Sunday, 31 July 2011

WINNING!!


Hey there lovely ladies!!
I'm blogging today to announce the WINNERS of my
  Sigma E25/Barry M GIVEAWAY!!
Very exciting indeed!!

I did it the conventional way in the end using Random.org. All entries were numbered and fed into the site and it chucked 3 random numbers back at me. Job done. I was really hoping that i could get a few numbers from the generator and then somehow let the ferrets decide the final 3 but both are curled up asleep on my bed and, quite frankly I'm enjoying the calm haha.

Soooo onto the WINNERS!! 

Prize 1) Sigma E25 Travel Blending Brush - Confessions of a Makeup Aholic

Prize 2) 2x Barry M Nail Paints of your choice - Jess 

Prize 3) A Barry M Nail Paint and a choice of a Barry M Blusher OR Lipgloss - Faye

I have sent emails to all 3 winners and would be grateful if I could get a return email detailing your product choices and posting details (so i can send you your goodies)!!
Alternatively you can contact me via Twitter (@LisaClare82) with these details. Prizes will be sent as soon as i have these details and have got all the prizes.

Thank you soooo much to EVERYONE who entered! I will DEFINITELY be holding another Giveaway when i reach 200 followers.

In Other News....
Today is a special day in my house. My little babies are growing up!! 
It is my ferret Pedro's FIRST BIRTHDAY today! And as my other fur-kid Jasper was a rescue but is almost EXACTLY the same age (maybe a couple of weeks older, but don't know an exact date) I have decided to celebrate their birthday on the same day. 

Pedro

Jasper

Even though i had to leave them home alone today while i went to work they have had LOTS of cuddles and treats. They had a SPECIAL treat of some Whiskas kitten milk which they LOVE and I've made them a CAKE.... out of chicken and ferret kibble haha. It even has chicken jelly icing and a candle! No photos though I'm afraid. Camera is out of batteries! Booooo!

They even were thoughtful enough to leave me a 'present' of my own.... in the corner in the kitchen. However, all little accidents are excused for today. Love my lil fuzz-butts millions :)
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Friday, 29 July 2011

July Favourites

Eeeee has it really been a MONTH since my last favourites post?! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun!
Had to have a real think about this months favourites. Last month I had so many things I was just dying to tell you about (it ended up being quite an EPIC faves post) but this month I've been quite reserved.
My June favourites have continued to be favourites but with a few choice new items thrown in. 
So here goes....


I left body products until last in June so for the sake of diversity i will start with them for July....

Soap&Glory Flake Away Body Polish: I purchased this product because I was looking for a better scrub to use with my Xen Tan Dark Lotion (will get to that in a second). The cheapo own-brand one i was using before just didn't seem to get my skin smooth enough and my tan was coming out patchy as a result. After using this I found it applied much smoother and gave a better finish. This product smells AMAZING, even though it takes quite a bit of rinsing (as does the bathtub after using it), and leaves the skin silky smooth and feeling moisturised before you've even reached for the body butter. See my full review here....
Xen Tan Dark Lotion: I bought this at the beginning of June as I'd heard so many girls raving about it in blog reviews and i really wanted a longer lasting tanner which showed up a good colour on me. It's only just made it into the favourites this month as I've had a bit of trial and error with it to get it right (see above scrub dilemma). I'd totally recommend this tan and urge you not to be put off if you get a few patches when you first start using it. You WILL get the hang of it and its so worth persevering with! Again I have done a full review here...


Here's what I've been LOVING to smother my face in this July...

MAC Semi Precious MSF in Goldstone: This month has been ALL about the MAC Semi-Precious collection. I have to say my haul was TINY compared to a lot of people's and I only ordered ONE item. But I thought so long and hard about it before deciding which item i wanted and I chose SPOT ON because if it were possible to marry an item of make up i would say I DO to Goldstone! Just a wash of this over ANY make up i have on just lights my face up like a lightbulb! And used like a bronzer it makes me look like I've just returned from a fortnight in the Caribbean! The great thing is that you don't need a lot. A little really does go a long way! See the swatch and the results of my first play-around with it here... 
Sleek Blush in Life's a Peach: I was in 2 minds as whether to feature this blush or the Aruba blush from the Caribbean collection for this favourites post. I reasoned that i have ONLY just bought Aruba AND I really have been using this a LOT on a day to day basis and it would be a shame for it to be outshone just because Aruba is so.... RAWR. This blush really does give just the most PERFECT peachy summer glow and is bang on trend for summer 2011 with all those peaches and corals around. Just an all round lovely shade and I'd totally recommend it for any skin tone. See a swatch and more on this product here...


Special mention this month has to go to MUA Professional who came up with the STUNNING and now uber-famous Heaven&Earth palette. I hear this item was the star of the show at TOWIB (even though i bought mine the day BEFORE the event, therefore i WIN... Nerr nerr). These are just the most stunning shades for everyday wear that can also be glammed up for evening wear. I've seen it compared to the UD Naked Palette with a few MAC dupes thrown in there so for £4 is totally worth snapping up while you can!! See the swatches and an eye look i came up with using the palette here...


Next item worthy of a mention is my Sleek Contour Kit in Medium. I'd heard mixed reviews about this and wasn't sure if i NEEDED it that much as I have been successfully contouring my face for a while using my Bourjois Delice de Poudre up until now. However, a couple of my blogger besties whose opinion i trust were really taken with this product so i just HAD to pick it up and try it out. I noticed  the difference immediately!! Basically, for those who aren't familiar with the art of contouring (if there are any left) the dark powder is applied under the cheeks to slim the face and the lighter powder is used to highlight the cheekbones. It really does work! I'm still experimenting but i don't think it will be long before i consider myself qualified enough to do a 'Contouring for Dummies' type post. Watch this space!


Last couple of random items i'd like to include are as follows...

OPI Pirates of the Caribbean Mini Collection: These were a little eBay bargain i picked up purely on impulse. And I'm sooooo glad i did!! They are lovely shades for summer. My set included Stranger Tides (a pale khaki green that looks AMAZING with a tan), Sparrow Me the Drama (a pale dusky pink), Planks a Lot (a blue toned lilac/purple) and Skull&Glossbones (a greenish-grey shade, not totally dissimilar to Stranger Tides). Throughout the last month i have done a NOTD series for these. The only one i have yet to post is Skull&Glossbones but watch out for that one soon as its a lovely colour. 
Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo: This is a cheeky addition to my faves for July as i actually only bought it YESTERDAY! However, for someone who never felt the need for dry shampoo and really never thought it was something i NEEDED, I am so impressed with it and am really eating my words on this one. I picked it up purely because it was (and probably still is) on offer in the Co Op and I've heard it mentioned here, there and everywhere lately. This particular one smells like HOLIDAYS and really picked my hair up when i sprayed it on yesterday (really didn't have the energy for a wash/blowdry last night). Totally worth the bargain price any day of the week (offer or no offer). I do suspect I'm preaching to the converted on this one so I'll shut up and finish off the post now ;P

Hope you enjoyed looking through my favourites. I'm still trying to find a video camera that works so i can do these on youtube instead of picture heavy blog posts but neither of my webcams are up to the job and my normal camera has TERRIBLE memory so no joy there. Will keep trying! 

What were your favourites for July? Feel free to link me to your posts as I'm a nosey cow haha  
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Thursday, 28 July 2011

My Expanding Blush Collection!

Good evening lovelies!
Hope you've all had a great day. We've had some gorgeous sun here in Bakewell. Sunshine is soooooo good for me (although the heat is just a recipe for lethargy - can't win. Bleh). Keeps my head a lot clearer and lifts my mood. Perfect weather for blogging!!
I'm planning on posting my lipstick collection in the very near future but, seen as my LAST post was a lippy post I thought I'd guide you through the most recent additions to my blush collection first.

And WOW how it's grown!! I've gone from this....

To THIS!!

Not bad for someone who didn't discover their love for blusher until March/April this year!!
For those of you who need bringing up to date on my original blush collection post you can find it HERE! 
Most of the swatches and info from the original post have been left out of this one for fear of sounding like a broken record. So if you find this post lacking info on the blush you like, do please check there!

I MUST MUST MUST start with the Sleek blushes. Because i absolutely ADORE Sleek blushes! I'm up to 4 now and have no plans on stopping there.
Main: Aruba. Top Right: Life's a Peach. Bottom Right: Santorini

So my new additions are as follows (in chronological order) Santorini, Life's a Peach and Aruba. 
Sleek blushes are a favourite of mine because they are so easy to apply, blend so well and can be as subtle or as RAWR as you like depending on how you build them. The LEs (Aruba and Santorini) are definitely more pigmented than those from their regular line (which are also really well pigmented so not saying they're not) but even though they look scary in the pan can be blended to a softer finish. 

L-R: Coral, Santorini, Life's a Peach, Aruba

All these colours are gorgeous summer shades. Life's a Peach gives a gorgeous subtle glow (see my post here...) as does Coral while Santorini and Aruba are the ones to DAZZLE with!! So far I've used Life's a Peach the most as its more of an everyday, all round lovely shade. It looks gorgeous used on its own for a peachy hue OR dabbed on top of a bronzer for an amazing summer look (Adrienne taught me that one). 
Next on my Sleek Blush wishlist is definitely Rose Gold. All the shades I own are matte and this looks to have a lovely golden sheen to it. Can't WAIT!!

Next up is a little MAC blogsale bargain... Breath of Plum


This is the only MAC blush i own so far (although I lust after so many of them). I bought it from Emma's blogsale. It caught my eye because I don't have another blush with plummy tones and thought it would look perfect with my MAC Liberty of London lippy in Blooming Lovely. It did and, although it isn't one i reach for often, its lovely for when I go for purple toned eyes or lips. 
As its my first MAC blush experience I have to say i do like it. No complaints about formula/consistency/pigmentation whatsoever but I'm not gonna go into mega detail on it because we ALL love MAC blushes don't we?! I'm planning a trip to Meadowhall with my mummy for my birthday in September and THAT will be my big MAC blush splurge. I plan on buying AT LEAST one!! 


Next up is my FAVOURITE blush of the moment and a little drugstore BARGAIN!
BeneFit Coralista has been my best friend ever since I got it! I just love the colour and the lovely summery sheen it gives my skin. And I can't help sniffing it everytime i use it because i swear it smells like HOLIDAYS!! The little brush it comes with isn't spectacular but its useful for carrying around, is lovely and soft and works quite well with the product. I haven't got a bad word for this blush. I have read some people saying they didn't get on with it and it IS a subtle shade but it is buildable and gives a gorgeous finish. Not too intense, but not non existant either. Its my go to blush and I. LOVE. IT!!

I've included the BeautyUk blush in the same section as Coralista, not because it is a DUPE as such but it gives a VERY similar finish on the skin. I didn't realise this until I'd put it on my face but it really reminded me of Coralista when I was applying it so the comparison is worth making (especially as it only retails for a couple of pounds)!!

Left: BeneFit Coralista. Right: BeautyUk

So those are my most recent editions... I would have waited longer but it would have turned into a more EPIC post if i had as I'm waiting on a certain NARS purchase and an Accessorize blush as well now! At least it will give me another excuse to do a another blush post! I do love me blushers I do haha ;)

What blushes have you rushed out to buy so far this summer? Which MAC shades should i consider for my birthday haul? 
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Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Flirting with Fuchsia!

Evening girls! 
Couple of FIRSTS for me today! I mentioned in my last Sleek Blush post that i do not own ANY of Sleek's True Colour Lipsticks.... Well I do now!!
I have also never had the guts to purchase a BRIGHT pink Fuchsia lip colour.... Well, guess what?! I do now!!
All in the same product.. Sleek True Colour Lipstick in FUCHSIA (Sheen).


I'd swatched a few Sleek lipsticks in Superdrug on my last visit, but at that point was not planning to buy lipstick so left them alone. 
The Sheen colours attracted me a little more than the mattes in the case of Sleek (although in MAC I only own one lipstick that ISN'T a matte Amplified). 
Last week on payday i heard a little wave of praise over Twitter about Sleek lipsticks and it hit me again that I'm a Sleek FANATIC but yet i didn't actually OWN a Sleek lipstick. So onto the website i went and Fuchsia was ordered (its a colour I haven't dared to try yet and Sleek are so affordable i thought that, even if it went wrong, it wouldn't be a disaster at £4). 


One word comes to mind upon first impressions of this shade.... and that word is SANTORINI! 
This lipstick is to lips what Sleek Santorini blush is to cheeks. It's a VERY pretty, but VERY intense pink. 
I get confused with colours if i'm honest... I've never found a colour that i think looks HORRENDOUS on me. Oranges and Corals tend to get the most compliments on me when i go out so i did suspect that a Fuschia pink would be a DISASTER. Turns out its NOT. It's just VERY different to what i normally go for. That was why i went for this colour to be honest. It's like no other lipstick i currently own (apart from the Monte Carlo Pout Polish which is a balm rather than a colour)


I'm so happy to report that this colour doesn't lean too much to blue at all (I'd been warned off Sleek's Amped lipstick for this reason, although it looked pretty)
I like the formulation and its not drying to my lips like the BarryM lip paints are (and is actually around 50p cheaper than Bazza's). It has also lasted a long time and I've only had to reapply it once since i put it on this afternoon (and that was because i needed to touch it up for the photos, not out of major necessity). 


Sleek True Colour in Fuchsia complimented by Santorini Blush

I love how pinks and purples make the green in my eyes pop out... I'm not sure i prefer them to my oranges and corals though. However, this is a totally new look for me and i have to say a quite like it! Please tell me if you think the colour doesn't suit me. I have a fairly warm skin tone but as this isn't such a bluey pink i THINK (i could be totally wrong) that i can get away with it. 

What's your favourite bright lippy?? Do you rate Sleek True Colour?? Any other Sleek shades i just HAVE to try??
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Sunday, 24 July 2011

Mediterranean Sunset EOTN

Hello there lovelies!
I went out last night!!! Woohoo!! Doesn't happen often but I went to watch an AMAZING band at the pub where i work. For those of you who were up late and experienced my drunken tweets.... I hope you didn't unfollow me haha. 

I wanted to share with you my eye make up of the night because I'd decided that I'd been neglecting my Sleek Monaco palette a little lately and, after watching some amazing videos on youtube using the palette my enthusiasm has been renewed and i wanted to recreate one of the looks i saw. The colours looked just like the prettiest sunset!


The colours i used were as follows...

Washed Ashore - All over the lid.
Moors Treasure - Outer part of the top lid and blended inwards.
Sunset - Dabbed between the two other colours near the middle of the lid to fade it back into the orange
Bamboo - Right in the inner corner of the eye.
Midnight Garden - To line underneath the eye 

I finished it off with a sweep of black liquid liner on the top lid and Rimmel Day-to-Night Mascara (which i appear to have had a bit of a fail with - See lower lashes on above photo haha) 

I'd also like to add that my Sigma E25 blending brush was a little GEM when creating this look. I've used it a few times now and it's making me wanna spend LOTS of money on more of their brushes! I have one to give away (which is ending on 31st July) along with some BarryM goodies so make sure you head on over and ENTER if you haven't already!!


Don't think i did TOO bad for a first attempt at the look! To see it done properly do go and check out Petja's  Video as she's the pro and it looks so much better on her! She has also done other looks using the Monaco palette.
 For some reason my eyes are sooooo creasy (maybe its my age - I'm within spitting distance of 30) and dramatic eye looks seem to get buried under my saggy eyebrows haha. Maybe i just have a deeper crease than most :/

What are your favourite colours from the Monaco palette? What other looks can i try out using it? 
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Thursday, 21 July 2011

Passion for PEACH!

Evening girls... Yes it's a LATE post again as I've not been in long from work. Luckily I was super-organised earlier and, even though I've been struggling a bit today with pain in my legs and back and feeling VERY dizzy indeed, I managed to take all the photos for this post. I really hate M.E/CFS because i had soooo much to do today.

Tonight's offering on the Altar of GORGEOUSNESS is this little beauty..
Sleek Blush - Life's a Peach


I've been after a peachy blush for what seems like FOREVER! I had it in my head for ages that i HAD to have MAC Melba or Ripe Peach but then i suddenly thought "Stuff em.... SLEEEEEEEK!!"
And off I trundled to Chesterfield Superdrug with my Sleek shopping list. 

I really like this blush. It is subtle but can also be built up as much as you like. It's a different look for me as i usually lean towards pinks and corals, but that is why i wanted it. I actually wanted to get the Aruba blush as well but opted for this instead as it seemed to be the more wearable of the two.



I had to build it up a LITTLE for the swatch but not a lot. It builds to a lovely colour but would also be suitable for those with paler skintones. On my medium skintone it gives a lovely glow to my cheeks. It's not a bold, statement cheek colour but that wasn't what i wanted it for anyway (although i still might sneak back to Superdrug and grab Aruba for that purpose).  
As with all my other Sleek blushes this is easy to apply is very finely milled and you don't get any product fallout. No complaints on pigmentation either.


On my face it just gives a pretty peachy glow. I tried to take one photo with natural light and one photo using flash as it seems to show up better for the purpose of blogging. 
I'll most likely be wearing this for a subtle daytime look and I can see myself using this a LOT! I have the perfect lipstick to go with it in the form of Barry M 147 which they describe as Peachy Pink. I featured it in my June favourites but mentioned that i disliked the drying effect it has on my lips. Today, however, I have been informed that it is a good dupe for MAC Ever Hip so I guess i can get over it (with a bit of lip balm to help me). 

I definitely want to buy more Sleek blushes as I'm really loving them and they are all getting a lot of use. My next Sleek mission is their lipsticks. I do not own ANY yet!! This must be remedied!

Whats your favourite Sleek blush shade?? Tell me what Sleek lippies I'm most missing out on!!
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Wednesday, 20 July 2011

A Little GEM from MUA

Evening girlies!
A little late to be blogging but i JUST got in from work and I just couldn't wait any longer to share this post with you! I'd already been putting it off due to a sudden INFLUX of posts about this item so I hope you're not sick of reading about this little beauty because I've had so much fun playing with it and creating this post.

It is of course, the £4 'palette of the moment' by MUA Professional.... Heaven & Earth!!


When i first heard about the MUA pro range and was doing my research on the products I just KNEW i wanted this palette. These are the colours i wear the most and the shadows i own from the £1 range have really impressed me so i couldn't wait to try out the pro range!

THEN I heard that this palette was comparable with the Urban Decay Naked Palette with some MAC dupes thrown in for good measure and that sealed the deal. 

Here are the SWATCHES!!

For £4 I think this palette really delivers. The shadows are a great consistency with no product fallout and are really easy to apply and blend. The only little 'Hmmmmm' I have (and this isn't a grumble) is that there are no matte shades in this palette, but I will totally let MUA off because these colours are so pretty! I love the sheen that these shadows give. It's almost metallic and utterly GORGEOUS!!

When i was playing around with this on my eyes for this post i decided not to automatically go for a daytime look that this palette is so perfect for... These are colours I use on my eyes every day and i wanted to do something slightly different so i went for a darker look. There really are many things you could try with this palette (too many for one post).


I do apologise for my epic eyebrow FAIL in this post. I'm a tweezing WIMP and tend to put it off haha. 


I'll definitely be recreating this super-shiny golden vampy look (with a little more black kohl) for my next night out! 

If, like me, you love to play 'Spot the Dupe' I would highly recommend you take a stroll over to see Adrienne at Adrienne Adores and take a look at her post on this palette. She truly is the dupe QUEEN!! 

I'm really impressed with MUA on this one. I will definitely be investing in more of these palettes and I'm dying to try the mosaic blushes i spied over the weekend in everyone's posts from TOWIB (totally bitter and twisted that I couldn't be there.... NEXT TIME!!).

If you can find a Superdrug near you that stocks the MUA pro line i suggest you snap this little beauty up. It's the best £4 you'll have spent in a long time! 

Did you manage to bag this palette? Which other MUA palettes should I run to Superdrug for? 
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Monday, 18 July 2011

Sleek: Oh So Special Palette

This is the first post/review of the products I bought in my little payday Superdrug haul last week. I'm so late to write about them due to an epic charger FAIL which left my laptop running on empty for most of the weekend so am only just catching up with it all. 

I had intended for the MUA Heaven and Earth palette to be my first review of the bunch but I've noticed a TIDAL WAVE of posts on it this morning and today (probably from those lucky ladies that attended the TOWIB event on Saturday in LDN which i couldn't afford train fare for...BLEH). So Heaven and Earth will be reserved for later in the week. 

So on with the Sleek Oh So Special Palette!!


I briefly explained my reasons behind choosing this palette over the Storm palette (which i do already have but i've hit pan on the shades i most like) in my haul post. This included a couple of very similar shades plus some that i have never really considered trying before. As i can't resist giving in to experimentation I decided to snap this one up instead. 

So here come the colours.....

Top L-R
Bow, Organza, Ribbon

Bottom Bottom L-R
Pamper, Gateau, The Mail


Top L-R
Gift Basket, Glitz, Celebrate

Bottom L-R
Boxed, Wrapped Up, Noir

On first impressions just looking at this palette the colours that catch the eye first are definitely the pinks. And for me this was followed by Gift Basket and Boxed (as these are the colours i always go for in shadows). Then as i played around swatching this palette the two that REALLY caught my attention were Organza and Gateau. These are both pinks also, but they shimmer so GOLD! They truly are lovely, delicate shades that give a lovely golden finish but with a beautiful rosey glow. Celebrate has been my surprise like out of the bunch. It is a deep purple toned shade which also shimmers with a glint of purple/gold. 

On with the SWATCHES!!

The matte shades were a little chalky and.... bleh, for me to be honest. The two lightest ones are almost identical to those in the Monaco palette (Bamboo and Sand Walker). However, they still have decent pigmentation even though it's not of the same scale as the Monaco and a couple of the other palettes I've seen/owned/swatched. These colours are also a lot more muted and pale so this does not, exactly, work against it. It isn't intended to be a bright palette. 

To complete my experiment i just had to put it on my face (because that's what it's for, duh) and I'm not going to be waiting for a special occasion to try out new make up! You ladies are excuse enough for me. These colours lend themselves to daytime wear in my opinion but can be built upon and glammed up for evening looks. The colours i used for this post were the ones I was most excited about on first impressions.


The colours I used were....
Organza - All over the lid
Celebrate - In the crease and outer-V area
Ribbon - Just dabbed lightly over the middle of the lid to add a little va-va-voom to the pink

I also applied a little of the Gateau shade along my lower water line.
Finished the whole thing off with a little Bourjois black kohl (just along the waterline) and Rimmel Day-To-Night Mascara.

So, even though i had not originally intended to purchase this palette, I'm glad i did. It might not be the most SPECTACULAR of the Sleek palettes but it is certainly VERY wearable (unlike your Acids and Curacaus of this world, which would require a great occasion for me to justify wearing them). It's a very feminine palette and for that reason I think the name Special suits it very well because, lets face it girls, all us ladies are VERY special. 

Do you own the Oh So Special palette?? What other Sleek items have you been grabbing lately??
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NOTD: OPI Pirates pt3 - Planks A Lot

Hello gorgeous ladies!
So I'm back with the 3rd installment of my OPI Pirates NOTD series. 

So here's Planks A Lot....


This is a very pretty blue-based Lilac/purple polish. I had a bit of a job to get it to LOOK purple in the photo though but it looks a lot more lilac in real life.

As usual i have done a base coat (BarryM 3-in-1) followed by 2 coats of Planks A Lot, finally followed by a top coat. My nails are quite ridged so i find i need a top coat to smooth the whole thing out a little. 


Now, I need to pick your brains ladies.... As you can see from this picture my nails are EXTREMELY flaky at the moment. I blame it usually on working in the kitchen at the pub and scrubbing away at pans with a wire scourer, but just lately they have been HORRENDOUS! I have been using a nail hardener (not a fancy brand but I'd hoped that it would be working better than this). My nails just seem to crumble.

Any recommendations for something to remedy these monstrous nails of mine?? I'd be so grateful to find something that works!!
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Saturday, 16 July 2011

Payday Superdrug Treats!!

So i got it into my head last week that i just HAD to update my Sleek collection and as i now have paydays (Fridays) OFF it was like a red rag to a bull and i decided to take myself off to the MASSIVE Superdrug in Chesterfield to have a scout around and dig for GOLD! 

So here it is! Its not a MASSIVE Haul (mine never are - I'm limited in what i can work due to illness so the budget is shaky even on payday) but I'm so pleased with what i bought and can't wait to start playing with it all!!


I'd planned to pick up at least one new Sleek palette and, much to my surprise, I plumped for the Oh So Special palette rather than my original plan of repurchasing the Storm palette. The ONLY reason i didn't go for the Storm palette is because Chesterfield Superdrug is AMAZING and they stock the MUA Pro line so i was able to pick up the MUA Heaven and Earth palette instead. And i am interested to try the Oh So Special after the success of my last foray into pink shades. I wanted to pick up the Sleek Sunset palette as well but there was no tester/sample palette there for that and i like to be able to SEE what i am buying. But after some research I will definitely be purchasing it next time. 

 MUA Pro - Heaven and Earth 
Sleek - Oh So Special

One thing that i have really felt has been missing from my make-up bag lately is a Peachy blush so i JUMPED on Sleek's Life's a Peach. Straight in there, plucked it from the shelf, sorted, MINE! I had my heart set on the Aruba blush from the Caribbean collection but i swatched it.... and swatched it again.... and blended it a little.... and was still thinking "Am I ACTUALLY gonna wear this??". Aruba is comparable to Life's a Peach (although the latter is certainly a lot less in your face) and after much thought I put Aruba back, even though it was the LAST one on the shelf (Insane?? Probably and i will, no doubt, regret this later).


The last thing i snatched up from the Sleek counter was their Contour Kit in Medium. I just want to see what all the fuss is about. I know the concept of contouring and, up to now, have been contouring my face with Bourjois Delice de Poudre quite successfully but i can't wait to try this little beauty out as i've heard great things about it. I like to think I'm doing things properly haha. I think i will be buying a new brush to try this out with for this reason. Suggestions welcome. 


So there's my little haul. And there will be posts on these items coming steadily through the next week as i play with them. Excited isn't the word. I love esperimenting with new make-up!

What do you think of the colours/products?? Which is your fave Sleek palette?? Have you tried the MUA Pro products yet??
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Review: Soap&Glory 'Flake Away' Spa Body Polish

Hello again girlies!!
I've been absent since Tuesday and its been KILLING ME! Laptop charger totally ceased to operate (well it actually BLEW UP spectacularly) and so have had an AGONISING 4 day wait for a replacement to be delivered. Actually felt like I've been GAGGED all week! 
So I'm back and I have decided that, from now on, I am gonna AIM for at least one post every day for as long as i have things to post about. 

So I'm kicking off with Soap&Glory Flake Away which is a Body Polish with Shea Butter, Sugar and Peach Seed Powder. It also has Sea Salt, Grapeseed and Almond Oil. 


I love Soap&Glory for cute packaging that always manages to sucker me into buying their products and the GORGEOUS, yummy scents that make me wanna coat myself in them every day.

I'd been on the lookout for a good body polish since I purchased my first bottle of Xen Tan Dark Lotion and it became very clear that my cheapo Superdrug own brand scrub wasn't up to the job. I know that Xen Tan have their own body scrub/polish in the range but I just wanted to see if i could pick up a more affordable one. This one was around £6-7 for a 300ml tub (I'm useless at remembering prices).

I didn't go for the other Soap&Glory scrub (i forget its name) as I'd heard some negative comments on it through the blogging grapevine and i liked the idea of the Shea Butter and Almond oil in Flake Away for extra moisturising and smoothing properties. 

So this is a scrub that is obviously designed for those with dry, flaky skin types. I do not have flaky skin but I just thought that this would make for an awesome base for the Xen Tan and make my skin feel extra smooth. And it actually did!


This scrub has the most wonderful Peach fragrance. My entire bathroom permanently smells like this now. The grains are big and plenty and don't feel too harsh on the skin. 

How do I Scrub Thee??
"Apply a handful of Flake Away onto damp skin and massage in circular motions until most of the grains are gone. Rinse well, pat dry and apply body glossing oil or moisture butter."

Now the only part of these instructions that i actually AGREE with is the apply and massage part. You would have to be massaging for a LONG time for these grains to disappear as there are so many and don't go anywhere in a hurry. It is also quite difficult and time consuming to rinse due to the oily texture so i would DEFINITELY recommend using this product in the shower rather than in a bath. 

Similarly, as this product leaves and oil-like residue is does mean that it makes quite a mess of the bathtub. I have to give it a good blast and scrub after every use to get rid of it all. Yes, it's a bit YUK but it just proves how much it removes from the skin.
The GREAT thing about this scrub is how silky and smooth my skin feels after using this product. The oils really do the skin a favour and, although it recommends to follow up with a moisturiser, I don't ALWAYS feel i have to do this. 

To sum it up I'd say this scrub is MESSY..... but makes my skin feel LUSH, smells delicious and provides a great base for my Xen Tan. I'd recommend it for those with dry skin as a boost for your moisturiser OR I'd say it'd be a great 2-in-1 type product for those who do not need a heavy moisturiser. 

What do you girls buff yourselves with?? Any other Soap&Glory faves?? 
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Tuesday, 12 July 2011

Lil MAC Haul (Small but Perfect)

Hello gorgeous ladies!
So I couldn't let the last week go by without ordering from the new MAC Semi-Precious collection.
My budget is virtually PEANUTS so i had to think long and hard about which item(s) would really benefit me and get me all excited.
Eventually i plumped for the Mineralise SkinFinish in Goldstone. This has been my only SP purchase so far (probably not the last but i need to pace myself and my bank account for more haha). However, I did manage to stretch a little further by ordering something i have wanted for a little while now.... Vegas Volt lippy (amplified).



And it appeared on my mat this morning!! Woohoo!!
So after my initial ripping open of the box and tryin not to squeal when i took out the MSF which is the most BEAUTIFUL thing I've ever seen EVER (maybe an exaggeration but I'm soooooo chuffed that i have it), I decided to start putting it on my face!



I must apologise because, in my giddy excitement i forgot to swatch Goldstone BUT I will add a swatch photo as soon as the sun comes out tomorrow. **NOW ADDED**

Seriously now, no exaggerations, I applied this like i would a bronzer (as that seemed the most obvious way to apply for starters - I'm an MSF virgin and need more time to experiment) and it honestly made me look like i'd just come back from a fortnight in Spain! My face just lit up like a lightbulb and it gives the loveliest bronzey sheen!
I'd say this can be as subtle or as BRONZE as you like depending on your skintone and how much you can build it. The central colour is just a gorgeous, pale highlight shade with glints of rosey pink and light beige while the main, darker part of the pan is the prettiest bronze i have put on my face so far this year (or any year for that matter). Blended they give a subtle bronze with HIGH shimmer factor that just makes your face GLOW!


Vegas Volt has had me so excited for a while now. I saw it and i wanted it. I'm totally in LOVE with my MAC Morange so its kind of inevitable that i would lust after Vegas Volt.

A few people commented that maybe i didn't need VV if i had Morange, as the two appear so similar. I did feel, however, that VV would be the more wearable sister to Morange. I have swatched them next to each other so that you can see the subtle differences. The differences are more apparent when it is applied to the lip but VV is definitely more pinkish in tone as a coral and not heavily orange like Morange. It is also much more subtle on the lip than i expected it to be which i LOVE because it means i can wear it LOTS!!

Left: Vegas Volt, Right: Morange


So here's the finished result using both new items.... They actually go really well together for a summer look with a little gold on the eyes. Instant holiday effect!!

What products did you ladies purchase from the Semi-Precious Collection? Whats your favourite shade of lippy for summer?
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