My Monthly Favourites - June 2014

Hi guys, it's that time of the month again to talk about the products I have been loving throughout the month of June! I did not do a favourites post last month as I wasn't really enjoying any new products and I decided to do a two part birthday haul instead (you can check out part one here and part two here.) However, since receiving lots of lovely gifts last month, I have been using a ton of new products and I have fallen in love with a lot of them. So, without any further ado, here are my favourite beauty products that I have been using over the last 30 days. Enjoy!

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion - £5.10
First up is a product that I did a full review of on my blog last week, Garnier's Summer Body Moisturising Lotion. This lotion is a really lightweight gradual tanner which gives your skin the most amazing sun-kissed colour. I have never been into fake tanning too much as I find it quite laborious but this is a great alternative for me. I love the end result that this product gives, plus it is so simple to use. I love how quickly it sinks in, so I do not have to wait ages for it to dry before getting dresses again. I highly recommend Summer Body to tanning novices like myself and what's even better about it is that the lotion smells like apricots instead of your typical fake tan biscuit-y smell too. 

Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer - £22.50 (for full size)
Next is this amazing primer from Benefit. This mini version is part of the 'Do The Bright Thing' beauty kit that my brother bought me for my birthday. That Gal is a brightening primer that gives the most gorgeous glow to the skin. I apply this product underneath my foundation and it just makes my entire face look illuminated and radiant. Whenever I have worn this so far, I have always received compliments on how good my skin looks - which instantly makes it a winner in my books! A little goes a long way with this product but when my tiny tube does run out, I will definitely be purchasing the full-size version of this!

Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser - £6.95
After going on a spontaneous trip to Lush last month, I found myself buying the Ultrabland Facial Cleanser. Up until then, I had only ever used bath products from Lush but a lovely assistant showed me this cleanser after I said that I wanted to treat myself to something new. Since then, I have been using Ultrabland every evening on my skin to remove all traces of dirt and make-up - I'm on my second tub now! Although the cleanser itself is very thick, it has very gentle and natural ingredients (such as almond oil and rose water) in it which help to soothe, nourish and soften my skin. It's safe to say that I am not a huge fan of this product and I can see myself using it for a long time to come.

Urban Decay All Nighter Make-Up Setting Spray - £9.00 (travel size)
I have always been a little dubious of make-up setting sprays and thought that they were a little gimmicky. However, after using this one from Urban Decay, I have been converted - this spray is seriously amazing! I purchased the travel size version as I didn't want to buy the full size one in case I didn't like the product but I think this bottle should last me for a long time anyway. I simply spritz a little of it over my face after I have completed my make-up to lock it in place all day. As I have oily/combination skin, my foundation seem to slip off of my face throughout the day but this spray keeps everything where it should be. Even after a long day, my make-up looks like it has just been freshly applied. From time to time I might be a little shiny on my T-zone area but it is very minimal. I would 100% recommend this product to anybody, especially now the weather is heating up!

Lush The Comforter Bubble Bar - £4.50
Last but not least is the amazing smelling bubble bar from Lush, which is another gift that my brother got me for my birthday at the end of last month. The Comforter is one of Lush's largest bubble bars and so you can definitely get quite a few uses out of it. I adore it's blackcurrant scent (it reminds me of Rowntreee's Fruit Pastille ice lollies) and it makes the whole bathroom smell heavenly. Not only this but it turns your bath water a beautiful colour and produces a lot of bubbles so that you can enjoy a nice, long soak in the tub!

I hope you enjoyed reading all about my June favourites and the products that I have been loving lately. Have you used any of the above products before? What are your favourites this month? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Garnier's Summer Body Moisturising Lotion

Hi guys. I have never really been a fan of fake-tanning before because I find the process so laborious and time-consuming, plus most products that I have used have never lived up to my expectations. Either the end result is too light or too dark, or from time to time, patchy. However, I am a big fan of moisturisers like this one from Garnier, as it builds up a natural colour over time rather than you going from a milk bottle to a bronzed goddess overnight. This product is also a great alternative for beginners or fake tan novices, as it is less daunting to use and gives a more subtle finish. So today, I thought that I would do a little review of this product sharing what I think of it. Let's get started!

Garnier's Summer Body Moisturising Lotion is a mix between a body lotion and a gradual tanner which leaves your skin feeling soft and moisturised for over 12 hours. Summer Body comes in two shades so that it can cater for all different skin tones. The light lotion is suitable for those with pale to fair skin and claims to leave you with a light sunkissed look, whereas the darker version gives a deeper colour and is best suited to those with medium, olive or darker skin tones. The great thing about this product is that you can control how often you use it and therefore, you can control the end result too. Using the lotion for a day or two will enable you to get a noticeable colour and a healthy glow, or alternatively you can use the lotion for longer if you want to build up the intensity of the tan.

I opted for the lighter version as my skin tone is fair and even after one application, I got amazing results. My skin had a noticeable light tanned colour to it which was not overly orange (something that I know a lot of people worry about!) The colour was perfect for me and so I decided that I did not need to bother with a second application the following night! Although you would usually use your hands to apply lotion, I would suggest using a tanning mitt instead like you would if you were applying a proper fake tan product. Not only will this give you a much more even result, you will also avoid getting orange hands. The only thing you will need to bear in mind is that the lotion does go on clear, so take care not to miss any patches!

The other great thing about this product is that it does not have your typical fake tan smell, which can often have a 'biscuit-y' scent. Summer Body contains natural apricot extracts which means that the lotion is fruity and a lot more pleasant to apply than the likes of St Moritz and so on. Even though the moisturiser has a fast absorption and drying time, I still like to wait a little while before I get dressed just to be on the safe side. I usually apply this at night time too, so that I can then throw on some loose pyjamas to go to bed in. I have also applied this to my face (mixed in with a bit of my normal moisturiser) and have never encountered any problems whether it be clinging to dry patches or clogging up my pores/causing spots. I know that there are tanning products that particularly targeted to tanning your face but this method does the trick for me - and it's cheaper!

Overall, this is a great product to use if you want to gradually build up colour until you are happy with its intensity. It is both moisturising and simple to use, which means it is fuss free and does not take too long to apply. Plus, it smells divine so this lotion is an absolute winner in my books and I would highly recommend it! What do you think of this product? Have you tried it before? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

Garnier Summer Body retails at around £5.10 for a 250ml bottle and is widely available from drugstores and supermarkets.

Bargain Buys: Primark Flatform Wedges

Hi guys. One thing that I surprisingly do not own a lot of is shoes and you will often find me in the three same pair of shoes; my biker boots, black sandals or white Converse. I find it incredibly hard to find footwear that is a) comfortable and b) fit well, as I have narrow feet and and a lot shoes are often too wide for me. Therefore, I find shoe shopping a bit of a chore at times. However, every now and then I come across a pair that I fall in love with and fit like an absolute dream. Whilst out shopping with my Mum last week, I came across these gorgeous suede flatform wedges from Primark that cost just £10 (what a bargain!) I have seen quite a few bloggers talking about these lately but I have only just found them in my local store and as soon as I laid my eyes on them, I knew I had to have them!

The main reason that I bought these shoes is because I thought that they would be great for occasions where you want to dress up a little but do not want to wear ridiculously high heels. Plus, flatform style shoes are all the rage at the moment! As these wedges add just a little bit of height, they are super comfortable and so you could wear them all day without getting achy feet - which is an added bonus! I love the detailing on these shoes too, the cross-over straps and gunmetal buckle are just my style. At first I tried on a UK size 4, which is my usual shoe size, but they were a little big. Then, I picked up a size 3 instead and they fitted perfectly. So, if you are planning on investing in a pair yourself, bare in mind that you may have to go down one size.

For £10 for a pair of comfortable wedges that are versatile and pair well with lots of different outfits, I don't think you can go wrong really! I cannot wait to start wearing these and I'm positive that I am going to get a lot of use out of them too. Overall, I cannot recommend these wedges enough, so if you're on the hunt for a pair of semi-formal shoes, why not pop into your local Primark and give these a try?

Benefit's 'Do The Bright Thing' Beauty Kit

Hi guys. As my main birthday present from my brother at the end of last month, I received this amazing beauty kit from Benefit called 'Do The Bright Thing.' This kit in particular has been put together for those of us who want to achieve a brighter complexion or a dewy finish to their make-up. I think that beauty kits like this one are such a great idea because they enable you to try out a bunch of different products from a brand instead of just taking the plunge and buying the full-size products straight away. 'Do The Bright Thing' contains the following five mini products; the That Gal Brightening Face Primer, High Beam, Dandelion Blush, Bad Gal Waterproof eyeliner and They're Real mascara. The kit retails at £26.50 and it can be purchased from either a Benefit counter or on their website. It is also available on ASOS, where you can order it with free postage & packaging too.

The kit itself comes in a super cute, yet sturdy pink box with floral detailing. As you can see, the kit also comes with a good sized mirror which means that this kit would also be very handy for travelling to save space or even when you're on the move. As well as this, when you unfold the flaps covering the mirror, you are presented with a 'tips & tricks' section which gives suggestions and methods on how to use each product effectively. Another handy feature that Benefit have clearly put a lot of thought into are little yellow ribbon tabs that you can see poking out of each product section. These tabs make lifting out a specific item from the kit really easy, instead of you having to tip the entire box upside down.

The That Gal Brightening Face Primer is probably my favourite product from the kit. This pink-based primer really gives a luminous glow to the skin. Whenever I have been wearing this product underneath my foundation, somebody has commented on how good my skin looks! The product not only glides on smoothly but it has this really amazing smell too which I can't quite put my finger on, I just love it. I think it's safe to say that I will definitely be buying the full-size version of this when I run out!

High Beam is another great product within the kit. This illuminating highlighter is great for adding a glow to your cheekbones, brow bone and so on. Due to the fact that it is a liquid formulation, it is incredibly easy to blend with either your fingers or a brush. This particular highlighter is quite noticeable on the skin, however, so I think I will stick to using it at night time or for special occasions. A little goes a long with with this product too, so hopefully even this mini size will last me a long time!

The Dandelion Blush is one of Benefit's most popular boxed blushers. Dandelion is a lovely soft pink shade which has a lot of shimmer running though it. This blusher is perfect for days where you skin is looking a little bit on the dull side and applied to the apples of your cheeks, it instantly perks up your complexion! Due to it being such a light and subtle shade, sometimes the colour pay-off isn't amazing but it can easily be built-up to something a little more noticeable if you desire.

The fourth item in 'Do The Bright Thing' is the Bad Gal Waterproof Eyeliner. Personally, I am more of a liquid eyeliner fan myself but as far as pencils go, this one is pretty great. Bad Gal glides on smoothly and does not scratch or drag the eye like other eyeliners sometimes do. I wouldn't go as far to say that the product is waterproof, although it did last a lot longer than other brands that I have tried. I applied this product onto my bottom waterline to test it out and I still does wear off a little after it has been on for a few hours.

The last item in the kit is the ever-so-popular They're Real Mascara, which is the number one best selling mascara in the UK and I have loved this product every since I tried it early last year. I often do not have much luck with mascaras as they tend to nothing for my short and fine eyelashes but this one certainly does! They're Real adds so much length and volume to my lashes, as well as giving them an intense black colour. The brush is super handy too as it has a little ball on the end of it to get to all of those pesky little lashes too.

Overall, I have been absolutely loving this kit and I am very grateful that I got it for my birthday. My two favourite products out of the five are the That Gal primer and the They're Real Mascara. These beauty kits from Benefit are certainly a great buy and it gives you the opportunity to try out lots of products from the brand for an extremely reasonable price. 

Have you tried this kit or any of the above products before? What is your favourite Benefit product? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Lush's 'Relax... Take A Bath' Gift Set

Hi guys. Over the past six months I have become a major Lush addict, ever since I was first bought some of their products for Christmas. I love taking long, relaxing baths and using colourful bath bombs and so on makes it all the more exciting! As it was my birthday recently, my boyfriend kindly bought me the 'Relax... Take A Bath' gift set as part of my present. Inside, the gift set contains three popular Lush items; a Dreamtime Luxury Bath Melt, a Twilight Bath Ballistic and a Dorothy Bubble Bar. This particular set contains products that are specifically designed to relax you and to help you de-stress, which is perfect for me. I have loved using these products of a night time to really help me switch off and unwind. So, today I thought that I would share my thoughts on each product in the box with you all. Let's get started!

Firstly, the Dreamtime Luxury Bath Melt is an incredibly luxurious bath melt that has lots of ingredients to help nourish your skin. As it contains cocoa butter, lavender oil and chamomile, it leaves your skin feeling very soft and in tip-top condition. I simply popped the melt into my bath whilst it was running to release all of the oils. This product does not produce any bubbles but it does leave your bath nice and milky in texture. Plus, the melt also releases pieces of dried jasmine to help relax you even further!

Next up, the Twilight Bath Ballistic is designed to soothe your skin and calm you down before bedtime. With ingredients such as lavender and ylang ylang oil, this bath bomb is extremely relaxing. As Twilight fizzes away, its pink and blue swirls eventually turn the water into a gorgeous deep lilac colour. The bomb also releases a ton of glitter particles to make your bath even more special!

Last but not least, and my favourite of the three, is the Dorothy Bubble Bar. I crumbled some of the bubble bar under running water and it generated lots of lovely bubbles. It also turned the water a gorgeous blue colour too. The scent of Dorothy is not too over-powering and the combination of ylang ylang oil, orange flower & gardenia extract makes for a lovely floral scent. This product made my skin feel silky soft and I will definitely be purchasing another one soon!

So, that was my review of the lovely 'Relax...Take A Bath' gift set from Lush Cosmetics. I hope you all enjoyed reading about these three amazing bath products just as much as I enjoyed using them. I think it's safe to say that I am a fully-fledged Lush addict now! Not only do the products look and smell amazing but their ingredients are very beneficial for your skin as well. Have you tried any of these products before? Which Lush products are your favourites? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Who knows, you could even recommend a new product for me to try! Thank you :)

The 'I Heart Summer ' Tag

Hi guys. Today, I thought that I would do the 'I Heart Summer' tag. Seeing as the weather in the UK is improving now, I am getting into the summer spirit more and more each day. I found this tag on Miss Glamorazzi's YouTube channel, however, this tag has been completed by tons of other well-known YouTubers and bloggers alike. I have not done a tag in quite a long time but I absolutely love doing them, plus it allows my followers to learn a little bit more about me in the process too! Also, summer is my favourite season of the year so I though that I should ultimately share some of my favourite things about it with you all.  I hope you enjoy reading my answers, let's get started!

1. Favourite bronzer for summer?
At the moment, I am using Rimmel's Sun Shimmer Bronzer in Light Matte as it suits my skin tone perfectly. However, I have heard a lot of great things about The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer, so I definitely want to try that next.

2. You're relaxing in a hammock on a tropical island. What are you sipping on? (Favourite summer drink)
I always seem to get slightly addicted to cloudy lemonade during the summer months as it's so refreshing and tasty. However, if I was going for an alcoholic drink I would definitely choose Pimm's or a glass of Malibu & Coke.

3. Favourite summer lip product?
I love any brand of chubby stick as they are nice and pigmented, as well as moisturising. I have also been loving Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks too. They have a great range of bright matte colours that do not budge, which is handy during the summer as they will not melt off or fade during the day! Although if I am sunbathing or spending a long time in the sun, I usually stick to a lip balm with an SPF in it such as Carmex.

4. Pool or beach?
I tend to prefer the pool because I hate how sand gets absolutely everywhere but I do really enjoy the beach for its pretty scenery!

5. Summer = crazy hair! What's your must have styling product?
I am very lucky in that my hair is straight and quite fine, so it is not ever really affected by the heat or different weather conditions. However, I think using a heat protectant before blow-drying or styling your hair is an absolute must ally ear round, not just during summer!

6. Sunbathing or fake tan?
I much prefer sunbathing as I love being outside during the summer and making the most of the occasional good weather that we get in England! I know that sunbathing can be dangerous but I am extremely cautious when it comes to applying sun cream and I re-apply it a lot throughout the day. I only use fake tan from time to time as no matter what I do, it does go patchy in places and I am not always keen on the finish it gives. I much prefer a natural tan as you get a lovely glow and a more even colour.

7. Favourite summer nail polish?
I absolutely love bright nail varnishes, so summer polishes are great for me. At the moment, I am loving Bourjois' 1 Seconde Nail Polish in Rose Cupcake and Essie's Splash Of Grenadine, both of which are pretty chip resistant. Some colours that I also enjoy wearing during the warmer months are coral and aqua shades.

8. Any summer traditions?
I do not have any specific summer traditions but I do like to spend a lot of time in the summer outdoors with my friends and family. We also tend to have a lot of barbecues too.

9. Favourite summer scent?
Although I do not have this scent in my perfume collection at the moment, I love Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue. It is a very light fruity/floral scent which is perfect to wear during the day time, as it is not too heavy or over-powering.

10. Favourite BBQ food?
I love barbecues and so this question is pretty hard for me to answer. My Mum makes really nice garlic new potatoes and sweet chilli chicken skewers. We also get these amazing pork and chorizo burgers sometimes which are super yummy as well!

11. What's your favourite summer-proof make-up?
I recently bought the travel size of Urban Decay's All Nighter Make-Up Setting Spray and it is great at locking make-up into place, so I can imagine that is going to be a major staple of mine this season. I also enjoy wearing Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light for some light coverage with SPF30 built in too.

12. Any summer vacation plans this year? No plans? Tell us about your dream summer trip.
Unfortunately, I do not have a holiday booked this year. So, my dream summer trip is between two places. Firstly, I would love to go to LA as there is so much to do there and to me it just seems so glamorous! I would go on a huge shopping trip to lots of American stores that we do not get over here, as well as visit all of the typical tourist spots too. My second dream holiday would be to some kind of exotic island, like the Maldives, where the water is crystal clear and I could stay in one of those really luxurious beach huts.

So guys, I hope you all enjoyed reading about some of my favourite things about summer and getting to know me more. I tag everybody who is reading this post! If you do complete the tag, make sure to leave a link to it below so that I can check out your answers and get to know you a little more too! Thank you :)

Vera Wang's Lovestruck Floral Rush Perfume

Hi guys. As you may or may not know, it was my 20th birthday last Wednesday and one of my main presents from my parents was Vera Wang's Lovestruck Floral Rush perfume. Lovestruck Floral Rush is a newer version of Vera Wang's original Lovestruck perfume but with you've guessed it, more of a floral twist! I had been lusting after this fragrance ever since I spritzed it on myself in my local Debenhams a few months ago. Hence, my Mum kindly went back and bought it for me! So, today I thought that I would do a mini review telling you all a bit more about this perfume and what I think of it so far. Let's get started!

Sizes & Pricing
This eau de parfum is available in three different sizes; 30ml , 50ml and 100ml. The size I have is the 30ml bottle which is priced at £35.00 on the Debenhams website, though the price does seem to vary slightly on other various beauty websites. Similarly, the 50ml bottle is usually around the £48.00 mark and a 100ml bottle will set you back roughly £62.00.

Fragrance Notes
The main notes of Lovestruck Floral Rush include champagne accord, pink passion flower and cashmere woods. The scent is, of course, predominantly floral but the addition of cashmere wood ensures that it is not too over-powering or sickly sweet. Although the scent is relatively light, there is a slight musk to it that makes it a little more sophisticated and sexy.

Longevity
In terms of how long this fragrance lasts on the skin, I think that it is incredibly long-wearing. I typically apply one spritz on my wrist and then rub both wrists together, as well as one on both sides of my neck and this seems to do the trick. Throughout the day as I am moving about, I always catch a whiff of the scent and it smells just as good as when it's first applied! As this is a special perfume, I will not be using it every day and so I hope that this bottle will last me a while too.

Packaging
The packaging of this perfume is what initially drew me in. My favourite colour is purple, so it immediately attracted my attention. I absolutely adore the lid which features three cute purple flowers, as well as the floral patterned bow around it. There is no doubt about it that this bottle is a real show stopper and it will look great displayed on your dressing table or shelf!

Overall, anybody who is a fan of floral scents will love this perfume. Not only does it smell gorgeous but of course, the pretty purple packaging is to die for too! I am so pleased that I received this as one of my birthday presents, I can quickly see it becoming my new favourite fragrance! If you are interested in what else I got presents wise, please check out Part 1 & Part 2 of 'What I Got For My 20th Birthday.' I hope you all enjoyed this mini review of Vera Wang's Lovestruck Floral Rush perfume. Have you tried this scent before? What is your favourite fragrance to wear? Please feel free to let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

What I Got For My 20th Birthday | Part Two

Hi guys. It was my 20th birthday last Wednesday and I was very lucky to get lots of lovely presents from my loved ones. I have already posted part one of what I got for my birthday (which you can read here,) but today I thought that I would share part two with you all. Part One was focused on what my family and my boyfriend got me but today features the gifts that were given to me by my closest friends. As I mentioned in my previous post, I am extremely grateful for all of the presents that I have received and I am really excited to share all of these bit and bobs with you all. So, let's get started!

First up, my best friend Sarah got me a lovely array of gifts! She knows that I absolutely adore both floral patterns and crop tops, so she got me this cute little number from H&M along with a gift card too. As well as this, Sarah also bought me a Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in the shade 'Dark Knight Waterl-oops!' The story behind this is that I bought this lipstick for both of us to wear on Halloween as part of a vampy make-up look but I lost it whilst we were out clubbing. So, she kindly bought me a new one! To top everything off, Sarah also got me a Moringa set from The Body Shop which features a shower gel, a body milk and a mini loofah. I think it's safe to say that I was thoroughly spoiled by my best friend!

My other best friend Laura got me these two amazing gifts. The first gift is this set of three moon candles, which are basically flameless glass candles that change colour. They are controlled by a little remote control which can change the candles into 13 different colour settings and different lighting modes too. Laura knows that I often have relaxing pamper nights and she thought that these cool little candles would help set the mood. Not only this but she also got me two Lush products; the Creamy Candy Bubble Bar (my favourite ever Lush product) and the Sex Bomb Bath Bomb, which I am yet to try. I cannot wait to use them!

Next up my friend Chloe, (whose blog is Coco Mykel,) bought me these lovely bits from Clinique. As Chloe works for Clinique, she loves their products and thought that I would too! First is their Universal Face Primer which I got a tube of at Christmas and I absolutely adore it, so Chloe got me another lot so that I fully stocked for a while! As I am a bit of a lip crayon addict, she also got me one of their infamous Chubby Sticks in the shade Woppin' Watermelon - which is a nice and natural sheer pink colour. Last but not least, Chloe also bought me two nail enamels in the shades 'Party Red' and 'Hi Sweetie.' I absolutely love them and I do not own a lot of high end make-up, so this very exciting for me!

My friend Lucy got me this amazing bundle of goodies! She bought me this really cool journal called 'F*ck! I'm In My Twenties,' which has lots of different sections and subjects within in that you can write about and document as time goes on. It even has a section for a self portrait! As well as this she also got me two cute and dainty Urban Outfitters bracelets, some adorable cat socks with little ears and a vivid neon nail varnish. Plus, some Dairy Milk Oreo for good measure - yum!

My good friend Charlotte bought me this really interesting book all about nail art which includes hundreds of really cool and pretty designs for me to try. For those of you who do not know, I carried out a nail course near the end of last year and so even though I am still a beginner, I love all things to do with nails and nail art! To accompany the book, she also got me three nail varnishes from Natural Collection; a bright pink, a deep purple and a white (which will come in very handy for a lot of designs!)

Last but certainly not least are the presents from my friend Danielle. She bought me this gorgeous set of products from Baylis & Harding. In the set is a cream wash, a body cream and some soap. All three of the products have a sugar cane, basil and lime scent which is incredibly fresh. As well as this, Danielle also bought me a cute little BFF Me To You teddy and a bottle of vodka, which is my drink of choice!

I hope you all enjoyed reading part two of 'What I Got For My 20th Birthday.' If you haven't done so already, check it part one here! I am absolutely in love with all of the gifts that I have received and cannot wait to start using them all. I am well and truly overwhelmed with how amazing my friends & family are and how generous they have been. I am extremely happy and grateful! Thank you for reading :)