My Beauty Favourites

This week I've been obsessing over all things beauty related! 
Thanks to YouTubers Jaclyn Hill, Melanie Murphy and Tanya Burr I have a list the length of my arm of all their beauty recommendations. I love watching their videos and discovering new products and in turn testing them out myself. Not all of the them though, unfortunately I don't own a money tree. I would definitely recommend watching any of these lovely ladies Youtube channels if you are an avid beauty devotee. I would especially urge you to check out Melanie Murphy's channel if you suffer from the burden that is acne. She has some great tips and solutions to help you combat those pesky spots.  

For today's blog post I thought I would write a quick summary of my current beauty favourites!

1. Sleek MakeUP Highlighter Palette Precious Metals
2. Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat
3. Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick (Minx)
4. LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub
5. Crabtree & Evelyn Ultra-moisturising Hand Therapy (Summer Hill) 
6. The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream 

The Sleek highlighter palette has been on the market for a while now and after reading numerous glowing (ahem) reviews I decided to give it a go myself. This palette is great if you're on a budget and and want to highlight the flip out of those cheek bones but I would definitely throw away that small useless brush that comes along with this product. 

As I mentioned in a previous post the Revlon colorstay diamond top coat is perfect if you don't want your nail varnish to chip after half an hour (we all want that, right?) I usually slick it on over any nail brand and your nail varnish will stay put for 3-4 days.

I received this Illamasqua lipstick in a beauty box I purchased from the Latest in Beauty website at the beginning of this year. I always have this lipstick in my handbag. It's a really easy colour to wear and very long-lasting. 

The Lush lip scrub is great if you have really dry lips like myself. I'm always wearing quite dark lip colours, which tend to dry out my lips so this product is a pretty great lip rescue. I usually use this product before I go to bed and follow it up with a really moisturising lip butter.

I had never tried any products from Crabtree & Evelyn until a few weeks ago when I decided to take advantage of an offer that was in store at the time. I purchased 2 hand lotions (Summer Hill and Somerset Meadow) for £6 (they are originally £9 each) so I was pretty happy with the deal. I absolutely love the smell of Summer Hill, it's quite a subtle scent and really rich and moisturising. Also, while in store I was recommended the 'Gardeners' hand scrub and lotion for those who suffer from painfully dry hands. 

Finally, The Body Shop's vitamin E night cream is a Godsend if you have problem skin. To be honest it did take a few weeks for my skin to adjust to this moisturiser and I did break out in spots but the results are great. I have been using the body shop's vitamin E range for a few years now after being recommended it when I was undergoing treatment for acne, which severely dried out my skin. It's also great for acne scarring! This night cream is my all-time favourite from everything I have mentioned in this post so I suggest you try it out now!


Have a great weekend everyone! And if you are stuck for anything to do this weekend I would suggest you take a wee dander around the Belfast School of Art end of year show. The exhibition runs from the 6th- 13th June and you are guaranteed an array of wonderful work from a diverse range of disciplines! Enjoy! 

LatestinBeauty.com

It's that time of the year again folks! The summer beauty products are hitting the shelves! And for some, this puts the absolute fear of God into them.    

For most women (including myself) summer brings extra panic on making your feet look pretty, your skin look bronzed and of course, every inch of hair removed from your body. In other words, major stress and far too much time wasted! 

Making the transition from your winter beauty regime to your summer regime can be a bit of a pain. That lovely rich moisturiser which you used to banish the dryness of your skin, thanks to the cold winter air, is now a greasy, oily, clogged mess. And those days where you just couldn't be bothered shaving? Well, those days are over my friend.    

Pastel nail colours, bold bright lipsticks, BB creams, CC creams, tinted moisturisers, tanning creams, sun lotions. The list goes on and on. 

But which product do you choose? 

Oh and a heads up on the new hair colour trend. According to the adverts you can now dye your hair 'Bronde'. That's right everyone, Bronde.

(Thanks J-Lo). 

Okay, so I may have the answer to some of your summer beauty woes. And it comes in the form of the Glamour Spring beauty box! The box is full to the brim of all the latest beauty products (high-end and cheap as chips) and it can be purchased right here: http://www.latestinbeauty.com/glamour/ 

I first came across 'Latest In Beauty' last year when I purchased my first beauty box from their website. So far I have bought three beauty boxes and each one did not disappoint. The great thing about this website is that you can test all the latest beauty products at a fraction of the normal retail price.

The best part is, there is no subscription fee and you can basically choose whatever product you want to try. Or, you have the option of choosing a box from one of LIB's collections at a set price. 

The Glamour Spring Beauty Edit box retails at £16.99 and is worth £99. And yes, most of the products are full size with a few exceptions. Believe me, there are no catches!

So what's in the box? (Click the link)

     Morrocanoil Intense Hydrating Mask

Nuxe Creme Fraiche De Beaute Mask

                   Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow             

Beauty UK High Brow Kit

Elie Saab L'eau Couture
Model Co Creme-Rouge Cheek & Lips
Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Longwear Nail Enamel 
Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat
Rimmel Oh My Gloss! Lipgloss

Rather than bore you with a review of each product I thought I would give you a little summary of my favourite items from the box! I would have to say my least-liked product was the Elie Saab fragrance. The scent is quite fresh and floral and I tend to veer away from such aromas in my own perfume choices.

I know, you are probably thinking, another high street brand attempting the gel nail craze?! It's bound to be rubbish? Right? Well, you are very much mistaken. On trying this nail varnish for the first time I was a little doubtful, but after four days of perfect pristine manicured nails I was pretty pleased! And no, I did not sit on my ass for 4 days straight and do absolutely nothing. My nails took quite a bashing in work. The best results are achieved when both products are used together. I applied two layers of this coral shade (130 Pocket Aces) and one layer of the diamond top coat, et voila, long-lasting, shiny summer nails.

I have always wanted to try a Moroccanoil product as I have heard brilliant reviews on this brand. After using this product three times now I am a convert! I have quite thick, curly frizzy hair which can be quite dry at times and the mask is making a big difference to the texture and the general appearance of my hair. I would use it once a week while showering and massage it onto towel tried hair and leave for roughly 10 minutes. I would definitely recommend this if you do suffer from quite unruly hair. 

And finally we have the Model Co creme rouge. I'm definitely not one for using cream blush. I have been using the Benefit Sugarbomb blusher for years now, and I have to admit it is still my favourite. But I have to say that this product is perfect for your summer make-up bag. The colour is quite scary but the super soft and blendable texture means you can add a little or a lot. You can also use this rouge on your lips! The perfect versatile product for that sunshine flush on your cheeks and lips!

I hope this post has given you some summer beauty inspiration and that you may even try some of the latest products gracing the shelves of the shops!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!
(Two days left til the weekend! You can do it!)

My Vampy Valentine

Hello lipstick lovers! 

So this week I thought I would write a small feature on a few lipsticks which I am loving at the moment. And with Valentine's day approaching, a statement crimson or 'vampy' plum shade would be the perfect finishing touch to any outfit if you are planning a night of love-hearts and romance. 

Okay, so Valentine's day aside, I have to say that I do have quite a fondness towards a red or berry lip and it's safe to say I have quite a few of the rouge tints lurking in my make-up bag. Like a classic 'Little Black Dress' there's nothing more chic than a pop of red on the lips! Slick on the red stuff and you're set for the day! Who doesn't feel boosted with bold, look-at-me lips? And no matter what your skin tone you can always find your perfect shade of red. In my opinion a red lip will never go out of fashion!    

(From Left -right) L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Exclusive Reds, 'Blake's' Pure Red - £6.99.
Rimmel Moisture Renew, 380, Dark Night Waterl-oops - £6.49
CHANEL Rouge Coco, Hydrating Creme Lip Colour, 21, Rivoli - £25.00 

If you are looking for a flirty and vibrant shade this Valentine's day, then this is the one for you!  L'Oreal lipsticks never disappoint and this shade in particular will sure as hell get you noticed. Definitely not one for the faint hearted as this colour is quite a bright matte red, and almost appeared neon on my lips. For pale ladies, like myself, this shade would be perfect for you! And with the very lovely Blake Lively's name attached to this product you kinda have to buy it, don't you? Undoubtedly a 'Va Va Voom' lippie.

If you want to make a statement, this blackberry shade is the one for you. Rimmel's moisture renew lipstick does exactly what is says on the packaging. It is extremely hydrating and moisturising, while also packing a 'vampy' pigment punch. The photo above definitely doesn't do it justice. The shade is quite a lot darker on my lips and is very long-lasting. Shout out to my boyfriend's sister for making me aware of my, now, new favourite lipstick! (Thanks Oonagh!)

Okay, so I've only ever owned two Chanel lipsticks in my lifetime, and yes, they can burn a hole in your pocket. But if you are looking for a lipstick that will last forever AND make you feel like a 1950's film star then quick-march to your nearest Chanel beauty counter now! To put it simply, I love this lipstick! The shade is easy to wear, the colour glides on so easily and of course the packaging looks uber-luxe. So if you want to treat yourself (or start hinting at your loved one) I would strongly advise adding a Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick to your make-up collection. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this post! 
So, what shade of scarlet are you applying this month of love? Let me know!