My Monthly Favourites - September 2015

The month of September has been a bit of a whirlwind for me! I started my new part-time job and I feel like time has just flown by ever since. Although I haven't tried out too many new products this month, I have discovered a couple of new favourites as well as fallen back in love with a few older items in my stash too. So, let's skip the long intro for a change and jump straight into what I have been loving this month!

Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser - £24.00
Some of you may remember that after winning Katie Snooks' Feel Unique competition a few months ago, one of the products I picked up using my voucher code was this moisturiser from Origins. At the beginning, I used it religiously but then I forgot about it for a little while... until now! I love the gel-like consistency of this product because it is not too rich for my oily/combination skin. It has really improved how radiant and clear my skin looks without make-up on too, which is something that I have struggled with in the past. This is the first thing that I have ever tried from Origins because of the hefty price tag but I am super impressed with them as a brand and I will definitely purchase from them again in the future!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish in Street Flair - £9.99
You may have seen in my recent Boots haul that I picked up a few new nail varnishes this month and ever since then, this Sally Hansen number has constantly been on my nails! It is a gorgeous dusty lilac colour with a hint of grey within it, which makes it absolutely perfect for this time of year. It is a muted and understated shade but it has such an autumn feel to me! The polish itself is fairly chip-resistant, (especially when it's paired with the matching Miracle Gel top coat too,) and it has a gorgeous glossy, gel-like finish.

Invisibobble Clear Hair Bands (3 Pack) - £3.75
I had seen so many people talking about the Invisibobble hair bands and so I decided to take the plunge last week. Once my hair is tied up up, there is nooo way that I can take down again as my hair would then have a permanent dent and kinks in it. This would always upset me because if I had my hair up at work and then wanted to go out at night time, I would have to completely re-wash it in order to then wear it down! However, now that I have started wearing an Invisibobble, (which looks a bit like a clear telephone cord,) my hair is kink free! The bobble is virtually undetectable and it's so comfortable to wear, it never pulls on my hair or snags it in the slightest. This product is so amazing and I'm annoyed that I didn't pick it up sooner to be honest!

Max Factor Colour Collections Lipstick in Rosewood - £6.99
This Max Factor lipstick has been my biggest re-discovery of the month. I have had 'Rosewood' in my lipstick collection for such a long time now but I have found myself reaching for it a lot lately. It is the most gorgeous warm-toned rose shade that leaves a gorgeous sheen on your lips. Although the longevity of this product is not anything to shout home about, I do love how pigmented and comfortable this shade is to wear. It pairs well with so many different make-up looks too. You should definitely give it a swatch next time you're in Boots and Superdrug!

Lush The Comforter Shower Cream (100g) - £4.75
Last but not least is my favourite Lush shower gel of all time, The Comforter! I had always been a big fan of the bubble bar equivalent of this product, so when they brought out a shower cream I was beyond excited. I cannot even explain how in love I am with this sweet blackcurrant scent - it makes me look forward to shower time, even on cold autumn mornings! I love how soft and moisturised it makes me skin feel, plus it lathers up into a gorgeous pink foam too (which is always a bonus!) Even though it will be quite expensive, once this mini bottle runs out, I would like to buy the enormous 1kg verson which is just shy of £28 but in my opinion, it will be soooo worth it!

So guys, I bet you're glad I skipped the long intro now because that was a very in-depth favourites this month (oops!) I hope you enjoyed reading all about the five products that I have been loving and reaching for the most over the past 4 weeks! What have been your favourites this month? Have you used any of my current favourites before? Please let me know popping a comment down below with all of your thoughts and suggestions!

My New Hair Styling Saviour!

One of the main problems that I have with my hair is that it always lacks volume and texture. I have really fine and straight hair, which means that it is often incredibly hard to style. Most of the time, I use my GHD's to create soft curls in my hair to give it some more dimension and volume. However, the curls will always drop quite significantly throughout the day - even if a use a heavy duty, strong hairspray! So, you can imagine that I am very pleased that there are now thousands of volumising and texturising sprays on the market! 

As I'm sure many of you are aware, Oribe's Dry Texturising Spray has become quite the cult product amongst many bloggers and YouTubers but the downside is that it's quite pricey! Furthermore, plenty of high street brands have jumped on the texturising spray bandwagon and there are now lots of great and affordable alternatives to choose from! With this in mind, the dupe that I want to talk about today is L'Oréal's Studio Line Volume Supersizing Spray.

After browsing the aisles of Boots last week, I came across this product and immediately put it into my basket and headed towards the till. What really drew me in was the price point in all honestly, as this huge can costs a mere £3.79! Plus, I trust L'Oréal as a brand and decided that there was no harm in giving it a go - and I'm glad I did! This spray did absolute wonders for my hair in terms of refreshing my style throughout the day by giving it some gritty texture and lift. As my curls dropped through out the day, I simply sprayed a little bit of the product onto my hair, scrunched it a little and my hair looked bouncy and voluminous once again!

I have fallen head over heels for this product in a number of days but there is still one negative aspect that I have noticed about it! As the bottle claims, it adds instant matte texture to your hair (which it does) but that can leave you hair feeling rather dry at times. So, I always have to make sure that I deeply condition my hair the next time I wash it in order to keep it feeling soft. Because of this, I am not going to be using this product everyday but when I do, I know that I'm always going to have a good hair day! Overall, I absolutely love this new addition to my hair styling collection and I would highly recommend it to anybody with hair similar to mine. Plus, it's a real bargain too, which makes it a winner in my eyes!

What do you do to inject some more volume into your hair? What is your favourite texturising spray and why? Please let me know as I am always looking for new product recommendations and tips!

Disappointing Products #1

Hi guys! Many of us beauty bloggers, myself included, tend to write about products that we love as opposed to products that we loathe because let's face it, they are more fun to talk about! However, today I thought that I would share with you five products that have left me a little disappointed over the recent months. Of course, products work differently on each of us as we are all very unique but I am simply sharing with you my experiences with using these products. So, let's get started!

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hairspray (50ml) - £7.50
It seems that many of us beauty bloggers received a free sample of this hairspray when we bought the September issue of Elle Magazine. I was really excited to try out this product for multiple reasons. Firstly, I have heard good things about the entire Bumble & Bumble range and secondly, anything that promises to thicken my hair grabs my attention as I have extremely fine hair that could always use a little boost. However, after following the instructions on the side of the bottle that told me to apply this onto my wet hair, I was thoroughly disappointed with the result after I dried it. My hair had no noticeable volume and was simply left with a horrible, sticky residue at my roots which is definitely not what you want!

Maybelline Super Stay 10 Hour Tint Gloss in Endless Ruby - £6.99
When I initially swatched this tinted gloss in Superdug, I knew I had to have it! The highly pigmented deep red colour and smooth liquid formula drew me in and I could not wait to try it out. At first, the gloss was everything I expected and more but as the day went on, I incurred a few problems that really put me off this product. Throughout the day, the colour of the gloss darkened to a really strange black colour around my lip line. Secondly, when I went to take off the product that night (even with five minutes of laborious scrubbing,) it just wouldn't budge! Sure, staying power is typically what we want from a stain but not so much when it seeps into the cracks of your lips and doesn't come off fully for two days!

Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make-Up Remover Pen - £4.99
I bought this product on a bit of a whim whilst in Boots because I thought it would be handy to use to remove any eyeliner or mascara mistakes (I get through a lot of cotton buds doing this!) The first two times I used this pen the results were great; the tip of the pen was small and precise, which in turn got rid of smudges and mistakes perfectly. After each use, I cleaned the nib of the pen and put the lid back on firmly as instructed. However, when I went back to use this product for the third time, the pen had completely dried out! I was really disappointed with the longevity of this product and I will be sticking to my usual method of cotton buds to remove any make-up mishaps!

Bourjois Paris Little Round Pot Blush in Love-struck Rose - £7.99
When my much-loved Rimmel blusher hit the pan a while back, I decided to browse my local Boots for a different blusher to try. As these Bourjois blushers have been around for many years and I had always heard great things about them, I decided to give one a whirl. Love-struck Rose is a beautiful coral coloured blush with hints of gold shimmer running through it. However, begrudgingly, when I went to apply this product to my cheeks - the pigmentation was awful! Although I had plenty of the product on my brush, it was just not coming out on my face. I was really disappointed with this product and have not used it since!

Barry M Eyeshadow Pencil in Gold Cream - £4.59

Recently, I have been really getting into experimenting with eyeshadow, which is a rarity for me seeing as I am a classic eyeliner flick kind of girl! I bought this eyeshadow pencil to highlight my inner corner with as I find that a classic powder shadow rubs off rather quickly in this area. When first applied, I loved this product because it was so creamy and just simply glided on. However, after a mere two hours, the product had just settled in the creases of my eye and it began to flake a lot which made the whole look appear messy and unflattering.

I hope that this post has been helpful to those of you who are maybe considering trying out some of the products mentioned above. Also, if any of you have had positive experiences with any of the items above or even if you share the same views as me, I would love to hear about them - so please leave a comment below. Thank you!

My Monthly Favourites - October 2013

Hi guys! Surprisingly, even though I have been blogging for roughly seven months now, I have never partaken in the ever-so-popular 'monthly favourites' posts. However, this is all about to change! There are so many products I love to use that I have never mentioned on my blog and I thought that doing a monthly favourites post would enable me to include a lot more of these. Though, with this being said, sometimes I go through a phase where I do not incorporate anything new into my beauty regime and so I may skip a month or two from time to time if I have no products to talk about. Now, let's get on with talking about my favourite products that I have been using throughout October!

No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser for Normal/Oily Skin - £9.00
As probably many of you beauty bloggers are aware, Boots more often than not have a deal on No7 skincare where by you get £5 off printed on a receipt when you buy any product in the entire store. So, I bit the bullet and decided to invest in a new cleanser. I have combination skin and get a fair few blemishes and so I wanted a product to control the oiliness of my skin. This product is great and I have been using it every day. It foams up nicely (hence the name of the product) and is gentle on my skin too. I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin as it is far less oily of late. I definitely recommend this product!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Dark Knight Waterl-oops!- £6.49
Whilst preparing for a Halloween night out clubbing with my friend Sarah, we decided we wanted to buy a really dark lipstick to go with our outfits. We browsed every stand in Boots for the darkest lipstick we could find and eventually came across this amazing, rich purple colour from Rimmel. Although this product has been around for years now, Rimmel have recently altered the formula of this lipstick and have added many different shades into the collection. This lipstick has since been advertised so much and it definitely lives up to the hype! The end result gave us extremely dark, vampy-looking lips that were still really moisturised - which is just what we were after. The only bad thing I have to say about this product as that it tends to bleed out of the lip line after a while which can look a little messy.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat - £9.00
I am pretty late in terms of jumping onto the Seche Vite bandwagon, which is surprising seeing as I have been a huge nail varnish junkie for as long as I can remember. However, now that I have just completed a intensive three day nail course (as mentioned in my 'The Next Chapter Of My Life' blog post,)  I decided that I has best invest in some higher quality products. Now that I will be working on clients, I wanted a top coat that makes a manicure last as long as possible for optimum results. So far, I am loving using this product as it extremely chip-resistant with a super glossy finish.

Eylure Katy Perry Eyelashes in Cool Kitty - £5.95
Seeing as my natural eyelashes are quite short and sparse, I love to wear fake ones on a night out to really make my eyes stand out. I really like the effect that these particular lashes give, as they fan out at the end into slight points at the end that look gorgeous when applied. The pair I used to use religiously before these were released are the Girls Aloud Nadine lashes, (also made by Eylure,) which are pretty much exactly the same but for some reason I prefer these ones by a mile. I would also recommend the 'Oh Honey' lashes from the Katy Perry Range if you are looking for a slightly more natural finish. (Disclaimer: I am aware that my photo does not show the lashes as mine were a little mangled and I had to throw them out. However, I have put a link above if you wanted to see what they actually look like!)

Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Nut Lip Butter - £2.25
I am going to keep this review short and sweet as I have recently spoken about this product in my 'Boots 3 For 2 Lipcare' blog post. All I want to say about this product is that I am absolutely addicted to the scent, vanilla and macadamia but is such a great combination! I love slathering this product on before going to bed at night and waking up in the morning with lovely, soft lips as the formulation of this lip butter is really thick and creamy. This is a must-have, affordable product for any girls handbag for keeping your lips hydrated on the go! 

Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine Super Spray (500ml) - £18.25
Last but not least is this amazing hairspray from Paul Mitchell. For years now, both me and my Mum have been using this product to keep our styled hair in place all day long. This hairspray has an incredibly firm hold without making your hair feel crispy or hard, which the majority of lower-end hairsprays tend to do if you are not careful. As I have fine hair that is prone to dropping, this product is perfect for me as I curl my hair the majority of the time. Although this hairspray is pretty pricey, it lasts for absolutely ages and in my opinion, is definitely worth the money! 

I hope you have all enjoyed reading about my monthly favourites for October. I would love to know what your most-loved products have been this month, so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below :) 

Summer Beauty: Essential Products

Hi guys! Following on from my previous post, 'Summer Style: Crop Tops,' I thought that today I would share with you some hair & beauty products that have been getting me through this lovely spell of hot weather that we have been having in England lately. Soaring temperatures often means that our make-up is prone to sliding off and our hair becomes unruly, which are both major beauty no-nos. Whether you are off on holiday or are just enjoying the beautiful sunshine here in this country, the products I have chosen should definitely be essentials in your beauty kit. So, here are the few key products that I have chosen... let's get started!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light - £7.99

During the summer months, it's very important to take care of your skin by using products that contain SPF to protect us from the suns harmful rays. I love this BB cream by Maybelline because it's so light on your skin and it almost feels like you are wearing nothing on your face at all. Plus, it has SPF 30 in it too which is perfect for days when you still want to wear make-up despite the heat. BB creams are great alternatives to foundation during the summer, as wearing heavy make-up can clog your skin and cause you to sweat and eventually break out (ew!) I simply apply this product to my skin using a buffing brush and then set it with powder to make sure it doesn't slip off of my skin during the day.

Carmex Cherry Lip Balm -£2.69

This lip balm by Carmex does exactly what it says on the tin (or tube in this case.) It soothes, relieves and moisturises your lips and also leaves them with a nice glossy, sheen too. When out in the sun, many of us neglect our lips and forget to protect them in the same way that we would protect our skin with sun tan lotion. Luckily, this balm contains SPF 15 to keep your lips from burning or drying out in the sun. In addition, I love this product for it's delicious cherry flavour. Carmex also make other versions of this lip balm including Strawberry and Mint, which smell just as lovely. 

Batiste Dry Shampoo Tropical - £1.99

Over the last few years, dry shampoo has become a cult product for so many people and I am a huge fan of Batiste in particular. Batiste can instantly refresh your hair and stop it from looking greasy inbetween washes, as it is unhealthy to wash your locks every day as it strips your hair of it's natural oils. In addition, the spray adds lots of volume to your hair and so if you have very fine or lifeless hair, you can also use this spray to add a bit of uplift to your tresses. To use this product, simply spray it on to your roots and then massage it in (you can also brush it through with a comb if needed.)  This dry shampoo comes in a variation of scents (including Cherry and Blush,) so there is definitely a scent to suit everyone. I use the tropical scent which is a lovely coconut smell, which is so refreshing and it reminds me of being on holiday. Batiste also do travel mini versions of this product, which are perfect for if you are on the go and need to slip a can into your handbag.

Revlon Photo Ready Perfecting Primer - £9.99

The key to getting your make-up to stay on all day is to prep your skin using a primer. Primers mattify your skin, which decreases shine, and creates a base for the rest of your make-up. In turn, this will allow your foundation to stay on much longer than it usually would and prevent it from slipping. I love this Revlon Photo Ready primer as it also really minimises the appearance of your pores and any imperfections that you may have. Of course, high end and premium primers will probably do a much better job, but I think that this primer is so affordable and it is easily accessible in the high-street. However saying this, I would love to own a Smashbox primer as they are meant to be amazing!

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets - 99p

Last but not least, this pack of 50 blotting papers from Kleenex are so useful. Hot and humid weather often causes your skin to become a lot more oily - especially around your t-zone area. Normally, we combat shine by applying powder, but doing this several times a day is not only time consuming, but it is also bad for your skin too. Caking on layers of powder throughout the day can clog your skin and can cause a variety of problems including spots and blemishes. Instead, consider using shine absorbing sheets. They absorb the oil on your face just by you dabbing the sheet on to your face. The greatest thing about this product is that the packaging is so compact, so you can literally pop the sheets in to your handbag and you will always be prepared for when that shininess appears. I bought these sheets when they were on sale in Sainsbury's for 99p and I have since looked for them online to find the original price. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find them on websites like Boots or Superdrug etc. I have only found them in stock on various pharmacy and beauty websites where the price seems to vary. However, there are so many brands out there that also do blotting papers which are widely available in shops and I highly recommend you give them a go!

I hope that this little essential products post has been helpful and that you have enjoyed reading about them. As always, I love reading your opinions so if you have ever used any of these products or even if you want to after reading these mini reviews, please do not hesitate to leave a comment below. Thank you :)