Beauty Haul

I haven't done a written beauty haul in forever and I thought is was about time I did! This is accumulation of the bits I have bought since about Mid december till now so yeh, get a cup of tea and a snack, you may need it to get through this! One thing I did want to say is that some of these will have more in depth reviews coming up on here over the next couple weeks, others may not. If there is something you want to see please do let me know! 

On with the haul....

Revlon Quick Dry Case Coat- Love this! dries really quick (like the name might suggest!) By the time you've done your second hand, the first is dry. It's also helped strengthen my nails. They haven't been breaking as much 

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro In 130- A really dusty pink that goes with everything. Everyone needs this kind of colour in their collection and I love the brush and formulation of the Maybelline Varnishes. The brush is rounded and wider so it doesn't take as many strokes to cover the whole nail. This varnish took two coats to become fully Opaque and dried quickly. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish in 700 Block Your Green- A lovely green that seems to look more teal in the photos but its a darker green with a slight glitter sheen to it (You can't see the glitter unless you look really close) again like the brush but found got wear on  the tips after a day. 

Rimmel Precious Stones in 001 Diamond Dust- I love the colour of this and it does go opaque after a couple coats but my god is this a bitch to get off! 

Rimmel Apocalips in Stellar and Celestial- I have already done a post on these babies which you can read here

MAC Brick-O-La Amplified Lipstick- I had seen a couple of bloggers mention this and it instanly caught my eye. It's a really browny pink, the name says it all it is a brick colour and I just love this. Perfect for the days were you want a bit of colour but nothing too drastic and I absolutely love the Amplified finish, soft and pigmented. 

MAC Eyeshadows- I needed a new brow shade as the one I was using was in a huge palette and it was just a pain in the arse so I got Charcoal brown, which is a matte shade to fill in my brows with. Just defines them without making them too harsh. Cranberry is one that seems to be very popular at the moment. It's a frost finish so it's got a lovely sheen to it. Haven't had a chance to play around with this yet but looking forward to it! and lastly All That Glitters, which has now completed my quad and a perfect addition. This is the most gorgeous rose gold shade and I imagine would be perfect for any skin tone! 

3 more hyped products that I have only just got round to getting!

Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude- I already had one on the go hence waiting to get this. It's a nice product and I will be doing a quick review after I have used it for a while. 

Benefit They're Real- I used this yesterday but applied it in such a rush I'm not counting it, although taking it off last night was a bit of a bitch. I only bough a little one as I'm so fussy with mascaras it seemed silly to buy a big one incase I didn't like it. We shall see...

MUA Professional Eyes Primer- I have so much bad luck with eye shadows creasing so just another product to see if I can actually get my eyeshadows to last all day! will report back on this! 

We're nearly at the end I promise.. 

Rimmel Match Pefection Light Reflecting Radiance Foundation- Long enough name?! This is my new go- to foundation. Totally in love! Plus it's light enough YAY! They actually do this in a porcelain shade.  I will be doing a full review of this soon!

Avene Extremely Rich Compensating Cream- I bought this just before christmas and my God this has saved my skin. If you have dry skin, buy this bad boy! You will never look back. Again I will probably  do a more in depth review of this soon.

Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm- I've heard mixed reviews about this. I personally thought it was ok and don't mind the residue it leaves but that is all personal choice. 

Lush Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser- This cleanser has Popped corn oil, polenta, maize flour and cinnamon. It's a really gentle cleanser/ exfoliator and great for everyday use, it leaves my skin feeling so soft and fresh. 

Origins Out of Trouble- I bought this the other day with Sarah who runs new modern damsel. She took me to the Origins counter and I knew i wasn't leaving without buying anything. I did want to buy the Make A Difference + moisturiser but decided not to but bought this instead. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but will be soon!

Lastly two random bits but they were to cute not to include!

Dolly Bow Bow Flower Crown- I have wanted one of these for so long and saw this one and fell in love. I love the colour and the fact that the flowers aren't to big. I might try and do a make up look to fit in with the headband, we shall see! 

Lastly my Cath Kidstion Pocket Diary! I have been trying to find a cute diary for so long and this just fits the bill. Its small enough to pop into my bag but big enough that I can fit everything in. 

So there you have it! I think writing a make up haul is better as it means you can actually see the products and colour better than on a video, let me know what you think? All the products are link just click the bold and that will take you through to where you can buy them. 

Bumble and Bumble| Bb Texture

This issue with having hair in such bad condition is that with all the conditioning it just tends to sit there, not doing much. I seem to have a constant struggle between looking after my hair and not being able to do anything with it or leaving it and it having a bit more oomph (even if it is dead!)

I have wanted to try salt sprays for so long but I know they will completely dry my hair out and I really can't have that, as my hair is already in such bad shape. I wanted something to give my hair a bit of life but not leaving it looking dry and frizzy. Enter Bumble and Bumble Bb Texture....

How I have survived without this I do not know!

This is quite possibly the most expensive hair item I have bought and I did feel like I was being robbed at £21.50 for 150ml it is expensive. I won't even try and deny that it is over priced. 

The point of this product is to give your hair that undressed look, The 'I've just got out of bed and look how awesome my hair looks' look! 

'It gives hair that elusive undone-yet-done quality, with and hint of grit,

 extra lift and a tousled shine free finish.'

What I love the most about this product is it doesn't dry my hair out of leave it sticky and even with this in you can restyle your hair the next day with ease. 

The packaging says to apply to damp hair but I tend to apply to towel dried hair, I have personally found that if the hair is to dry it doesn't work as well. I apply about a 1p's worth to the end of my hair giving it a tousle and a scrunch as I go and then just rough dry (No brushes) and then you are done! 

Another thing I really like about this product is the packaging. Bumble and Bumble have made it so you can actually open a squeeze out this product with one hand, leaving your other hand free to put the product on to. I know it is a simple thing but it makes life so much easier! The top is a screw top that when you turn it, it opens a little hole for the product to come through. Not only does this make it less messy but it also makes it easier to control the amount of product you want. 

Overall I am really impressed with this product and even though it is expensive it will be something I will repurchase as it has really helped with the styling of my hair!

£21.50 for 150ml 

Bumble and Bumble is available online, Boots, Space NK and others 

NIP+ FAB| Dark Circle Fix

This was the first ever product I bought from Nip+ Fab and I have to say I was really impressed. Although it did take a while to notice any difference. Once I had been using this a month or so you could really see a change in the dark circles around my eyes.

I was unfortunately cursed with rather puffy eyes (Thanks papa!) and have been trying to find an eye cream that really reduces the puffiness and dark circles for so long now and I can honestly say that this eye cream has made a noticeable difference. I'm not saying it fixes the issues completely but it really does make a difference. On someone who's eyes aren't as bad as mine it might completely help with any issues.

'A triple action eye cream to reduce the appearance of puffiness + dark circles, this refreshing cream hydrates the skin to help fight against premature aging.

• red algae targets dark circles

• tetra peptide reduces the look of puffiness

• shea butter hydrates + softens'

What I love the most about this product is that it soothes the eye area and leaves my eyes feeling refreshed and hydrated without feeling to heavy on your eyes. I am not a fan of thick eye creams as I am always careful about the skin around my eyes and this is so light and easily to absorbs into the skin. 

The only thing that I don't like about this product is the packaging! You cannot tell how much product is left and even though it is an air pump you can't get it all out. Now that I am at the end of mine I have to keep it upside down and I have to unscrew the lid each time I want to use. Yes this isn't a huge inconvenience but it's just a bit annoying. 

If you want an eye cream that is light weight, moisturising and helps reduce puffiness and dark circles...This really is the one for you and it doesn't break the bank. 

You can buy this from Boots or on the Nip+ Fab Website 

£15.95 for 15ml 

Lee Stafford| Bleach Blonde Shampoo

I have been using this shampoo for over 2 years now and I'll be honest I don't know what I would do without it!

I have tried other purple shampoos over the years and this is the one I always go back to.

A purple shampoo is used to take out and of the brassy yellow/ orange tones out of blonde hair.

Like I have said many times I bleach my hair and sometimes this can leave a slightly yellow tone to your hair but this shampoo naturalises any of those yellow tones to leave you with a lovely golden blonde.

What I love about this shampoo is that it is really moisturising! So I am not worrying that my hair isn't getting the moisture it needs and still being able to keep on top of the brassy tones. They also do a conditioner in this range. The conditioner doesn't have any of the colour properties that the shampoo has but is again really moisturising and leaves the hair really soft and shinny. 

This shampoo is meant to me used once a week and like any other shampoo, lather in and wash straight out. You can leave it in if you feel that your hair needs it but I would not recommend to leave it in for more than a minute or you will end up with purple hair. I'll point out that this will only give you a purple tint if you leave it in to long or use it more than once a week. I use it every time I was my hair and it has a purple tint. My hair isn't purple, it is still blonde but in some lights you can see the purple.

What I also love about this shampoo is that it foams up so much! You really don't need a lot to do your hair (again the more you use the more likely you are to colour your hair more) 

I think for the quality of this product and the fact that it does so much for you hair it is really good quality for money. 

Lee Stafford is available In Boots and online here 

£6.39 for 250ml 

John Frieda| Full Repair Conditioner and Deep Conditioner

I picked these up at a local trip to Boots. I have read so many rave reviews about them I thought it would be worth a try. As I have said before in other hair care reviews I bleach my hair and have done for years. I also use quite a bit of heat so as you can imagine my hair isn't in the best of shape!

I thought these would be perfect as they aim to repair your hair whilst still giving it volume and getting volume has been something I have been struggling with lately.

I have used both of these products a couple of times and have noticed a difference in the condition of my hair. It has more oomph and shine and my ends aren't so fly away.

Unfortuntely these have irritated my scalp :( I have a scalp condition ( I can't remember the name of it sorry) but basically is has made my scalp really flaky and sore. If it wasn't for this I would continue to use them but unfortunately they just aren't worth the sore scalp. 

Since using them, I have past them onto my sister who also has coloured hair and she loves them! Like me she found that they have helped dramatically with the condition of her hair. 

Another thing that we both liked was that it didn't weight our hair down. I find a lot of the time if you are using  really rehydrating that they are often weight down hair and I have fine hair so it leaves me with rather limp hair if it is to heavy but this had the opposite effect.

You can buy The Full repair Range at Boots and Superdrug. 

Deep Conditioner £6.29 for 150ml

Full Body Conditioner £5.89 for 250ml

Are there any restoring conditioners that you recommend? 

17| Glitter Eye Shadow in Spirit

Like I said in the post about the lipstick I bought from 17, this isn't a range that I have ever bought anything from so when I had a voucher that meant I got a glitter eyeshadow free when you bought any 17 product, I thought it would be silly not to.

I bought this colour as I thought it would be a colour that I could get some use out of. All the others were a bit to out there for my liking but this colour is perfect for creating a smoky look for going out.

As with the lipstick I wasn't really expecting much from this as it really is an inexpensive brand but again I was pleasently surprised.

I am not that fussed with the packaging. It really does give away that it is a cheaper brand and I much prefer a lid that you flip up rather than screw off but it is good enough and it relatively sturdy.

The pigmentation of this eye shadow is really good!

IT doesn't have the best staying power. It is good for a night out but I found that when I wear this during the day it tends to crease a bit towards the end of the day and you are left with a bit of a mess. Like I said though nights out it is really good and you can really build the colour. 

I am not going to say this is this most amazing eye shadow ever, because it isn't but for how much it costs it is a good product and worth having even if you won't used it all the time. 

17 is available  in Boots Stores or online here

Boots Botanics | Gentle Cleansing Cream (All Bright)

I have been going on a skin care hunt lately and most of my purchases are just spur of the moment purchases. This is another one of those purchases. I have to say I love going in to boots and just browsing the aisles! I could do it forever.

This is something I picked up on one of these wandering trips.

I think I tried Something from the Botanics range a good couple years ago. It's not something I vividly remember, so I probably wasn't all that good. As I was browsing, the packaging of this caught my eye.

I used to use those horrible make up wipes, why I do not know! I have been using this morning and night, before another cleanser. I use the origins Drink Up intensive over night mask and find in the morning it can leave me a bit oily, so I used this to just take the oil off. At night I use this to take my make up off.

The cream is pretty thin. I wouldn't say it's like really running. It's a bit like a day moisturiser. It's really light on the skin and leaves my skin feeling really soft and clean. It is something you could use  as your main cleanser. I am a bit of a cleansing freak so I use this first then others after, both morning and night, but like I said it is fine used my it's self. With removing make up it works really well. I wear a variety of foundations, from Double wear to a tinted moisturiser and it works well on both. The only area it lets down is on the eyes but that doesn't bother me as I use a different eye make up remover however I know for some this maybe irritating.

As the product states, this is suitable for all skin types. I have normal-dry skin and a friend of mine has oily skin and we found that the product worked well on both skin types. The cream does have a slight scent but nothing that is really noticeable unless you actually sit there and smell it.  As far as I can tell most of the ingredients are natural. I'm no scientist, there are a few ingredients that I am not sure about, but they are last on the list so I assume  that there isn't much of them in the actual product.

I have had this product about 3 weeks and I have gone through about a 1/3 of the bottle, maybe a bit more. But bearing in mind I use this morning and night I think that is pretty good!

I have had a look on the Boots website and it doesn't seem to be available there but I have been into several different boots and have seen it in all of them.

It is £3.99  for 250ml which I think is an amazing price.

I'm not sure if I would repurchase straight away purely because I would like to try some others out, plus I like the idea of maybe finding something that will take my eye make up off too.
But having said that I really do recommend this as it has made my skin SO soft!

Please remember these are my own views on how the product worked on my skin. Results may vary for different people and skin types. 




Love
Miss S
xxx

Soap and Glory | Sugar Crush

Oh how I do love a good body scrub!

I picked this up a whim a couple weeks ago. I haven't used a body scrub in a while and I actually usually turn to lush to my bath/shower products. 

I was in Boots and just happened to look at the Soap and Glory bits and decided to give this a go!

Firstly this tub is pretty sizeable! You get 300ml and this will last ages! I have been using mine for about 2 weeks now and have used about 10% (ish)

The scrub contains brown sugar, sweet lime,almond oil and crushed macadamia grains.

This scrub literally smells AMAZING! You can really smell the sweet lime and it is just so refreshing. I won't say it is particuarly strong smelling. I kind of have to stick my nose right in the pot to smell it, but when you do smell it, it hits you hard! So maybe wouldn't advise for those people that can't stand strong smells. However I love a good citrus smell and could probably sit and smell this all day. I am actually sat here just smelling it as I type. God it is good! haha 

Ok enough about the smell. As a scrub it really isn't to harsh. I have quite fragile skin, you could say, and it doesn't irritate me or leave me all red. I mean it all depends on the pressure you use. About once a week I have a real good scrub with this and on couple of different days I just have a light scrub and have really noticed a difference in my skin. It really does look a lot brighter. Also, it doesn't leave an oily residue on your skin after, which I have found some scrubs do.

I think this product is well worth the money. It cost me £8 and will last me ages, even with pretty regular use.  For me this product is something I can see myself repurchasing many times!

Sugar Crush Body scrub can be bought in a Boots store on Online here
I will also add that there are other body scrubs online as well


Are you a fan of body scrubs?
Any recommendations?


Love
Miss S
xx 

The Bee's Knees

I have been having a lot of trouble with my skin lately, even through my teenage years I never had trouble with combination skin or spots but recently I seem to have some dry patches and a really oily T-zone. I hold my hands up and say I have never been one to care for my skin very well. I always make sure that I take my Make up off at night and every so often I would exfoliate my skin but apart from that I left it.

But with the trouble that I have been having lately, mainly spots on my chin and oily T-zone, I decided it was about time that I kicked up the skin care routine and what a difference it has made. I decided to start out with nothing to fancy in case it made my skin worse (I have very sensitive skin). I also thought it would be better to go with something that was more natural.

I was browsing in Boots when I came across the Burt's Bees stand and after hearing so many positive things about this brand I decided to take the plunge and buy their  Radiance cleanser and toner.

I have been using both of these for a month and I can really see a difference in my skin! It really does seem a lot brighter and even. It is also ridiculously soft! I can't explain how soft it has made my skin. 

 I have carried on exfoliating 3-4 times a week and putting a face mask on at least once a week (Usually on a Sunday when I do a hair treatment too, I do look a picture!) The cleanser is quite thick and lathers up really well and because it is 100% natural you can get closer to your eyes, enabling you to take off any eye make up. The toner does a great job on picking up any dirt that has been left and preparing the skin for a moisturiser (Shall be writing a post about the moisturiser I use soon)

Apart from the obvious changes to my skin I can't really say much else about it as I have nothing to compare it to. I can see this becoming an obsession though!

I would advise these products for people with more oily skin as I did find the toner to be drying especially on areas of already dry skin.

Burt's Bee's Radiance Cleanser and toner is available in Boots, Boots online and on the Burt's Bees Website 

Both costing £9.99 

There is also other products in the range such as the Radiance day cream. 

Love 

Miss S 

xxx

Good as Gold

So I may have gone a little beauty mad lately, pretty sure there are more bits but I can't remember them all.  Seems I have gone a bit mad for Topshop make up. Like I said in my post on my first Topshop make up buy I was a little dubious about the range as I find that shops own make up ranges tend to be a bit of a let down. However Topshop's make up range hasn't disappointed me at all so far.

Topshop Highlighter In 'Sunbeam' 

I love this Highlighter, it gives a lovely golden colour it does however require quite a balance! If you apply just a little to much you can be left looking quite shiny. I'm looking forward to using this on holiday to give a lovely sun kissed look. I Think if you layered it up enough it could make an amazing eye shadow, haven't yet tried it but think it would be worth a little try! You can buy it from Topshop here and for £9.00 it is a reasonable price and worth the money.

Topshop Eye Shadow in 'Good as Gold'

I did also buy a eye shadow in 'Good as Gold' and actually looking at the pictures now realising how the highlighter and eye shadow are pretty much the same colour! oh well can never have too much make up.

Left to right: Barefoot, Forget Me Not, Bee's Knees, Gone Fishing, Parma Violet and VIP

And this is my 'little' nail varnish haul. I have tried several different brands for pastel colours and haven't really been impressed with any of them and because I have been so happy with all the other Topshop varnishes I have bought before I thought it would be worth trying the pastel colours.
I LOVE all of these colours and they go on so evenly. I couldn't get a photo that showed the yellow how it actually is. Its a lot lighter and creamy. They are all going to be colours that well see me through the spring and summer and being only £5.00 each you can't really say no!

bareMinerals Original Foundation in 'Light' 

I had heard so much about bareMinerals foundations I couldn't resit trying some out for myself. Even though I got this in 'light' I still found it was to dark for me and clumps together to much to give an even finish, however I don't feel right now that I have a good enough brush to give an informed decision. I'm planning on buying some more Real Technique brushed and and going to give this another go but for now I won't be using it.
I might even try going a bit lighter and getting the 'fair' and see if that suits me better.
For £24.00 it isn't cheap but I think is a very reasonable price for the quality of the product you get. You can buy it here or alternatively if you have a Fenwicks near you, they have a counter that you can get a consultation.

When it comes to painting my nails I'm pretty impatient. Once I'm done I want to be able to just get on without worrying about ruining my nails, so I went into Boots the other week to see if there was anything I could try and I picked up this Pretty Quick 'Nail Drying Spray'  for £2.80 to give a go. Although it did help dry them a little quicker it still wasn't that quick and the spray left an oily residue on my nails and fingers. For £2.80 it is cheap and is a quick fix. It can be bought here.

I had seen on a Blog a review of the Sally Hansen 'Insta-Dri' top coat that said how good it was and actually worked. So when I went to Bluewater the other day and had some vouchers I justcouldn't resit it! and I am so glad I didn't I wish I had found out about this product years ago I could of saved myself SO much time and effort. I love this product. It really does dry in 30 seconds and has an amazing shine to it. I haven't had a varnish on long enough to see if it lasts the whole 10 days it says it should but I have had my current varnish on for a couple days and I have been doing a bit of manual labour in the garden and no chips in sight. Boots are selling this for £5.99 and also really want to try The Miracle cure  as I do have trouble growing my nails.


As you can see from the beginning picture these are only some of the products I got but I still want to try the others out for a bit longer so I can really see if they make a difference.


Is there any products you just can't resist?

               Love

                   Miss S
                        xxxx