August Favourites

I really can't believe it's the end of august already! Where has the summer gone? Here are the products I've been loving this month.

REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner

I've been using this all month and so far I love it. It's an exfoliating toner that contains glycolic acid but is still gentle enough to use everyday. Plus it smells like lavender so it's a pleasure to use.

Dior Lip Glow

By far my favourite lip balm, for the actual product as well as the pretty packaging! It leaves lips feeling incredibly soft, isn't at all sticky and gives lips a flattering pink tint.

The Body Shop Aloe Eye Defence

I went back to using this eye cream after finishing off another one and I'm so glad I did. It's really lightweight, sinks into the skin easily and works well under makeup. It's also particularly great for those with sensitive skin around the eyes. Full review here.

Delarom Acquaconfort Cream

Although it can be used day or night, I've been using this just in the daytime. It's light yet moisturising and sinks into the skin quickly. A great no-fuss face cream. Full review here.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Butter

My favourite TBS body butter to date, and that's saying something as I've tried a lot of them. It's very thick, almost solid in consistency and does take a bit of working into the skin but the results are well worth it. Plus it smells delicious!

What products have you been loving this month?

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Object of Desire: Jo Malone Sumptous Pampering Gift Set

Jo Malone - Sumptous Pampering Gift Set English Pear and Freesia 

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Range

I'm a huge fan of products from The Body Shop as well as anything peach scented so it was a given that I'd end up purchasing, and loving their Vineyard Peach Range. The scent is absolutely amazing, not at all artificial smelling or sickly sweet, it really does smell like just bitten into, fresh and juicy peaches.  I picked up the Body Butter, Shower Gel and Body Mist. The range also contains a Body Lotion, Body Scrub, Lip Gloss and Sponge. 

The Shower Gel is great, it foams up well and does what it needs to do. The Body Mist is a bit stronger than I expected so I tend to use it sparingly, I love the scent of peaches but don't necessarily want to smell very strongly of one all the time! 

The stand out product of the three is by far the Body Butter, I've always loved TBS's body butters and over the years I've tried quite a lot of them, this one is by far my favourite! Amazing scent aside, the formula is great too, it's definitely one of their thicker, richer ones with the consistency being almost solid. This means is nourishes and moisturises the skin amazingly well, it doesn't sink in that easily but it's definitely worth the extra effort. I usually apply it after a nice hot bath to help it along and come the next morning my skin feels really soft and still subtly scented! I'll be very sad when this runs out as I believe it's a limited edition collection!

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Delarom Acquaconfort Creme

In the evenings, I'm all for rich, nourishing creams and oils but in the daytime I prefer something that sinks in quickly, leaves skin feeling comfortable and isn't too visible. The Delarom Acquaconfort Creme, which I've been using for just over a month now, does exactly that. 

The formula is really lightweight but still moisturises really well, thanks to the lovely ingredients it contains. Aloe vera, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, hyaluronic acid and peppermint leaf water just to name a few. To me it's the perfect no-fuss moisturiser, it doesn't have any outrageous claims and just does what it says on the tin. It can also be used in the morning or evening so it's a great option for those who like to keep their skincare streamlined. 

After trying this creme I definitely want to try out a few other Delarom products. Any recommendations?

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NOTD #29

I've gone on about how much I love the Barry M Gelly Nail Paints quite a bit, the formula is really glossy and long lasting and it applies really well. I've mentioned this colour, Green Berry before but thought I'd mention it again as I've been wearing it loads recently and my last picture of it wasn't great! What do you think of this shade?

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Travel Body & Haircare

In my last post, I mentioned the skincare bits I'm taking away on holiday with me (you can read that one here) so today I thought I'd talk hair and body care! Keep your eyes peeled tomorrow if you fancy finding out what I'm taking makeup wise!

I'm not taking too much away with me body care wise as I'm only going for a week, I'm sticking to the basics! The Boots Extracts Mango Body Wash and Body Butter in miniature. I love the scent of these and the body butter is so moisturising and sinks into the skin really quickly. The Caudalie Divine Oil is a multitasking product that I love using but try not to use everyday. I'd go through it so quick if I did! I'm reserving it for slathering on limbs for evenings out, it gives skin a lovely, healthy, glow. I'm also taking The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter, not a body care product I know, but I couldn't resist including it with all the other mango stuff!

I seem to find haircare a bit more difficult to narrow down! I'm taking the Kerastase Chroma Riche Shampoo and Masque and the Lee Stafford Argan Oil Nourishing Miracle Oil which I spoke more about here. It's great for taming frizz and making everything a bit more managable! I'm also taking their Flat Iron Protection Mist, incase I decided to get the straighteners out, Living Proof Frizz Styling Cream to use pre blow-dry and Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Backcomb in a Bottle in case I need some extra volume!

What body and haircare items do you take away on holiday with you?

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Travel Skincare

I've always been one to stash away any samples or minis I get my hands on so come holiday packing time I can do some serious downsizing. If I didn't do this I'd probably need a whole suitcase just for my beauty stuff! I also find it's a great way to try out new things and decided wether or not I'd want to buy the full size in the future. 

On the cleansing front I'm taking 3 options, some of the Garnier Miceallar Water decanted into a little Muji Bottle, a travel size Vitamin E Cream Cleanser from The Body Shop, which I've used on and off for years and love, and a sample of Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel, which I'm really looking forward to trying. 

For toner I'm taking 2 options, an exfoliating one and a hydrating one, the former is a sample of Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner and the latter is Anatomicals Spray Misty For Me decanted into a Muji Mini Spray Bottle. 

To moisturise eyes I'm taking a sample of Ren Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel which cools, refreshes and moisturises. For the rest of the face I'm taking the Clarins HydraQuench Cream for night and HydraQuench Lotion SPF15 for day. I've had a full size of the cream before and will definitely buy it again, it's such a nourishing but easily absorbed moisturiser.

I'm taking a few serums and treatments, some of which I'm sure I won't get round to using but it will be nice to have them just incase! Clinique Turnaround Concentrate is an overnight exfoliating serum and The Body Shop Vitamin E Serum in Oil is supposed to plump and hydrate. I'll also be taking the Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask to use incase I have any breakouts or if my skin just looks a bit lacklustre. Late nights and long lie-ins on holiday usually mean my eyes can get a bit puffy so I'll be taking the Wei Correcting Eye Treatment Pads, I've never tried anything like these so I'll be interested to see if they work! 

What skincare products do you take away with you?

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Objects of Desire - Kate Spade New York Cherry Lane Stacy Wallet

Kate Spade New York - Cherry Lane Stacy Wallet

I spotted this the other day and immediately fell for it, the bright, neon coral shade is just stunning. For some reason I like the idea of this blindingly bright purse being tucked away in a neat, smart, plain black bag. Anyone else with me on that?

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Pre Holiday Prep

I always like to get my packing and other necessary jobs out of the way before going on holiday so on the last evening before I head off I can do a bit of pre holiday prep. Not only is it really relaxing but it means I can be a bit lower maintenance while I'm away! Here are the products I'll be using to get holiday ready! 

I usually start with dry body brushing, something I always intend on doing on the regular but never get round to. I use the Botanics Body Brush in upward strokes, it helps improve circulation, plumping up the skin while also giving it an intense exfoliation leaving it feeling nice and smooth.

Next up wax strips! We all know what these are for! I find they're a much better option than shaving as it means while I'm away I don't have to bother spending extra time shaving and I don't have to take any shaving stuff away with me.

Post wax I like to slather on a generous amount of the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil (full review here), it soothes post waxed skin and gives it a huge amount of moisture meaning I wake up with super soft skin the next morning.

Nothing is quite as relaxing as a nice hot bath and my most recent bath favourite is the Nip + Fab Yoga Blend Body Wash. The blend of coconut, rose and lavender smells amazing!

Also from Nip + Fab is the Bee Sting Fix Lifting Mask, it's a mask I've only used a few times so far but really like. It plumps up and hydrates the skin leaving it with a lovely glow, definitely a good 'pre party' mask!

Last up is the TRESemme Keratin Smooth 7 Day Smooth System, which I recently got a few sachets of. The directions say to apply the entire sachet to towel dried hair then blow-dry and straighten. This is supposed to 'lock in' the smoothness, in a similar way to a Brazilian blow-dry treatment. I'm excited to try this one as I have very frizz prone hair and this suff supposedly lasts through 4 washes! 

Do you have any pre holiday beauty rituals?

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Summer Makeup Bag

Every season I like to put a post together featuring all the makeup products I've been getting the most use out of. Here's what has been in my makeup bag as of late.

MUA Undressed Palette

I won't go into too much detail on this one as I just did a full review on it, you can see that here. It's a great, versatile palette that can be used to create lots of different looks. I've been using shade 6 (top row, right) and 7 (bottom row, left) the most.

Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream - Nutmeg

This has been my everyday base for the last couple of months, I don't really need a full on foundation everyday and this feels so much more comfortable on the skin. It's really lightweight and contains SPF 50!

Bobbi Brown Corrector - Dark Peach

I tap this onto my dark circles with my finger as it covers them without feeling too heavy, it also really brightens up my face and makes me look more awake. 

Kiko Glow Touch Lip & Cheeks - 102 Wave Hibiscus

This one is quite a recent purchase but I've not stopped using it since I got it, it's a very flattering peachy pink shade in a cream formula that works well on both lips and cheeks. I do love a good multitasker!

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti

I've been mentioning this lipbalm/lipstick hybrid a lot recently, you can see what it looks like on here. It's been living in my handbag for when I need to add a bit of colour to my look. 

The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter

I love the taste/smell of mangoes so this lip balm was bound to go down well with me. The formula is super moisturising and it doesn't leave a pale cast on the lips.

Benefit Sun Beam

I do love a good highlighter and lately I've been going for liquid formulas over powder. This one sits somewhere in between champagne and gold and manages to bring a bit of life back into the face while still looking subtle. 

What's been in you makeup bag lately?

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Essie Manicure at Privet Beauty

I recently went to an event hosted at Privet, a beauty salon in Notting Hill. Quite possibly the loveliest decorated salon I've ever been to! The salon has lots of different treatment rooms, each with a different theme as well as a hidden away area for manicures called the 'secret garden'. It's such a lovely change from the usual generically decorated salons and nail bars.

They use Essie polishes for their manicures which I was really pleased to hear as it's my favourite nail brand. I went for the shade Watermelon with Naughty Nautical as an accent nail, I was having a bit of a difficult time choosing but I think the shades look great together! As I write this I'm on day 3 and still no chips! I may have to invest in the Essie top and base coat!

The lady who did my manicure was lovely and chatty, something which makes a big difference to me. It felt more like a friend was doing my nails!

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FOTD #2

I've decided to try and do a few more makeup posts here on the blog, I hope you like this one, it's a look I'd probably reserve for evenings as the eyeshadow really is quite glittery, although it doesn't seem to look like it in the picture! I used my Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette in In the Dark which I did a full review of here. It's a palette I'm trying to use a bit more as it's been left unloved for a while! 

For base I went for MAC Studio Fix Fluid, another usually unloved product. I tend to reach for lighter bases over this one most days but I was having a bit of a 'bad skin day' so I thought I could do with a bit of extra coverage! I applied it with a Buffing Brush and then tapped on a bit of Bobbi Brown Corrector under my eyes to cover dark circles. I then used all the shades from my Sleek Face Form Palette in Light, the contour shade to define, a tiny bit of blush to add some colour and the highlighter to add a bit of a glow back into an otherwise quite matte finish. 

For the eyes I started with the shade Gold (top row, second from right) all over the lid, then added a tiny amount of Nude (top row, second from left) into the inner corners and under the brow bone. Next I went for the shade Deep Brown (bottom row, second from left) and packed that into the outer corner. I then blended everything out with a fluffy brush so it all looked a bit softer. To finish up I used the shade Glitter Black (bottom row, middle) as an eyeliner using a small angled brush and Avon Aero Volume Mascara which I don't love but am trying to finish up!

For lips I kept things super simple and just went for my favourite, wear with everything gloss, Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 56 Imaginaire. I hope you like the look!

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MUA Undressed Palette

I've had the MUA Undressed Palette for a really long time but it was left neglected for a long time. In all honesty, I forgot I had it. When I rediscovered it a few weeks ago I put it with my everyday makeup as a reminder to use it and I've barely used any other palettes since. It has a great range of neutral shades and the quality of the shadows is excellent. They're very pigmented, soft and buttery and don't fall down onto your face as you're applying them. In fact I even think they're better quality than some of my high end shadows! 

Top row - Shade 1 - 6

Bottom Row - Shade 7 - 12

Shades 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9

Shades 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12

Shades 1-3

Shades 4-6

Shades 7-9

Shades 10-12

As you can see the palette contains some great shades, shades 6 and 7 are by far my favourite. Although I would have liked to see a few more mattes in the palette (there are only 2), I think it's a great buy overall, especially since it's only £4! You can use it to create everything from a really simple everyday look to a full on smoky eye! 

Will you be adding this palette to your collection?

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Beauty Wishlist

Stila - In the Light Palette

Chanel - Les Beiges Powder

Nars - Radiant Creamy Concealer

Indeedlabs - Peptabright

Ecotools - Fresh and Flawless Brush Set 

Bourjois - Rouge Edition Velvet

Nars - Bronzer

Alpha H - Liquid Gold 

A few products that are currently topping my beauty wishlist! What's on yours?  

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OOTD #2

On most days you'll find me in a T-Shirt and a pair of jeans, when I need to smarten things up a bit or just look a bit more pulled together I usually just add a pair of heels. These are the ones I mentioned I was lusting after in a previous post and I'm so glad I got them. They're such an amazingly bright cobalt blue (the picture doesn't do them justice) and they're surprisingly comfortable, thanks to the ankle strap. They're also available in black so I'm seriously considering another purchase!

Necklace - Alex Monroe 

T-Shirt - ASOS

Jeans - ASOS

Bag - H&M

Sunglasses - Dorothy Perkins

Shoes - Next

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Saatchi Gallery Photo Diary

Something a little different here on the blog today! I went for a wonder around the Saatchi Gallery the other day and thought I'd share a few photos with you.

I hope this post has inspired you to give the gallery a visit!

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