My Summer Beauty Essentials

Hi guys. Instead of doing my usual monthly favourites post, today I thought that I would talk you through my summer essentials instead. The main reason for this is that I haven't really got any new favourites at the moment, as I have been chopping and changing between products a lot and not sticking to a few key items. As the weather in the UK is pretty great (although humid) right now, I thought this would be an appropriate time to share which products keep me looking and feeling pretty during these high heats. Let's get started!

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion - £5.10
First up is my current go-to tanning product, Garnier's Summer Body. The reason that I love this product so much is because I am not an avid tanner and so I do not like using fully-fledged tanning products in the form of mousses and so on. A moisturiser with a hint of tan is enough for me! Not only does this product leave me with a gorgeous, sunkissed colour, it also glides on seamlessly and sinks in relatively quick too! Plus, it's very affordable and has a pleasant apricot scent instead of that awful biscuit smell that most tanning products produce! Overall, this is a great lotion to use if you want a result that is not too in your face or unnatural. I will be using this time and time again!

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Scrub - £8.00
Next up is my all time favourite body scrub, Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush. The scent of this is amazing! The combination of brown sugar and lime makes this product almost good enough to it and a joy to use. As for the scrub itself, it strikes the perfect balance between being gentle and abrasive. The gritty granules slough away at dry patches incredibly well but without irritating the skin too much or making it red, which is perfect! A little goes a long way as the tub is so large, which means you definitely get a lot for your money too. I would highly recommend this!

Sure Women Maximum Protection Deodorant - £5.30
I suppose that deodorants do not get a lot of mention on beauty blogs because let's face it, they're pretty standard and not that exciting to talk about. However, I have been so impressed by this one by Sure. Plus, it's a little different! I think a lot of people that have used this product have been using it in the morning but the box actually suggests that you apply this at night time instead, which is what I have been doing. The cream simply twists up and then it can be applied straight to your underarms. I find the scent really pleasant but of course, the main factor is that it keep sweat and odours at bay - which it does! As it is a cream, it is also very moisturising which is an added bonus for those with dry or sensitive underarms. This deodorant is a must have for summer, as well as all year round too!

Urban Decay Travel Size All Nighter Make Up Setting Spray - £9.00
Last but not least, and one of my favourites of the bunch, is this make-up setting spray from Urban Decay. I am sure that all of us regularly suffer from our make-up sliding off our faces throughout the day, especially when its hot, but this spray has actually revolutionised my routine. Once I have applied all of my make-up for the day, I simply spritz a couple of sprays of the product evenly across my face. No matter how long I have my make-up on for, All Nighter does a great job of setting my face and making sure that it does not wear off throughout the day. It also prevents a large majority of shine and oiliness coming through, which is also handy as I have combination skin. I do only have the travel size but I have a feeling that it will last me a long while, plus this version is a lot friendly on the old purse strings!

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my summer essentials. All of the items mentioned above have helped me out a lot during the hot weather and I highly recommend them! Have you tried any of these products before? What are your own summer essentials? Please let me know by leaving a comment below, I love recommendations. Thank you!

My Favourite Valentines Day Products

Hi guys! Today I thought that I would show you some of my favourite products that are also Valentines Day inspired - aka red and pink makeup! All the products mentioned in this post are ones that I have use all of the time and absolutely adore, I would recommend them to anybody. I will most definitely be wearing some of them tomorrow! I hope that whatever you are up to on February the 14th, whether you are single or taken, you have a lovely day and remember to spoil yourselves rotten! With that in mind, here is a list of some gorgeous Valentines Day Products that are featured above.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Color Rush Lip Crayon in The Redder The Better

A vivid red lip crayon that is super moisturising and lasts for hours.

Yves Saint Lauent Elle Eau De Parfum (50ml)

An ultra feminine, rich perfume with notes of peonies and pink berries.

Max Factor Glossfinity Nail Polish in Red Passion

A classic and opaque red nail varnish.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Pomegranate

A deep pink polish that gives an incredibly shiny, professional finish.

Barry M Ultra Moisturising Lip Paint in 156

A beautiful berry coloured lipstick with great staying power.

Maybelline Super Stay 24hr Color in Cherry Pie

A rich burgundy lip stain that stays put all day long.

Essie Luxe Effects Nail Polish in A Cut Above

A stunning rose gold glitter polish.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish in Scarlet Fever

A chip resistant berry coloured polish that is incredibly opaque.

Benefit Posie Tint Lip & Cheek Tint

A liquid rosy pink tint for both lips and cheeks.

Rimmel Colour Show Off Lipstick in Shocking Pink

A vibrant pink lipstick which also smells like watermelon.

I hope you all enjoyed this post and even though it is rather short, I really enjoyed making it. Again, whatever you are doing on Valentines Day, I hope that you have a fabulous time. Thank you :)

My Current Beauty Wish List

Hi guys! Today I thought that I would share with you a couple of items that are currently on my beauty wish list. I have vowed to keep my expenditure of new products to a minimum until I have used up what I already have but the occasional treat can't hurt, eh? I am hoping to get my hands on these products very soon! So, without any further ado, here's what I have been eyeing up so far in 2014!

1. Essie Luxe Effects Nail Polish in Set In Stone - £7.99
First up is this gorgeous polish from Essie. I first mentioned this nail varnish in my November Favourites because my Mum bought me the pink shade, A Cut Above, as a little treat. Now, I am just itching to get another colour from the Luxe Effects collection. Although this product is designed to be used as a top coat on top of another polish, I like to build it up with a couple of coats to achieve an opaque look. The end result is really glitzy and makes me feel glamorous. Plus, it's chip resistant for roughly a week which makes it a winner in my books!  

2. Tangle Teezer in Pink - £10.99
Next up is the infamous Tangle Teezer. The main reason that I want to purchase this particular brush is because 1) I have heard great things about it and 2) my wide tooth comb has seen better days. As I have fine hair, it tends to get knotted very quickly - especially because I curl my hair most of the time. So, I want to purchase a high quality brush that is great at untangling both wet and dry hair. I will definitely be buying this product in the near future!

3. Benefit Erase Paste in Fair - £19.50
This concealer has been on my wishlist for quite a while now. Even though I am young and sleep well, I am prone to dark circles under my eyes and so I always look for concealers that are brightening. Up until now I have been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer (which is a great and affordable product) but I have heard that this particular Benefit product has a much higher coverage, which is what I need. Plus, who can resist Benefit's adorable packaging? I know I can't!

4. Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms - £7.99
Last but not least, and the product that I am most excited about buying, are the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms. The reason that I haven't purchased this lip product is because they are not available in the UK for another week or so. Anybody that has been reading my posts for a while will know that I am obsessed with the brands Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stains, so I cannot wait to try the matte version of these lip crayons. After reading a very detailed review of this product on Lily Melrose's blog, the colours I am most drawn to trying are Sultry (a muted, pinky nude) and Shamless (a blue-toned deep purple.) Not only are Revlon bringing out ten matte crayons but they are also re-branding the Kissable Lip Stains, (now named ColorBurst Lacquer Balms,) and are bringing out ten new shades of those too. Revlon are on top of their game at the moment and I cannot wait to try them!

So, those are the four products that are currently at the top of my beauty wish list. Which products are you lusting after this month? Please let me know by commenting below :)

My Monthly Favourites - December 2013

Hi guys! As promised in the post I uploaded yesterday, 'My New Years Eve Make-Up,' here are my December Favourites. Granted this post is a few days late now (I cannot believe it is now 2014) but better late than never, eh! Usually, my favourites tend to consist of products that I have been loving for quite a long period of time, as I like to give honest and well-rounded reviews of things that I have tried and tested for at least a month. However, all of this months products have only been in my possession for a week or less. In addition, three of the products I will be mentioning today were given to me as Christmas presents,  which I am incredibly grateful for! With that being said, let's get straight into my five favourite products during the month of December.

Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer - £20.00
First up is this lovely primer from Clinique. I have been after this particular primer for a fair few months now after I used a sample of it that I found in a magazine. Up until now, I have only used cheaper high-street primers which I haven't got on with too well (Revlon's Photo Ready Primer in particular.) I have only used this product once so far, on New Years Eve, and I must say that I am impressed already. It provided a smooth base for my foundation, which seemed to stay put all night whilst I was out clubbing. My parents bought me this for Christmas and I am so grateful because it's a product I probably wouldn't have been able to afford or fathom buying otherwise. As it is so special, I am vowing to only use it on special occasions and nights out!

Marc Jacobs Honey Eau de Parfum (50ml) - £39.50
This perfume was another surprise present that was given to me by my Mum and Dad. I am a huge fan of Marc Jacobs fragrances overall, both their smells and packaging are amazing. I was actually given the gift set version which includes a shower gel and body lotion with matching scents to the perfume. The eau de parfum itself is a pretty sweet scent, which I usually steer clear of, but due to it's added fruity elements - it is a lot more wearable. I would agree that it is more of a spring/summer fragrance but it's gorgeous none the less!

Soap & Glory Butter Yourself Five Fruits Super Rich Soothing Body Butter  - £10.50
Next, my lovely aunt and uncle bought me this tub of Soap & Glory body butter. I am a lover of the brand and both me and my Mum use Soap & Glory products religiously. Considering that they are a widely available high-street brand, the quality of their products are amazing. The Righteous Butter has always been my favourite but now I am converted. I tend to prefer fruity and refreshing scents as opposed to cocoa or shea butter scents, though I still love both. This moisturiser is extremely rich and sinks into the skin really quickly, which is an added bonus.

Real Techniques Powder Brush  - £12.99
I have owned the Real Techniques Core Collection, which consists of four brushes; buffing, contour, pointed foundation and detailer brushes, for quite a while now. However, I have been stuck using a brandless powder brush that is pretty useless. The hairs of the brush always used to shed, leaving little black hairs all of my face (how frustrating!) So, with some cash that my Nan gave me for Christmas, I have finally gotten around to buying this brush. As with all Real Techniques brushes, the bristles are really soft and I know that I am going to get a lot of use out of it. I also hope to expand my brush collection in the near future. Next on my list is the Starter Set that features 5 eye brushes.

Maybelline Super Stay 24hr Color in Cherry Pie  - £7.99
Last but not least is this lovely lip colour from Maybelline. I am always on the look out for long-wearing lip products, as there is nothing I hate more than lipstick that barely lasts an hour without fading, transferring onto your teeth or bleeding outside of the lines. I bought this particular product after my friend Sarah recommended it to me, as she has it in a different colour. I bought the shade 'Cherry Pie,' which is a deep red colour which is so pigmented. The lip colour is dual ended, one end being a liquid lipstick and the other being a clear balm. What you have to do is apply the lip colour, wait for it to dry sticky and then apply the balm over the time. I assure you, this product DOES NOT budge! In fact, it is so long-lasting that is actually a nightmare to remove and it requires a lot of scrubbing to do so. That, however, is the only downfall to this amazing product. My only wish is that I purchased a slightly more wearable colour so that I can wear it in the day time too, so I might have to do that some time in the future.

So, that's it for this month! I hope that you enjoyed reading about my December favourites. Please let me know if you have used any of the aforementioned products, I would love to know how you have got on with them. Also, feel free to let me know what products you have been loving over the past month - I love getting recommendations! Thank you :)

My New Years Eve Make-Up

Hi guys, Happy New Year! This evening, I thought that I would do a quick post showing and listing the products that I used on New Years Eve. Unfortunately, I do not have a good photo of the my finished look but I thought that I would still do the post anyway. I know that I usually write a little description or review about every product that I mention, however, this is just a filler post whilst I prepare my 'December Favourites.' Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, that post will be uploaded tomorrow (fingers crossed!) 

So, here is a full list of the products that I used:

Face
Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer
Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation in Ivory
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent
Rimmel Sun Shimmer Bronzer in Light Matte
Rimmel Blusher in Coral Rose (discontinued but still available on Amazon)

Eyes & Eyebrows
Clinique Eyeshadow Duo in Beach Plum (the light shadow only)
Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner in Black
Benefit They're Real Mascara in Black
Ardell Professional Demi Wispie Lashes 
Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Dark Blonde

Lips
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Crush

Tools
Real Techniques Buffing & Contour Brush (part of the Core Collection)
Real Techniques Powder Brush
Mister Mascara Eyelash Curler

Even though this is a very brief post for me, I hope that you all enjoyed snooping at what I wore make-up wise on New Years Eve. As mentioned, my December favourites will hopefully be up tomorrow or the weekend at the latest, so keep your eyes peeled for that! Thank you :)

Benefit and Bare Minerals Miniatures

A few months ago, my friend and fellow blogger Coco Mykel, gave me three miniature samples that she did not want herself. These were Bare Minerals 'Stroke Of Light,' as well as Benefit's 'Posie Tint' and 'Stay Don't Stray.' Now I must admit, for a long while I forgot I even had these samples as they stayed pretty hidden within my enormous make-up bag due to their tiny size. However, over the past month or so, I have been using these products on quite a regular basis. Being that I am currently unemployed and therefore short of money, I do not have the spare cash to splurge on higher end products, so I have really enjoyed the luxury of using these samples instead of purchasing the full-size versions (I'm sure I will be very sad when they eventually run out.) So, without further ado, let's get to it!

Bare Minerals 'Stroke Of Light' Eye Brightener
This product is my new favourite under-eye brightening concealer. For years, I have been a sufferer of discolouration and dark circles under my eyes which I cannot not seem to shift or completely cover up. Up until now, I have been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer which is still a great product, but this one tops it by a mile. The main difference between these two concealers is their consistencies. Stroke Of Light is a lot thinner than Wake Me Up, which means that it's coverage is a lot more buildable and never runs the risk of looking too cakey or thick on the skin. Although it does not say on the packaging, by looking online I have come to the conclusion that I have the shade 'Luminous 2,' which matches my complexion perfectly. The full size version of this product is £22.00 but I think it is definitely worth the investment as it is such an amazing illuminating concealer.

Benefit's 'Posie Tint' Lip & Cheek Stain
Out of the three products in this review, this one is probably my least favourite and the one that I do not use that often. That being said, the great thing about this stain is the fact that it is multi-purpose, as it can be applied to either your cheeks or your lips. I have tried and tested both of these methods and I much prefer using the Posie Tint on my lips as opposed to my cheeks, where I like to use powder blushers instead. The pretty rose-colour leaves a nice and natural tint to my lips. This is great for days where I wear quite natural make-up but still want a subtle hint of colour to make my look more complete. For what it is, I really do not think this product deserves its £24.50 price tag for the full version but it is still nice nonetheless.

Benefit's 'Stay Don't Stray' Eyeshadow Primer
Last but certainly not least, I am not one to wear eyeshadow that often (I prefer a simple cat-flick using eyeliner myself) but this primer is great for days where I do like experiment with my eye make-up. To accompany my combination skin, I also have oily eyelids with is extremely annoying. I hate the way that my eyeshadow creases throughout the day and it never ends up looking as good as it did when I first applied it. Although this primer is not 100% effective in my opinion, it did stop the majority of the creasing and any oiliness from surfacing. 'Stay Don't Stray' is the same colour as what a foundation or concealer would be, which is also makes this product a good base to even out any uneven colouring on your lids. The full size version of this product is £20.50 which could seem pricey to some but a little goes a long way, so this product would last for ages and so it is a good investment.

I hope that this review has helped to give you all a good insight into the effectiveness of the products above. If you have used any of them before, I would love to know your opinions of them via a comment below. I would also like to thank Chloe (Coco Mykel) for giving me the samples of products that I would not have been able to get my hands on otherwise!

My Favourite Autumn/Winter Nail Varnishes

My taste in nail varnish differs a lot throughout the year depending on what season it is, which I'm sure is the same for many of you too. In spring and summer, I prefer to wear bright and fun colours on my nails. However, during the colder autumn and winter months, I much prefer to wear deeper and more vampy colours on my talons. Today, I thought I would share with you my top five favourite nail varnish shades that I will definitely be reaching for this season.

Jessica Nail Colour in Vamp
I got this varnish free in an issue of Company magazine a few months ago. I really adore this shade as I much prefer deep, wine coloured reds as opposed to the more bright and 'true' red colours. This varnish also has a slight shimmer to it, which I think would look lovely during the Christmas party season too.

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Totally Teal 
Teal nails are an acquired taste but I think that these deep green colour is really sophisticated and is perfect for winter. The thing I love the most about this varnish is it's consistency. It glides on like a dream and as the colour is so opaque and dark, you need only apply one coat. 

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Blackberry 
I have a love/hate relationship with this nail polish but I cannot deny that I absolutely love the shade and the finish of the ever so popular Barry M Gelly Hi Shine formula. The only anything thing about this product is that it can stain your nails a little and tends to chip, so I would recommend that you use a base and top coat just to be safe.

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Vivid Purple 
Purple is my favourite colour and it is also one of my favourite colours to wear on my fingernails, especially during autumn and winter. As this varnish is the same brand and formulation as the teal shade above, it again has a fantastic consistency. The only difference between the two shades is that the teal is a more solid colour, where as this purple has hints of glitter running through it - which adds a little extra something to this polish.

Barry M Nail Paint in Black 
Lastly, you can never go wrong with a coat of black nail varnish. Obviously, there is not much that you can say about a plain black polish but out of all the drugstore brands, Barry M does the best formula in my opinion. I also own Rimmel's 60 Second varnish in black but it is a lot less chip resistant than Barry M's version. It is a must have staple in any girls nail collection!

If any of you have tried any of the products mentioned above, I would love to know what you think of them. Also, I would love to know all of your favourite nail varnishes for this time of year, so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below!

My Holy Grail Product: L'Oréal's Skin Perfection Micellar Solution

Hi guys! First and foremost, I want to apologise for not blogging for well over a week now. The reason for this is that lately I have not been buying any new products to talk about or review. I am currently saving up as I am going to be doing a three day intensive nail course in mid October, so I need to pay for the course and buy all the kits required for the course very soon. In addition to this, I have been a little ill this week and so I haven't quite been in the right mindset for blogging. However, with this being said, I thought that today I would share with you my holy grail product (L'Oréal's Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution,) which I use day -in, day-out without fail. I did include this product in my 'Recent Beauty Buys' post all the way back in May when I first bought it and gave it a mini review, however, now I can give you all my true opinion of the product.

This purifying micellar solution claims to do three key things: dissolve make-up, unclog pores and remove impurities, as well as tone & soothe the skin. In my honest opinion, this product does all three of these things incredibly well. Whenever I have used cleansing and toning products of this nature in the past, my skin is always left feeling very tight and irritated afterwards. However, this solution is very gentle and is great for those with sensitive skin too. Although this product can be used on the face, lips and eyes, I tend to use a separate eye make-up remover and simply use this water on my face and lips if need be. To ensure that every scrap of my make-up is taken off properly, I normally have to use two cotton pads worth of this micellar solution. I have also found that using the products has made my skin far less oily, which is a great thing for those with oily/combination skin such as myself.

Another reason why I love this product is the price. It is usually priced at £4.99 but in my local Boots or Superdrug, it is usually on special for around the £3 something mark. I really think that this product is a great alternative to the Bioderma range, as it is a lot cheaper and more widely available too. I have never used the Bioderma range myself but from reading a couple of comparative reviews between these two products, many beauty gurus actually prefer L'Oréal's version which goes to show that expensive products are not always superior to high street brands.

I hope that you all enjoyed reading about my holy grail product. I would really like to know what your holy grail product is; whether it is a skincare, make-up or hair care item, please do not hesitate to leave a comment below. I love reading them and discovering fellow bloggers opinions on different products :)

An Assortment Of High Street Skincare

Hi guys. Over the years I have tried a a wide variety of skincare products, some of which I have loved and some that haven't been so great. It is often the case that I read a few positive reviews about a product and I buy it hoping that it will do wonders for my skin and sometimes it does, but I am often left disappointed and then I end up having a hoard of products in my toiletries cupboard in the bathroom that I never touch again. On the other hand, I have also found quite a few skincare products that I really enjoy using and make such a difference to my skin. Today I have decided to pick five products to review and give my honest opinion about. So, lets get started!

1. Boots Botanics Ultra Calm Gentle Cleansing Cream - £4.49
I absolutely love this cleansing cream! Despite being low in price and Boots own brand, the product feels so luxurious on my skin. I use this product by applying it directly on to a cotton pad and swiping it across my face to remove any make-up and impurities that I have left on my skin. The products is very gentle which great for those with sensitive skin. In addition, I really like the scent of this cleanser as it contains marshmallow. I also find that my skin is super soft after using this cream, which is great if you want to then apply make-up instantly after using the product as your foundation will glide on really easily.

2. Simple Spotless Skin Triple Action Face Wash - £3.99
I only ever use this face wash if I have had a serious spot or blemish breakout. This is because I find the product rather drying on my skin, which is never a good look! The face wash is a gel consistency with a few little beads in it that can help gently exfoliate your skin. The wash claims to 'deeply cleanse, purify and tone' the skin as well as removing hidden dirt and unclogging pores. I would like to say that I enjoy using this product and it works effectively but I have never seen a real improvement in my skin from using it and so, I would say that this face wash is mediocre at best.

3. Clearasil Ultra Blemish + Marks Treatment Cream - £6.79
I bought this product a few months ago because whenever I get blemishes, my skin is always left with dark marks where the blemish once was. I have been using this cream of a night time before I go to sleep, however when I wake up in the mornings, my skin is left with a strange flaky residue on my face which is really drying. I tried to look past this but after a week of using the product and not seeing any noticeable difference in the condition of my skin, I unfortunately gave up on this products as it just had too many cons as opposed to pros. The only positive thing I have to say about this product is that the smell of the cream is really quite lovely! Instead of using this product to eliminate blemish marks, I have now started using Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil (as I recently reviewed here) and so far it is proving much more effective! 

4. Garnier Pure Active Intensive Charcoal Scrub - £4.99
I have already mentioned this product in a previous post, My Recent Beauty Buys, back in May but I had only started to use the product and so I could not give a full and accurate review. Since using the product several times, I have actually been a little disappointed with the results. The scrub claims to help fight spots and fade marks, yet I feel that the product does neither of these things. In addition, the little charcoal beads are very abrasive and rough on my skin and can cause my face to feel very tights and dry afterwards. The only plus side to this product is that when I use it before I go to bed, my skin is noticeably less oily in the mornings - which is great for my annoying, combination skin.

5. Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips - £7.99
Last but not least are the infamous nose strips from Bioré. After hearing great things about these strips from a friend, I decided to give them a go because I am rather prone to blackheads around my nose due to the fact that I have oily, combination skin. The first time I used these strips, I followed the instructions carefully and left the product on for roughly 10-15 minutes. I found removing the strip quite painful as it felt like I was ripping my skin off (ouch!) and much to my dismay, when I looked at the strip after its removal, none of my blackheads had been removed at all. Furthermore, I gave the product one last try a few weeks later to have the same thing happen again. Considering the price of this product is quite steep in my opinion for a mere six strips, I am thoroughly disappointed with this product and I am definitely going to be trying other more effective ways to remove my blackheads from now on.

I hope that these five mini and rather mixed reviews have given all of you an insight into which high street skincare products really work and which ones are a little disappointing. If any of you have tried any of the products that I have mentioned in this post, I would love to know how you go on with them so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below. Thank you :) 

Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil Review

Hi guys, today I thought that I would do a quick review on the Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil. I have been using Bio Oil for many years now and it has always done wonders for my skin in terms of clearing up acne scars and any discolouration/hyper pigmentation I may have. I had been out of Bio Oil for quite a while and whilst I was shopping with my friend in Sainsbury's the other day, I saw that the Palmer's version had a third off and so it was only around £4 which is so much cheaper than Bio Oil. So I thought to myself that I wanted to give this version a whirl as the offer instantly enticed me.

Although I have only been using this product for a couple of days, I can firmly say that it is much better than Bio Oil in my opinion! As shown on the packaging, the product claims to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, dry & damaged skin, uneven skin tone and aging skin. I have always been dubious about using a lot of oil-based products on my skin as I have combination skin which can get very shiny, and sometimes using too much excess oil on your face can clog up your pores and produce even more sebum (oil) than before. However, this has not been the case at all. 

I have been applying this oil to the blemish scars and marks on my face for a few days now and I can already see an improvement, I cannot believe it has started working so quickly! I find that this oil is a little thicker in consistency than Bio Oil and it feels a lot more luxurious and nourishing on my skin. I simply pump a little amount of the product on to my fingertips and massage it into my skin in circular motions to make sure that it is really absorbed well. On the directions of use, it says that you should 'gently massage into affected areas 3 times a day,' moreover, I have just been using this product once a day right before I go to sleep. The scent of this oil is same as all Palmer's products (a lovely, rich cocoa smell) but it is even more potent in oil form as opposed to the Palmer's body butters, which may put some people off as it is a little overpowering at times. Nevertheless, I really like the smell as I am a bit of a chocolate addict! 

Overall, my first impression of this product is excellent! I am really excited to keep on using it as the results I have gotten just by using the oil for a few days are very impressive. It is also an added bonus that Palmer's version of this oil is considerably cheaper than Bio Oil, which is the front runner in the oils department, and in my eyes it does a far better job from what I can tell so far. I highly recommend this product to anybody who wants to get rid of dark spots or blemish marks on their faces! I hope that this review has been useful and thank you for reading :)

Soap And Glory's 'Thick And Fast Mascara' and 'Glow All Out'

Hi guys! Yet again, I would like to apologise for the fact that I haven't written anything since my Liebster Award post, which was posted just over a week ago now. I have really been struggling inspiration wise to come up with some new and innovative posts for you all to read. Also, my unfortunate lack of funds has prevented me from buying lots of new products to review. However, I have bought two new products today - one of which I am very happy with and one that I am a little disappointed with. Whilst in town today, I thought that I would pop into Boots to see if Maybelline's Baby Lips lip balms were on sale in store yet, seeing as at the moment you can only buy them online. Then, I stumbled upon an amazing deal from Soap & Glory where you can buy two products for just £15. I thought that this was an offer that I could not pass up, seeing as both of the products seen above would have usually come to £21. I have never given Soap & Glory's make-up range a try but I am a huge fan of their bath and body products (the Sugar Crush Scrub being my absolute favourite!) So, without rambling on any further, here are the two products that I purchased and what I thought of them.

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Falsh Lash Effect Mascara in Superjet Black - £10.00
Being a girl with very thin, straight and sparse lashes, I often struggle to find a mascara that works for me. I have tried so many mascaras on the market that claim to do various things to lashes, yet none of them live up to my expectations and unfortunately, this mascara is no different. I tried this product out as soon as I got home and it did give me a little more volume at the base of my eyelashes but it gave me no added length whatsoever. Maybe if I had layered this on top of another lengthening mascara the end result may have been a lot better, this is something that I will have to experiment with in due course. In conclusion, I am not overly enamoured by this product. I will definitely be sticking to my two favourite mascaras that I find work with my troublesome lashes, which are No7's Extreme Length and Maybelline's The Volum' Express Colossal mascaras. 

Soap & Glory Glow All Out Luminising Face Powder - £11.00
This product has without a doubt lived up to my expectations, it is amazing! For a while now, I have desperately wanted to find a luminising face powder that did not have too much glitter or shimmer in it (which I find is the case with a lot of high street brands.) The powder is extremely pigmented and you only need to lightly sweep your brush across the surface of the powder. A little product will go a long way and so this powder is great value for money in my opinion, as it will last for ages. I can definitely see this becoming one of my every day make-up staples because I have quite a dull complexion and this powder highlights my face really well and gives it a nice, subtle glow. I would absolutely recommend you all to try this product!

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this mini review. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will be posting a lot more regularly than I have been, as I have a few post ideas in the pipeline which are different to what I have done before! Thank you :)

The Liebster Award!

Hi guys! I was very surprised to log in to my Blogger account this morning to find a comment on one of my posts from Emilythinks, a fellow fashion and beauty blogger, saying that she wanted to nominate me for the Liebster Award. This award is being used as a way to introduce new bloggers with under 200 followers on to the blogger scene. The way this works is that bloggers nominate each other and it works a bit like a chain. The rules of the Liebster Award is as follows: you must answer the questions that your nominator asked you, link 10 up and coming bloggers that you would like to nominate in your post and inform the nominees so they can answer your own questions. So, without further ado, here are the questions that Emily wanted to ask me!

1. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?

I would love to visit Los Angeles. I think that the atmosphere there would be absolutely amazing, as well as the weather. I would want to visit all of the famous tourist destinations too such as The Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios and so on. Also, if some of you do not know, I am a huge fan of the TV show 'Friends' and I would love to take a tour of the Central Perk set. And finally, who could resist a bit of American shopping?! I would love to take advantage of the shops that we do not have here in England, such as Brandy Melville.

2. If you could only use 1 brand of beauty for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is such a tough question. I think I would have to go with Maybelline because it took me so long to find a foundation that worked for me and matched my skin tone well, which is the Dream Satin Liquid Foundation, and I could not give that up.

3. Straighteners or curlers?

Definitely straighteners because I use them to curl my hair anyway, how clever of me ;)

4. Foundation or tinted moisturiser?

Foundation without a doubt. Tinted moisturiser doesn't give me the coverage that I desire. However, I use BB cream if I need to wear make-up in the sun, due to it's SPF and how light it feels on the skin as opposed to sun cream.

5. Favourite high street brand?

Fashion wise, Topshop would definitely be up there in my favourites but I am going to go with New Look because I own a lot more items of New Look clothing. Make-up wise, I would have to say that I love Rimmel.

6. One lipstick you couldn't live without?

This is a balm stain as opposed to a normal lipstick but I couldnt live without Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm in Crush. It is a lovely deep berry colour and it is my go-to product on a night out to amp up my look. Plus, as it is a stain, it lasts for absolutely ages!

7. If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what would you be?
I really struggled with this question as I am not very good at describing myself so I asked my friend Lucy this question. She seemed to think that I most resemble a fennec (desert) fox. These foxes are petite, like me, and it lives in hot conditions and Lucy knows that I love summer and sunbathing. Last but not least, fennec foxes can be timid but are still very sociable - which is exactly like me!

8. Favourite high end make-up brand and why?

I'm not really a high-end girl due to my lack of funds but I do own a MAC lipstick and a few other bits, so I'm going to say MAC. I'd buy so much from them if I could!

9. What is the wackiest hair colour you've ever had?

In 2009 and 2010, I decided to dye my hair red. Before that, I used to have different colours put underneath my blonde hair such as purple.

10. What is your make-up summer staple?

This is so hard to whittle it down to just one product but I am going to be boring and say primer. I have oily/combination skin and my base is prone to coming off very easily, especially in the summer months. 

The 10 bloggers that I have decided to nominate are as follows: 
Coco Mykel, Byootee, Peach Pow, Beyond Imagination, Curls And Pearls, You Me Friday, Tiffany's Beauty Box, Lanie Cakes, Lydia Rose and Call Of Beauty

And the questions that I would like to ask these bloggers are: 

1. What is your favourite item of clothing in your wardrobe?
2. What is one make-up product that you would like to try but haven't got around to yet?
3. Which would you rather go with out; bronzer or blusher?
4. Currently, what is your favourite perfume?
5. Who is your favourite beauty blogger?
6. Over the years, what is the best beauty tip that you have learnt?
7. How much is the most expensive item in your make-up bag worth and what is it?
8. Have you ever made any major beauty mistakes?
9. Fashion wise, who inspires you?
10. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

Once again, I would like to thank Emily for nominating me for this award and I am very much looking forward to reading the responses of those who I have tagged :)

My Current Random Favourites

Hi guys, seeing as it is now the end of April (I cannot believe how quick it's gone,) I thought I would show you a few of my favourite things that I have been using lately.  

1. Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Varnish in 819 Green With Envy
I have been loving this Rimmel nail varnish this month. Firstly, I love Rimmel's 60 Seconds range as I am so impatient when it comes to waiting for my nails to dry, and this polish does dry relatively quickly. Secondly, the bluey-green colour is beautiful and bold, especially when you apply two coats like I do. Also, the varnish is pretty chip resistant, as I have been wearing it for the past week almost and it still looks pretty much freshly applied. Lastly, you cannot deny that this nail varnish is a great price - I picked mine up from Boots for £3.69!

2. Marc Jacobs 'Daisy' Perfume (50ml)

I love this perfume as it is not too over-powering or sweet. The light scent is perfect for me as a daytime perfume, as it is floral and fresh. As you can see, I have used well over two thirds of the bottle as I use it most days. My parents bought me this perfume when they were abroad in Italy as it was much cheaper out there, but you can pick up this size bottle in the UK for about £45.00 or so, depending on where you buy it from.

3. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush
This lip crayon has been my favourite for a few months now, I bought it a little while back for £7.99 in Boots. It is a gorgeous berry colour and it is so moisturising too. I love how the balm smells like peppermint and how it makes your lips tingle upon application. I always use this shade on a night out because it is so pigmented and long-lasting - I barely need to re-apply (even when I am out until 3am!) A problem I often come across using regular lipstick on a night out is that it easily smudges and can also transfer on to my teeth if I am not careful. However, this stain does not budge and so I do not have to worry at all. The balm also comes in many different colours - I want to try the shade 'Lovesick' next, which is a stunning bright pink colour. 

4. Sims 3 University Life Expansion Pack
I know that this is a very random thing to include in my favourites, seeing as every other item has been beauty related, but I just couldn't resist. I recently bought this expansion pack as I am a bit of a Sims geek and this expansion pack is so fun. There is so much that you can do with your Sim at univeristy. There are six different majors that they can study, and you can also make your Sim become a jock, nerd or rebel. There a plenty of college parties to attend where your Sim can play beer pong, do a keg stand or streak! I definitely recommend this expansion pack to any of you who are fellow Sims nerds! For those of you who want to try it out yourself, the cheapest copy I found from a trusted and well-known company was Argos which cost £24.99.

I hope that you all enjoyed reading about my current favourite products. If any of you have used any of the things above, I would love to know your opinions on them so please leave a comment below :)