27.8.15

Top 5 Beach Bag Essentials | Boohoo

Top 5 Beach Bag Essentials | Boohoo
Although summer is clearly coming to an end (we're currently experiencing heavy downpour here in the UK), many of us still have a holiday to look forward to. And having just booked a very last minute return holiday to Kos, I thought it would be appropriate to share my top 5 beach bag essentials, along with the online place to shop for your beachwear.

Come late august the high street's beachwear offerings are frankly dire. And whilst many of us are eyeing up the stores latest A/W collections, I for one have a very large Boohoo holiday wish list! I've always relied on Boohoo for holiday wear. They have a holiday shop filled with holiday essentials all of which are very reasonably priced. 

  

TOP 5 BEACH BAG ESSENTIALS:

1. SPF
You’d be a fool not to lather up with SPF. There is so much choice on the market from gel, creams and sprays, waterproof and all day formulas so make sure you pick something best suited for you. Remember SPF is your #1 holiday requirement so invest money into your protection and pack a body, face and lip SPF. My favourite brand of sunscreen is Piz Buin. It’s lightweight and non greasy.  


2. HYDRATING MIST
My skin gets parched after sitting in the sun and a hydrating mist does the job of taking that tight feeling away. My top choice is thAvène Thermal Water Spray, its soothing and anti-irritating. It is also great for helping to treat sunburn and prickly heat - and I can't stress how horrid this is.

3. BEACH COVER UP
Pack a beach cover up to throw over your swimwear. But remember you can still catch the sun through sheer clothing, so take cover under a parasol and pack a floppy hat!


4. HAND SANITISER
Any bag should contain hand sanitiser. Need I tell you why? Soap & Glory offer the best antibacterial hand gel. It smells like grapefruit, dries quickly, isn’t sticky and costs just £2.50.


5. READING MATERIAL
On holiday I’m a book whore, that may be little crass, but true, last year I read 4 books in the space of 7 days. So I always make sure I've packed my favourite paper back, or picked up a glossy magazine (or two) in the airport. On my trip to Greece back in June I read ‘I Let You Go’ by Clare Mackinstosh in less than 24 hours - highly recommend you give it a read, especially if you liked 'Gone Girl'! Any good book recommendations, leave them below.

Where do you shop for your beachwear and bag essentials?
Emily
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17.8.15

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Amethyst Dupe

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Amethyst Dupe

Listen up ladies, I've found an affordable dupe for the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst. I picked up the cult caviar stick a couple of months back, but after returning home I soon realised how similar it is was my KIKO Long Lasting Eyeshadow Stick in 05 - the resemblance is uncanny.

The Laura Mercier Caviar Stick and KIKO Long Lasting Eyeshadow Stick are popular beauty buys and it's not surprising, given how fuss-free, creamy, long wearing and convenient they are. Both eyeshadow sticks are packaged in a simple and sleek pen like design. Application is effortless, swiped across the lid they produce rich colours and can be blended with either a finger or an eyeshadow brush, before drying down to a long wearing finish. 
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Amethyst DupeLaura Mercier Caviar Stick Amethyst Dupe

Although both formulations are very similar and crease resistant, the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick is a little longer wearing and has a smoother texture. But hold your horses, the shades are so similar. They are beautiful multidimensional, complex colours with a mix of purple, pink, brown and bronze. It could be argued the Laura Mercier shade has a stronger purple undertone, but in all honesty I struggled to tell them apart.

With the slight formulation difference aside, there isn't much difference between these two eyeshadow sticks and I'll admit I feel a little frustrated having forked out £22.00 for the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst when the Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow is so similar and priced at just £6.90.

Have you tried either one of these eyeshadow sticks?
Emily
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15.8.15

Mini Urban Decay Haul & First Impressions

Mini Urban Decay Haul & First Impressions
After venturing down to the Urban Decay store in Covent Garden last week for a smoky eye master class, it was inevitable I wouldn't leave the store empty handed. The edgy brand known for their Primer Potions and Naked Palettes has a lot to offer and my makeup collection boasts anything but Urban Decay, so I was overwhelmed with choice. But having discussed favourites amongst senior UD Makeup Artist Danielle Roberts and Heather from Porcelain Beauty, I picked up three products and it's safe to say I'm already considering heading back for more.

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette £38.00
I'm a neutral girl at heart, so it wasn't necessarily love at first sight between me and the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette. However, after reading a few posts and getting up close and personal with the palette in store, you could say it became a slow burner. Encased in a transparent smoky case with a magnetic close, the palette contains 12 shades, including a mix of matte, satin and sparkles of both warm and cool tones. Although the palette could do with an extra matte shade or two, it contains 12 velvet shadows to help create a sultry smoky eye and despite being smoky, the palette is wearable both day and night. One of my favourite shades is 'Armor' (although prone to a little fallout) the shadow is a beautiful metallic silver-taupe, with a sparkly finish. 

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer £17.50
I was never bowled over by the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. So when Urban Decay released their Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer and a number of beauty bloggers/vloggers shared their love for the new release, I had high expectations. The concealer applies smoothly with help from the flat applicator and the rich yet lightweight formula offers full coverage in an instant, melting into the skin, concealing redness and any discolouration. The finish is demi-matte, but doesn't settle into fine lines and the lasting power ain't all that bad either! I can see why this concealer has quickly become an UD favourite and I'm looking forward to putting it through its paces.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil In Demolition £15.50
Having misplaced my MAC Coffee Eyeliner on one too many occasions, I was in the market for a new brown eyeliner. The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils are always on my wish list come Christmas, so I grabbed the opportunity and welcomed a new eyeliner to my collection. The award winning eye pencils are available in a multitude of colours and I picked up 'Demolition', a classic matte deep brown. The eyeliner has a a rich creamy formula making it a dream to apply, on both the upper and lower lash line. Opaque on application and smudegable for around 30 seconds, this eyeliner has a stay put formula that trumps all other eye pencils I own. 

What's your favourite product from Urban Decay? 
Emily
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13.8.15

L'oreal Infallible 24H Foundation

L'oreal Infallible 24H Foundation
It can be hard to find a quality long lasting foundation from the drugstore, but the L'oreal Infallible 24H Foundation falls straight into that category. True to its description, it offers a long lasting flawless finish and is perfect for my combination/dehydrated skin and I'm baffled by the lack of reviews in the blogosphere - I for one cannot stress how fabulous this foundation is...

The L'oreal Infallible 24H Foundation is comparable to Mac's Studio Fix Fluid but better. It's texture is creamy, a little goes a long way and it costs just £9.99. I use half a pump after applying a little moisturiser and it glides across my skin and blends beautifully with both my Bobbi Brown Full Coverage Brush and my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Unlike most long wearing foundations that are typically cakey and heavy, the L'oreal Infallible 24H Foundation offers a medium to full coverage, concealing redness and blemishes without the typical full coverage foundation traits. It's finish is spot on, appearing super smooth on the skin and offering a satin/luminous finish, which is primarily down to the Hydrating Hyraluron Complex - making it perfect dry and dehydrated skin types. And it goes without saying; this foundation from L'oreal is the most comfortable full coverage foundation I've ever tried. 

Now whilst I can't vouch for 24hours, combined with a little setting powder across my t-zone this foundation can withstand the heat, a full 12 hours, a night out on the town and still look flawless and fresh by the end of the day. It's my go to for special occasions for this very reason, not to mention it has no SPF, so photographs beautifully. 

So what's the catch? The L'oreal Infallible 24H Foundation is only available in 8 shades. For those of you with pale to medium complexions, you'll have no trouble finding a shade to suit you. But for those with darker skin tones the shade range is limited. I would also avoid this foundation if you have extremely oily skin. But if you're on the hunt for an affordable, long wearing foundation with a fresh finish, I cannot recommend this foundation enough. 

What's your favourite full coverage drugstore foundation?
Emily
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10.8.15

Eylure Dybrow In Dark Brown

Eylure Dybrow In Dark Brown
Prior to my recent holiday to Greece I toyed with the idea of getting my brows HD’d as I'm not exactly blessed with naturally dark brows. But feeling a little reluctant to splash out £30 (I’ve had this treatment before) I opted for a quick brow thread at the expense of £6.00 and then picked up the Eylure Dybrow for £9.49 and I was seriously impressed with the results. Not only do my eyebrows appear well-groomed, but I've also saved myself a small fortune.

Eylure Dybrow is a semi-permanent hair dye formulated for the eyebrows and is an effective and affordable at-home eyebrow booster. And yes, the results are equally as the brow bar. The rich brown dye helps my brows to appear naturally thicker and more shapely. I like to use the kit on a monthly basis, as eyebrows have a very short growth cycle, so it lasts around 4-6 weeks. I bought this kit back in June and after multiple applications (including both my mum and sisters brows) and still have dye left - bargain.

At Home Eyebrow Tinting With Eylure Dybrow In Dark Brown

Better yet, the application is straightforward and fuss-free. Ensuring my eyebrows are clean of any product, I apply a little Vaseline around the brows to avoid dying my skin. Then I simply mix the two solutions together and apply the dye onto the supplied wand. Next I comb the dye upwards, downwards and then across my brows to ensure they are well coated. I leave the dye for around 6-10 minutes and like to scan Pinterest in the process. Once the time is up, I wipe the solution off with a wet cotton pad and voilĂ , I have visible brows.

Have you ever tried at-home eyebrow tinting, or would you leave it to the professionals? 
Emily

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2.8.15

5 New Drugstore Finds

5 New Drugstore Finds
It's about time I tried some Makeup Revolution products, so when Laura from What Laura Loves got in touch via Twitter & asked if I'd be interested in a blog post collaboration titled '5 New Drugstore Finds', I ceased the opportunity. The next thing I knew I had spent £30 online at Makeup Revolution (easily done) and received a further £25 worth of free products - bargain! Since receiving my very large parcel, I've tried and tested a handful of the products and overall I'm very impressed.

Makeup Revolution I ♡ Makeup Naked Chocolate £7.99
I’ll admit as much as I love a bar of white chocolate, I’m not a big fan of the packaging. But nit-picking aside, this palette is a drugstore dream. The Makeup Revolution I ♡Makeup Naked Chocolate eyeshadow palette, consists of 16 neutral eyeshadows, with a mixture of matte and shimmer finishes. To my surprise the matte shades perform incredibly well and I experienced no fall out with the shimmery shades. This palette doesn't rival my MAC eyeshadow collection, but this eyeshadow palette does rival the likes of the Zoeva Cocoa Blend Eyeshadow Palette and out performs the Sleek Makeup Eyeshadow Palettes and costs just £7.99.

Makeup Revolution Lip Lava In Forgiven £2.99
Dubbed dupes for the Too Face Melted Lipsticks and priced at just £2.99, I had to pick up one of the Makeup Revolution Lip Lavas. I bought the shade 'Forgiven' and although a tad too brown for my liking, the formula is by far the best I've tried. It's intense, smooth, comfortable, creamy, fragrance free, opaque, long lasting (proven in shower), doesn't feel heavy or sticky on the lips and is formulated with vitamin E! The squeezy tube and sponge applicator, along with the formula please me greatly. 

Makeup Revolution The One Blush Stick In Matte Malibu £5.00
I've been after a NARS Matte Multiple for months, but the £30.00 price tag has made me a little hesitant. So after spotting the The One Blush Stick In Matte Malibu I had to give it a go. This blusher stick as the name suggests has a matte formula and is intensely pigmented.  Although a blusher stick, the product falls under the contouring category online at Makeup Revolution. However, the warm undertones make it a little difficult to chisel out my cheekbones, but it does warm up my complexion nicely. Overall the formulation is very good, but it would be nice to see the release of a cool toned matte brown to satisfy my contouring requirements. 

Makeup Revolution I ♡ Makeup Blushing Hearts Goddess of Love Highlighter £4.99
With strobing illuminating the beauty blogging community it only seemed right to purchase a new highlighter. The  I ♡ Makeup Blushing Hearts Goddess of Love Highlighter is a baked highlighter packaged in a pretty yet sturdy heart shaped box. The formulation is silky smooth and although the highlighter appears to be champagne in the box, when applied to the skin it has a slight violet/pink iridescence, which I rather like. With a generous 10g of product I won't be hitting pan anytime soon and I can't quite believe it only cost £4.99.

Makeup Revolution I ♡ Makeup Blushing Hearts Candy Queen of Hearts Blusher £4.99
Another baked box of goodness comes in the form of a triple baked blusher. The multi-coloured blush consists of three coral pink shades that can be worn individually or together. The formula is silky, but does produce a little fallout. But never the less these shades are perfect for my skin tone and leave a nice natural healthy glow on my cheeks. Comparable to Too Faced Sweetheart blushers, but at a fraction of the price - who can complain?

Make sure to head over to Laura's blog and check out her 5 new drugstore finds... 

Are you too impressed my Makeup Revolutions purse friendly products?
Emily
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