinda.  OPI's Basque In The Sun, is something of a go-between perhaps?  It's a toffeeish, burnt caramel sort of shade and I can't honestly tell whether I like it or not.  It's one of the oldest OPIs in my entire nail polish collection and I must have bought it when I was looking for 'unusual' colours.  I think it would look much better with tanned/olive skin, but yeah, after I painted my nails, I ended up looking down at them and thinking 'Meh'.  Maybe it's a grower? We'll see.

What do you think? Fugly or not? 

P.S - Last day to enter my Treacle Moon Iced Strawberry Dream Bath & Shower Gel giveaway! I will be picking THREE lucky winners sometime tomorrow evening.  Get your entries in here!

DIY Beauty: Aspirin as a blemish remover?

Thursday 17 May 2012


I heard this tip about using aspirin on blemishes that are about to form, from a pharmacist the other week.  Basically, aspirin is pure salicylic acid, which is often one of the key ingredients in a lot of pricey blemish removers.  I have been meaning to try it out to see if it actually works.  Lo and behold that 'time' of the month arrives (sorry TMI), and I am graced with one of those mini volcano style spots right in the middle of my chin.  You know the ones that are under the skin and hurt like a b*****d? Yep!  

So I picked up some really cheap asprin (you'll want the round, hard to swallow kind, I got mine from a local chemist for about 39p), crushed one up on a spoon, added a tiny bit of water to make a paste and stuck it onto the mini volcano spot, leaving it on overnight.

Did it work? Well, I can happily say that it reduced it a LOT.  It didn't go straight away, but it was much smaller when I woke up and having repeated this for a further two nights in a row, I can say that it's now virtually gone.  Having looked online, this seems to work for some people and do nothing for others, so if you want to try it, make sure that you use it when you feel a blemish coming on, as it doesn't seem to be as effective if you put it on one that has already 'erupted' so to speak.

Have you tried this before?  Did it work for you?         

Terre d'Oc Gloss Sublime Shine Lip Gloss in 303 Peche Panji

Tuesday 15 May 2012


I received this Terre d'Oc Gloss Sublime Shine Lip Gloss in my Amarya box this month, and I have been wearing it constantly for the last couple of days.  The shade is called Peche Panji (303) and it's just a perfect shade for everyday wear if you don't fancy wearing lipstick but want your lips to still look 'done'.  I can only imagine that it will look even better when we finally get some sun, as the peachy colour will look amazing against tanned skin.  As you can see from the swatch below, it delivers a lot of gloss and has a gorgeous shimmer that comes from the micronized mother-of-pearl.  Formula wise this is nicely pigmented, not particularly sticky and feels moisturizing due to the coconut butter in it.  For those who like sweet, fruity flavours, this has a very subtle cherryness to it which I really like.  A welcome addition to my make-up bag, plus it's so nice to use a lip gloss that has a built in brush instead of a wand for a change!   



Have you tried any Terre d'Oc make-up?

Currently Using: Hair Masks & Treatments

Monday 14 May 2012


I thought I'd do a quick post on what hair masks/treatments I'm using at the moment, as my hair has been in need of a little TLC recently, and this crazy hot/sunny/raining/hail/cold weather has not been helping matters.  There was a time when my bathroom was literally full of hair products, but over the last year or so I've managed to cut down on stuff and make myself use up things, instead of having half full tubes and pots everywhere!  I currently have four products that are in rotation:-

Inecto Pure Coconut Intensely Hydrating Hair Repair Treatment -  My hair will generally love anything that has coconut oil in it as it's perfect for making it soft and manageable.  I use this one from Inecto for weekly maintenance and it does the job well, without overloading my hair.  A great budget beauty buy too, I believe this is just under £3 for 150ml and it smells SO good!

Percy Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask - I've only used this twice since getting it as a Glamour magazine freebie last month, but so far I like the results that it gives.  I find that I only need to use a small amount and I end up with shiny, sleek hair.  Only downside I've found is that if you use too much, you do get some product build up, so less is definitely more with this.

Lush Jasmine and Henna Fluff Eaze - This is proper HG stuff, I can't recommend it enough!  If I need my hair to look incredible, I will use this straight away.  It's a pre-wash hair 'moisturiser' which you leave on dry hair for about 20 minutes and then shampoo out.  It makes my hair so wonderfully soft and shiny every single time, that I've repurchased this more times than I care to remember.  The scent is a bit on the strong side and it does linger, so if you're not sure whether you like the smell of Jasmine or not, then I'd suggest getting a sample from Lush first before buying a whole pot. Personally I really love it!  I save this for special occasions as you need to use about 1/4-1/2 of the pot if you have past shoulder length/medium thick hair like I do and it's £11.50 a pot, but seriously worth every penny in my humble opinion!

Pure Fiji Nourishing Exotic Coconut Oil - A new addition to my haircare routine has been this blended coconut oil which I got a sample of in last month's Joliebox.  I use a teeny amount of this on my dry ends once a week (leaving it on for half an hour and then shampooing it out) and it's helped to keep my hair looking healthy instead of damaged and frizzy.

What are your favourite hair masks and treatments?


Shiseido Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Mascara

Thursday 10 May 2012

*Drumroll please!* I think I've found a mascara that could be put into my HG.  I picked this baby up in Japan last month, and have no idea why it's taken me so long to write up a review.  So without further ado, let me introduce you to the Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus, made by those clever people at Shiseido.  The packaging of this is very sleek and I personally like it a lot.  What I like even more though is that this is an amazing fibre rich mascara.


Check out all of those fibres! Fibres are tiny strands that attach themselves to your lashes for a fuller and longer look.  I'm quite new to the world of fibre rich mascaras and have to say that they really do work wonders.


Taking a closer look at the wand (after I'd applied the mascara), you can see that it's one of those teeth/comb ones.  The curved design makes it so easy to use and perfect for stopping any clumping.  It also works well if you're in a rush or don't want to use eyelash curlers, because this wand will lift up your lashes for you in one easy sweep.



Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus adds a LOT of length to your lashes, yet still looks quite natural.  It goes on a glossy black and because it's waterproof, it STAYS ON.  This mascara will not budge or flake at all.  The formula is a little on the wet side but it's not so wet that it bothered me, and dried quickly enough anyway.  I'm very impressed with this, but will add that it's a pain in the ass to remove which is the only small downside, though it's one I'm prepared to live with for the results.

I'm giving one of these mascaras away in my Japanese Makeup Giveaway, click here to enter! Winner announced tomorrow :)

Have you tried any fibre-rich mascaras?

Amarya Organic/Natural Beauty Box - May

Wednesday 9 May 2012


Today has been one of 'those' days.  You know the kind, where everything seems to go wrong and then you get splashed by a huge lorry whilst waiting for your lift home? Yep! Luckily, after drying off and getting changed into a warm fluffy dressing gown, my mood started to brighten a bit when I saw that my Amarya box had been delivered.  This month's box contains:-
  • an amazing full size Terre d'Oc Gloss Sublime Shine Lip Gloss in 303 Peche Panji.  Gorgeous shade with plenty of shimmer and it's 100% natural too. Retails for £14.95.
  • another full size product included is the Lavera All Round Cream, which as the name suggests can be used as a multi-purpose cream.  I'm currently using the Lavera hand cream from the same range and really love the smell of that, so I expect I'll enjoy using this.  Retails for £6.95.
  • 5ml sample pump of AD Skin Synergy Nourish Night Treatment Face Oil.  Although it's anti-aging, I might give this a go as I love trying out oils and it smells lovely.
  • 1ml sample of Tous H2O Eau De Toilette, a summery light floral fragrance with organic lavender and lemon.  A percentage of the sales of this go towards Oxford to help fund safe drinking water projects.  My sister has already pinched this from me as perfumes aren't my thing, and she says she likes it!
Have you received an Amarya box today?

Burts Bees Lip Shimmers in Watermelon & Rhubarb

Tuesday 8 May 2012


I have loved Burts Bees lip balms for a very long time and have wanted to try out these Lip Shimmers for a long time too!  I received two of these in the recent Grab Bag promotion that was on, and have to say that these little beauties have become new staples in my make-up bag.  Like the regular Burts Bees lip balms, Lip Shimmers are 100% natural so they don't have any artificial fruit scent to them, and have the same cooling menthol sensation when you apply them.  They're in a skinnier tube than the regular lip balms, but still have the same fantastic moisturising qualities that I have come to expect from Burts Bees lip products. 


Lip Shimmers apply nice and smooth and seem to be perfect texture wise (they're not too sticky or feel heavy on the lips), and deliver a good wash of colour that was much more pigmented than I was expecting (I'd say they're in the same league as the Revlon Lip Butters, but a tiny bit more matte and stay put a little longer too).  The two that I received were Watermelon, a cool pink (1st pic below) and Rhubarb, which is a brighter coral-red (2nd pic below), with Rhubarb probably being my favourite out of the two, though I do like Watermelon for a fuss-free everyday look. 




Have you tried any of these Lip Shimmers?

May magazine freebies: Nails Inc & Rituals (and 50p Betty Crocker candles!)

Saturday 5 May 2012


There are some good magazine freebies around this month!  I picked up two copies of Easy Living and got two Rituals products to try out; 70ml Mei Dao Organic White Lotus & Yi Yi Ren Rich Nourishing Body Cream and 70ml Wai Lang Organic White Lotus & Yi Yi Ren Exfoliating Body Scrub.  Both of these smell fresh and clean and I thought the sizes were great for popping in the old travel bag.  I also bought In Style, which has a full size Nails Inc nail polish with it.  There are three different spring pastel shades to choose from and I ended up getting two: Powder Pink and Bluebell.  The other shade was a pale peach colour.


Whilst in town, I spotted one of those 'bargain buys' shops selling off a bizarre assortment of stuff for 50p.  Having a rummage through, I found these Betty Crocker candles and bought Coconut Cream Pie and Apple Pie.  Both smell really good and they seem quite similar to Yankee candles quality wise.  Not bad for a quid!

Have you picked up any of the magazine freebies or come across any bargains today?

NOTD: Zoya - Cynthia

Thursday 3 May 2012


I have a thing every now and again for dark nail polish.   In particular, dark nail polish that looks almost black, but has enough of another colour in it to not be black.  Zoya's Cynthia ticks this box perfectly for me.  It can be described as a 'blackened blue' and always catches my eye whenever I search for a polish to wear.  This applies opaque in two coats (though you might be able to get away with just one coat if you wanted more of the blue undertone to show through) and goes on smooth and glossy.      

Are these colours your thing or not?

MAC Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby

Wednesday 2 May 2012


It's no secret that MAC do some of the best powder blushers around.  Which is why you might find it surprising that I only have two in my current collection (both of which are long discontinued LEs).  So when my incredibly lovely (and generous!) friend Jenna phoned me yesterday and asked if I'd like anything bringing back from the duty free, I immediately jumped at the chance to ask (nicely!) for a MAC blush.  When she asked which shade to get, I replied 'something nice and simple for everyday', knowing that our neutral loving tastes are quite similar, she'd always make an excellent judgment call.  And of course she came up trumps with Blushbaby.


Blushbaby is a beautiful beige-pink.  There are no other words to describe it really.  It is simple and understated, yet gives a gorgeous natural looking flush to the cheeks.  Because it is a sheertone blush, it goes on super sheer, so it can be applied lightly for a subtle daytime flush or built up for a stronger, more opaque finish (swatch below has been applied with a few layers to show this).   It also seems to be suit a variety of skintones, making it's appeal even wider.  Like the other MAC blushes I own, it's finely milled, feels silky soft and has excellent staying power (on my oily/combination skin it lasts all day no problem).  So there you have it.  MAC's Blushbaby, my new favourite blush!


Do you have Blushbaby in your collection? What are your favourite MAC blushes?

April Favourites

Tuesday 1 May 2012


Only four new favourites for April, mainly because I've been trying to use up a lot of other products at the moment.   But four's better than none right?  And they're good ones too:-

(1) Pure Fiji Nourishing Exotic Coconut Oil - Love this little sample bottle to bits  Have so far tested out its multi-purposeness and can happily say that it works wonder on the hair as a pre-wash conditioning treatment,  on the body as a moisturiser, and in the bath!  And yes, it really does smell incredible too.

(2) Bourjois 'Chocolate' Bronzer in 52 - My favourite budget bronzer for contouring and giving an overall healthy/summer glow look.  Review & swatches here.

(3) Simply Argan Oil - I have really been enjoying using this since it arrived in an Amarya box.  It absorbs into the skin so well without any greasy residue and leaves it looking supple and toned.  Also fantastic when used on hair lengths and ends too for conditioning and de-frizzing.

(4) Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator* - I've also been using this in my skincare routine this month, and it's helped to clear up some blemishes and make my face lovely and smooth.  Excellent product for getting rid of any stubborn dry patches too.

What are your current beauty favourites?
*PR sample

Next Post Next Previous Post Previous
Powered by Blogger.