30.7.15
Summer Makeup Base
27.7.15
Mini Feel Unique Haul & First Impressions
It goes without saying I didn't need any more makeup. But after spending the morning catching up on YouTube videos and scrolling through my Bloglovin’ feed, I felt a sudden urge to spend and soon after I found myself online (having found a discount code) at feelunique.com filling my basket with beauty products and checking out £41.22 later...
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner In Intense Black £13.00
Come autumn/winter liquid liner is my thing, I wear it
day in and day out. But finding the right product to keep my feline flicks in
place has been somewhat of a makeup mission. Although I’ve been after the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner for sometime, I’m yet to make a Sephora order. So in the
meantime I thought I’d try the much-coveted Stila Stay All Day Waterproof
Liquid Eye Liner. With a thin felt tip nib and a waterproof formula, this
eyeliner boasts potential. However, on first application, although pigmented and
easy to apply along the lash line, the tip of the nib has frayed and I presume has been damaged in the lid, making it beyond impossible to create feline flicks. Maybe I have a faulty
product? But it goes without saying; I’m a little disappointed. What’s your
favourite eyeliner?
That’s right I’m guilty of picking up yet another
coral toned lipstick. Very much a spur of the moment purchase the Urban Decay
Revolution Lipstick In ‘Streak' is a welcomed addition to my ever growing lipstick
collection. Described as a ‘coral pink’, this lipstick from Urban Decay has
wonderful colour payoff, leaving a creamy shine on the lips. The lightweight
formula is easy to wear and instantly brightens my complexion and the packaging
doesn’t disappoint either. I can’t believe I hadn’t bought one sooner.
Very much a Lily Pebbles enabled purchase. The Stila
Aqua Glow Watercolour Blush is unlike any blush I own. Stila famous for their
cream blushers has thrown a new blush into the mix with a water based, gel
formula. And this gold, peachy pink blush is certainly one of a kind. Encased
in a little pot with a gold lid, the mesh-touch dispenser is of a similar
design to the Make Up For Ever HD Powder. When applied it feels weightless
and instantly adds luminosity to the skin.
Have you tried any of these
products?
19.7.15
Worth The Hype? St. Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion
16.7.15
Beauty Product Empties #3
I’m feeling very pleased
with myself this morning as I introduce the 3rd instalment of my beauty product
empties here on BBA. I've continued to restrain myself from splurging in the
aisles of Boots and as a result I’ve been finishing beauty products far more
frequently. So it’s about time I give you the lowdown on what I’ve finished and
let you know if they are worthy of a repurchase.
The Body Shop Tea Tree Body Wash £6.00
The Body Shop Tea Tree Body Wash £6.00
12.7.15
Holiday Beauty Favourites
Originally this post was named ‘5 Holiday Favourites’, but after rifling through my luggage since my return from Rhodes, I realised I had a little more than 5 favourites, plus a book that I simply couldn’t not include...
Eylure Pro-Lash Dylash Dark Brown £9.49
11.7.15
Atlantica Aegean Blue, Kolymbia, Rhodes
You know you’re in need of a holiday when you’re relying
on coffee to wake up, when the weekend flies by and you’ve lost all focus at
work. And I was without a doubt at that point and needed to cleanse my body
from the constant caffeine cravings, so my boyfriend Ben booked an impromptu seven-day
break to Rhodes and it was simply beautiful.
We stayed at the Atlantica Aegean Blue hotel in Kolymbia, Rhodes. The family hotel sits on the beachfront and we could see the sea from our hotel room, which was a lovely touch. The pebble beach was idyllic, evoking childhood memories and for the first time in a long time I felt truly relaxed. Most evenings we sat on the open air terrace chatting away and having a drink, or two (primarily piña coladas - my favourite) and during the day we basked by the poolside where I would disconnect from the likes of my emails and lose myself in a good book. The buffet restaurant offered a wide variety of food and the little onsite shop sold snickers ice cream. What more could I ask for?
9.7.15
June Beauty Favourites
3.7.15
Pamper Evening Essentials With Victoria Plumb
With the stresses of everyday life it’s important to take some time out to de-stress, detox and indulge in some well deserved ‘me time’. I for one can’t afford a day at the spa especially not on a regular basis, so instead I like to set aside some time and pamper myself in the comfort of my own home. So, ladies grab your favourite beauty products, draw a hot bath and sit back and relax. It's Friday after all.
BATH BOMBS & BUBBLES
Let’s start with the essentials. There is nothing better than a hot bubble bath, the kind of bath where if I haven’t lost a couple of pounds by the time I get out, the long hot soak was a failure! And it’s safe to say that no pamper night is complete with a bath bomb, or bubbles. For bubbles I recommend Soap & Glory’s Calm One Calm All* (£6.00), a stress-battling softening bubble bath. The formula includes built-in body lotion and it pretty nice too. If you fancy lying under a blanket of bubbles and bathing in pink water I recommend The Comforter Bubble Bar (£4.75) from Lush. And how can I not mention Lush bath bombs? The feel-good fizzies, full of beneficial ingredients. Avobath* (£3.35) from Lush as the name suggests, contains avocado and olive oil to help tackle dryness and it smells fresh like lemons, mmmmm...
READING MATERIAL
When was the last time you read a book, or a decent magazine article? I don’t know about you, but working in marketing & having my little blog means I spend a very large amount of my time online, reading emails, tweets, blog posts and Facebook updates. And although a Netflix binge can be very satisfying, there is nothing quite like losing yourself in a great story, or engaging in an interesting magazine article. It is the best way to let your worries slip away (well for now anyway), not to mention reading will better your writing skills.
AT HOME FACIAL
Being a beauty addict I do tend to chop and change my beauty products quite frequently, but there are a few products I reach for above anything else when my skin is in need of a bit of TLC. Before I dip into the bath, I like prep my skin and soften the sebum with my at home facial steamer. Then whilst relaxing in the bath I like to apply my trusty Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. If you're a regular reader of BBA you’ll know that I rate this mask highly. If you’re yet to try this mask and a little hesitant of the price, try the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask Pods*, you get four in a pack for £5.00 - they are perfect for travel too! But remember to pick a treatment specific to your skins needs, for instance if my skin is feeling hydrated I will opt for my GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment which smells delicious and leaves my skin feeling super soft.
BODY PRODUCTS
Towards the end of my bath I like to get down and gritty and exfoliate my body. Exfoliation is a must if you want smooth, even toned skin. Exfoliation is key to a long-lasting tan, helps free ingrown hairs and helps your moisturiser penetrate better. My current go-to scrub is the Champneys Spa Indulgence Distant Shores Body Scrub £10.00. But remember to scrub before you shave and lock in the moisture post-scrub with your favourite body moisturiser.
CANDLES
And finally, don’t forget to do it in the dark and switch off those lights! A candle lit bath really helps to set the mood, making your home, well, more homely. And not only do candles smell great, candles are very calming - perfect at helping to drain your tensions away. And if you’re anything like my mum you’ll have a stash of candles & tea lights just calling out to be lit! I’m personally a big fan of Yankee Candles, especially their Mango and comforting Fluffy Towels* scent - which smells incredible!
Ps. A big thank you to Victoria Plumb for sending me such a beautiful pamper basket.
How do you like to pamper yourself at home?
1.7.15
Beauty Tips / Get Summer Ready With M&S
With temperatures expected to rise above 30C today,
it’s safe to say the countdown to summer is well and truly over. It’s here. And
as the skirts get shorter, I’m sure that for many, you will feel a slight
twinge of panic at the thought of baring all. But no fear, I have a few summer
beauty products to help you with your seasonal beauty overhaul, all thanks to
Marks & Spencer.
I love a multi use product
and this luxury cult oil from Nuxe doesn’t disappoint. The
lightweight formula is a unique combination of
95.2% natural ingredients, including 30% precious plant oils and vitamin
E. It has a lovely light exotic fragrance and although it’s oil, it doesn’t
leave you looking or feeling greasy. Spritz into your
moisturiser, mix it with your foundation, or spray directly onto the skin
and into your hair. When applied to the skin it instantly leaves a golden
sparkly sheen (you won’t look like a disco ball) and the vitamin E
leaves the skin feeling really soft and moisturised. This dry oil is the
perfect product to emphasise your tan - hello bronzed goddess in a
bottle.
It’s a given that exfoliating and moisturising are a
must in the summer months. And for just £15.00 you can renew your skin with the
Rituals Discover Hammam Set. The set includes a foaming shower gel, body scrub
and body cream. The sea salt scrub is intense and has a sensuous, spa like
scent with ginger and eucalyptus. It leaves my skin feeling buffed to perfection
and helps to kick cellulite to the curb. Once dry, follow up with a body
moisturiser and you’ll have pins ready for a pair of shorts.
It’s a no brainer to ramp
up your SPF, but how about treating your skin after basking in the sun? New to
the Ultrasun range, the Overnight Summer Skin Recovery Mask slowly releases
hyaluronic acid and powerful brown algae activies, to deliver long-lasting
hydration and overnight, anti-agign care for your skin. The formula is
incredibly fast-absorbing and lightweight with a non-greasy texture. This
recovery mask is great for those with very sensitive and dehydrated skin as its
free from perfume, mineral oils, emulsifiers, silicones
or alcohol. This product offers a targeted solution against the damaging
effects of the sun, reducing sun damaged cells by up to 40% and I can’t stress
how important it is to protect your skin.
Ever wondered what those
bumpy, red lumps are on the backs of your arms? Keratosis pilaris (also
known as chicken skin) is an inherited condition (thanks mum and dad)
in which dead cells and excess keratin build up around hair follicles, clogging
pores. So whats the fix? I have found a couple of products, including a
bestseller from Bliss the Fatgirlslim Arm Candy which is clinically proven to
reduce redness and is formulated with lactic acid which helps to exfoliate
dead skin cells and help the skin adsorb moisture. It smells clean and minty
and is easy to apply with the massaging applicator. Once massaged into the
skin, there is an immediate reduction in redness and with continued use my keratosis pilaris has improved. The only thing I dislike about this
product is the subtle shimmer it leaves on my arms, but I can look past that.
This product is priced at £34.00 but Marks & Spencer currently offer this
product and a Bliss tinted body spray in their Arm & Leg Bundle Gift Set for £32.00.
Cult
body-oil-turned-body-wash the Nuxe Prodigieux Shower Oil has quickly become my
new favourite shower buddy and it's the perfect alternative for those who
can’t afford the dry oil. The Nuxe Prodigieux shower oil is a pleasure to
use, it’s creamy, iridescent texture gently cleanses and moisturises leaving a
satin finish on the skin. This shower oil is certainly one to pack for your
upcoming holiday.
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