Friday, 9 August 2013
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Pre Holiday Haul
I picked up a few things in preparation for my holiday, one
thing I wanted in particular was a nice pair of wedges, something that would me
feel like I was making a bit of an effort and give me a little extra height as
well as being comfortable enough to wear walking around all day. I was lucky
enough to find just the pair in New Look, and in tan too, so perfect with
everything I’ll be packing.
I like to have a refreshing face spritz with me and when I saw the Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Mist I thought it would be a great alternative to the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. It comes in a much lighter plastic bottle rather than the glass one so it’s better for flying and of course it’s much cheaper.
I also wanted a mini hair serum/argan oil product, this one is Got2b Oil-licious by Scwartxkopf it comes in a tiny bottle and was really cheap so I thought I’d try it out! I also grabbed a mini deodorant and a mini version of my favourite body scrub, Flake Away by Soap & Glory.
Sun protection is an absolute essential on holiday for everyone, regardless of skin colour. The Once a Day Sun Protection SPF 50+ from Riemann P20 is perfect as it comes in a convenient spray bottle and is a clear liquid which doesn’t leave skin with a white overcast. It is a bit more expensive than others but you only have to apply it once a day as apposed to every 3 hours so you’ll be using a lot less.
I also ventured into H&M where I found this lovely long
sleeve, fine knit jumper. I’m always cold on flights and in the evenings on
holiday so this one is perfect as it’s just about warm enough while the pastel
and neon stripes keep it looking summery.
While in H&M I also spotted this neon coral
and white striped dress with a black cord drawstring, I was immediately drawn
to the colour as I love brights. The drawstring sits just above the hips but
while trying it on I found it a lot more flattering to pull it up to the waist
to tie it and let it drape over. It’s a very flattering shaped dress that would
suit any figure.
Most days I stick to my standard uniform of
jeans, a T-Shirt and a statement necklace and I find H&M are good for basic
T-Shirts. I liked this one because of the texture, It’s a plain colour with a
bit of a twist.
What do you buy before you head off on holiday?
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Nars Multiples + Benefit Watts Up
I've always liked multifunctional products, they are great for travelling or on the go. The Multiples from Nars are great and even though Benefit's Watts Up technically isn't a multifunctional product, I often use it in the same way.
Starting from the left, Nars Multiple in Malaysia is one of their Bronzing Multiples, use it lightly allover for a warm glow or in the hollows of cheekbones for a more sculpted look. Its the perfect shape and size, just swipe it on and blend out the edges. It can also be used all over the eyelid and smudged out for a subtle smokey eye!
In the middle is Nars' Multiple in Orgasm, a pretty peachy pink with gold shimmer running through it. Its perfect on the cheeks as a blusher, again, swipe it on and blend it out, it gives the complexion a lovely glow, so you can skip the highlighter. It's also good on the lips, leaving them with a subtle wash of colour, although the cream to powder formula means lips could feel a little dry so a swipe of lip balm over the top works well.
Watt's Up by Benefit is a similar twist up cylindrical product in a cream to powder formula. It is a lovely sandy champagne colour with a shimmery finish, it also comes with a spongy blender at the other end which might work well if you don't wear much foundation, but I find it just wipes off anything you already have on. This one works well as a highlighter, along the tops of cheekbones, down the centre of the nose and across the cupids bow. It's also great as an eyeshadow!
My chosen method of application is just swiping them on and blending them in with fingers, it gives a much better finish and it's much quicker and easier!
What are your favourite multifunctional products?
Monday, 5 August 2013
NOTD #5
My first ever OPI nail varnish was given to me the other day by my good friend Jeni, she was shocked that a nail varnish addict like myself had never tried anything by them. Said nail varnish is in the shade Strawberry Margarita, a lovely blue toned bright pink in a cream finish. I really love the formula, it's thick enough to look good with just one coat and applies really smoothly with the flat brush. It also lasts really well, I got about 4 completely chip free days with a really glossy finish. I'll definitely be on the lookout for OPI varnishes, any colour recommendations?
Sunday, 4 August 2013
Review: Palmers Skin Therapy Oil
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil claims to
‘help reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks, dry, damaged skin, uneven
skin tone and aging skin’ Think of it as the original body lotion formula’s
beefed up, no nonsense older sister. It
has a really light texture and smells so yummy!
As for the claims, do they work? In a word yes, I can’t
comment on the ‘aging skin’ claim (I’ll get back to you on that one in 20 years
or so) but as for the others it seems to do a fairly decent job. Don’t be
expecting miracles overnight though, you will need to use it over a long period
of time and use it consistently.
I’ve been using it once a day for just over 2 months and
I’ve just started on my second bottle. My marks (from old spots, insect bites
and knee grazes) are definitely still there but have become noticeably lighter
and smaller. A small amount applied onto
damp skin post shower sinks in fairly quickly. (Provided you don’t use too
much) And the pump dispenser makes it really easy to use, you don’t end up with
the entire bottle covered in oil which is always a bonus.
My skin seems to scar very easily, not uncommon in Indian
skin. The darker your skin is the more melanin it contains. When your skin
heals from a spot/insect bite/graze/cut etc melanin is overproduced. So the
more melanin you have, the greater the overproduction, which means that the
contrast between your natural skin tone and the scar will be greater. It will
also take the melanin a lot longer to break down and disperse, meaning your
scar will take longer to disappear.
There is nothing you can really do to fully get rid of scars
(with the possible exception of Laser)
but you can definitely help them to fade quicker and appear less noticeable,
the two main ways of doing this are regular exfoliation, and always keeping
your skin moisturized, preferably with products that contain Vitamin E (as this
one does). Saying that, I wouldn’t
bother with the Palmers Scar Serum, it has a really think texture that’s
difficult to work in and it doesn’t smell very nice.
If you are considering trying this product out, now would be
a good time because it’s currently on half price here, and if your not sure
you’ll stick to using it, why not just pour a bit into your bath!
Have you ever tried Palmers Original Formula Skin Therapy
Oil? What did you think of the results?
Saturday, 3 August 2013
Object of Desire - Giles Notebooks
In recent years I've really made an effort to keep myself organised. Back in my teens I was possibly the most disorganised person you'd ever meet. One thing I find is when I have pretty stationary it gives me an incentive to get it out so I can write lists and plan my days! Silly I know, but if you find something that works for you then why not make the most of it? Since starting this blog I have become a meticulous planner, as I'm posting everyday I need to think ahead, and of course I need somewhere to write it all down!
I currently have a couple of notebooks on the go so I don't really 'need' one, but on numerous occasions while browsing the Matches sale these have caught my attention. You can find the Coral/Yellow one here and the Blue/Purple one here. They look so luxurious but still really young and fun, I'd take one of these over Smythson any day! I really love the bold colours which are printed onto cotton canvas, but I just can't quite decide which I like better!
Which do you prefer?
Friday, 2 August 2013
Anatomicals - Farewell the Scarlet Pimplehell Deep Cleansing Mud Mask
This Morning I woke up to a what I call 'almost spots', they aren't spots quite yet, but you know that within a day they will be. A combination of hot weather, sunscreen and makeup no doubt. A few hours later I nipped into my local Savers to buy some washing powder (exciting!) and happened to notice this face mask. Anatomicals is a brand that I have often heard of but never tried and as the sachet cost a grand total of 69p, I thought, why not?
The Sachet opens from the bottom to reveal a thick khaki green mud mask. I smoothed a thick layer onto my face and left it to dry, which took about 15 minutes, then wiped it off with a warm damp flannel. My face felt quite nice and soft, I was fairly pleased with the result and so I just carried on about my business for a few hours. Later on in the day I looked in the mirror and the 'almost spots' on my forehead were almost completely gone! I couldn't quite believe it so I ran my fingers over the area which this morning had felt quite bumpy now felt almost completely flat! I really am amazed that I got such a great result from such a cheap face mask, and I think I'll buy a few more and stash them away for 'nip it in the bud' moments. Even better, the sachets have quite a generous amount in them, definitely enough for 2 goes!
As I said earlier I picked mine up from Savers for 69p but if there isn't one near you, you can pick up a pack of 3 Anatomicals masks here for just 2.00!
Have you tried any Anatomicals Face Masks?
Thursday, 1 August 2013
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