Saturday 30 November 2013

Empties #2

 Due to my hoarding of empty products, there is now an entire drawer in my room full of empty bottles/pots. So without further ado, my empties!

Thursday 28 November 2013

November Favourites

Another month has gone by and these have been the hero products, getting me through the busy-ness (and the stress, coursework has been a killer..)

When going to the shops or just down the road, I didn't particularly want to go fully made-up, so I opted for Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, set with a power and lashings of The Rocket Volum' Express and that was it! Speaking of setting, I have loved the Real Techniques Setting Brush for setting under eye concealer, as well as just for concentrating powder on my oilier areas.


I went neutral on my nails, with Nails Inc. 'Holland Park Avenue' practically all month, it's such a beautiful colour I just couldn't resist not repainting in the same colour! The formulation is pretty chip-prone but paired with a good top coat and I was good to go.


I've been slathering the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment all over my hands this month, because the temperature in London has plummeted- it's freezing, to say the least! Although it's not a very wintery fragrance, I've loved spritzing the Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mist in 'Love Spell', as it has a beautiful cherry and peach scent. 


I can't believe it's almost December, I'm excited to visit Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park soon, that's when I know that Christmas is upon us!

The Liebster Award



Hi everyone, the lovely Katelyn from IHeartWWEAndBeauty and Clare from ClaraBelleRose nominated me for the Liebster Award, it was such a nice gesture! Blogger awards are a great way to get to know other bloggers, so I'm really excited to take part. Since I was nominated twice I decided to put it all in one post (I'm not sure if I can do that, but hey ho!).

Liebster Award Rules
  1. Post 11 random facts about yourself
  2. Answer the 11 questions the awarding blogger has posted for you
  3. Nominate 11 bloggers (with less than 200 followers) for the award and link them in your post
  4. Let the bloggers you have nominated know they are nominated
  5. Create a new set of questions for the nominated bloggers
  6. No tag backs!

11 Random Facts
1. I speak Arabic fluently
2. I'm freakishly tall for a girl- almost 6 ft!
3. I have an older sister
4. I study German, Latin and Classical Greek at school, oh, the grammar!
5. My favourite makeup brand is Benefit, as if that wasn't obvious from all my posts
6. I went to Nepal last year, and it was one of the best trips of my life
7. I was born in Germany 
8. My all-time favourite TV show is How I Met Your Mother, it's LEGENDARY 
9. I am addicted to the game, Quiz Up
10. My favourite author is Jodi Picoult
11. I have seen every single episode of Friends, multiple times!

11 Questions from Katelyn

1. What is your favourite Christmas film?
Definitely Elf, it's such a sweet yet funny movie.

2. Favourite animal?

I love cats, they're lazy- just like me!

3. Favourite Starbucks drink?

Hot chocolate, I'm not much of a coffee/tea gal.

4. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go & who would you take?

Los Angeles, with my parents and my sister, I had so much fun with them in the cold of New York and the heat of LA would be even better, I'm sure.

5. Must have skin product for winter?

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, I can use it on absolutely everything.

6. Who is your celebrity crush?

Leonardo diCaprio, he's still just as beautiful as ever and I won't listen to anybody that says otherwise.

7. When do you normally put up your Christmas tree?

I don't actually celebrate Christmas, so I don't have a Christmas tree

8. What is your all time favourite nail polish?

Dulce de Leche by OPI, it's a neutral, totally wearable shade.

9. What kind of music do you listen to?

A variety, from small indie bands to Capital radio!

10. Have you ever met any celebrities? If so who?

Nobody judge me, but I once met- and hugged- Justin Bieber. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't one of those fan-girls, but it was before he was too famous, before Baby even came out! I went to a little meet up on Tottenham Court Road at Universal Studios and then I met him!

11. What are you most looking forward to in the future?

I'm looking forward to all of my GCSEs being over in June, but sooner than that I'm excited for my trip to Paris this December!

11 Questions from Clare:

1) What is your favourite colour? 
Blue, all different varieties.

2) If you could be anything in the world what would you be?
Somebody who could sit in a penthouse suite testing out beauty products and never having to pay for anything...a girl can dream, can't she?

3) If you were in the Hunger Games, how would you make sure you survived? 
It's funny I got this question because I just got back from watching Catching Fire (really recommend it!) and the whole way through I was just thinking 'Wow, I would die in an instant'. I would probably just hide in a tree for the whole time, I'm quite cowardly like that.

4) What is your favourite food? 
Ooh, this is a hard question, if I could only pick ONE thing I would probably pick this amazing okra and tomato sauce my mum makes, it's sounds gross but it's amazing.

5) If your could do anything in the world what would you do? 
Go skydiving! I've always wanted to go.

6) Where is your favourite place you have been?
I'm stuck between New York, Paris and a lovely little town in Italy called Vernazza. New York and Paris were just magical, seriously how they seem in films, and the shopping was amazing too! But Vernazza is a town that's a little out of the way, you can only access it by driving through the mountains then walking a couple of kilometres or by taking a boat from a neighbouring town, but when you get there, it's all worth it.

7) Who is your Celebrity crush?
As I mentioned before, Leonardo diCaprio!

8) If you could have any super power what would it be?
The power to read people's minds, total invasion of privacy but I need to know what people are thinking at all time!

9) What is your favourite album ever? 
Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay.

10) What have you asked for, for Christmas?
Nothing, I don't celebrate Christmas, but I am going to Paris so that's Christmas enough for me!

11) Can you speak any languages?
I can speak Arabic and a bit of German.


Now for my 11 questions:
1. Where are you from originally?
2. What's your favourite TV show?
3. What is the best trip you've ever been on?
4. If you had an unlimited supply of money, where would you live?
5. What is your favourite restaurant?
6. Which pet would you most like to own?
7. What is the most luxurious thing on your wish list (makeup, clothing or accessories)?
8. Which star sign are you?
9. What is your favourite eyeshadow shade?
10. Where is your favourite pair of jeans from?
11. Why did you choose to start a blog?

11 blogs I nominate:

CeceChic
Karen Kondo
Katy Elizabeth
Sharlotte
The Beauty Journals
Yazziboo
Glamour Kills
Science Behind Beauty
Blogging by Sophie
lists.life.livs



Tuesday 26 November 2013

The Lust List #2

It seems odd that my last 'The Lust List' was in May when all I do is browse online, looking for my next purchases! If I'm honest, generally my 'The Lust List' is a list of products which I want to get, and I would like to try but around half of them are products that will probably have to stay as an image on the list, rather than as an actual item I own!
These are my 5 most-wanted items as of this minute (I say minute because I am prone to changing/adding more items to the list as time goes on!). 

1- Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter- I've heard so much about these but I've never tried them. Every time I go to Boots the testers are broken/melted and so I've never had the chance to find a colour I really like, however they seem like my cup of tea- moisturising but with a hint of colour.

2- Moroccanoil Frizz Control- I'm always on the hunt for that perfect frizz controlling product, so far I've found things that work really well, but they don't go all the way. Morocccanoil, famed for their original treatment, seems like a brand which could possibly offer that kind of product for me.

3- Benefit Whole Lotta Lovin'!- I know, I know, do I really need any more Benefit? My head (and bank account!) say no but my heart cries 'YES!'. It has a mini They're Real, three eyeshadows, a mini Hoola, a mini cream eyeshadow and a mini Boi-ing. This is just £25- yes, you read that right!- and there's many-a 10% off sale, which is made even more tempting by the fact that I have a 10% off voucher too. Somebody keep me away from Debenhams.

4- REN Clearcalm3 Clay Cleanser- My Origins Clear Improvement Mask is dangerously close to finishing and I wanted to try a new clay-based product. From reviews I've read this REN offering seems to be great so I'll have to go and have a look in Space.NK.

5- Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub- I bought a body scrub this summer from Sabon, in Italy, but it seems to have migrated to my parent's bathroom. Mum, Dad- I see you. I really want to try this, smelling amazing and supposedly doing amazing too! Side note: You can always count on Soap & Glory for their punny names- The Breakfast Club fans, anyone?

Monday 18 November 2013

Battle of the Bases

 
 For someone with a beauty blog, I would say that I have a relatively small amount of foundations, but for any normal person I have more than is needed. However, for me, I think that I have the right number to suit me!


I think I've got this balance right- 2 high end and 2 drugstore brands, good enough for me! I don't wear foundation every day, in fact, I only wear it about 1-2 times a week, and that's stretching it! But if I am going to buy a foundation, I usually do my research into it, which I did for the 2 high end foundations but not for the other 2.



 
I'll start with the Bobbi Brown BB Cream, this definitely does not have a matte finish, so I really need a powder on top so it doesn't prove to be too oily during the day. With my skin, it needs a primer underneath for most of the time but if I'm not really doing anything special then it's not essential. It has SPF 35 and is oil-free, really great for those days where you don't want to wear much but you want medium coverage. I don't consider this to be a BB Cream, because I haven't seen any changes in terms of my skin's quality. 


               

Next is my beloved Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation, the kind that is 'your skin but better'! It's lightweight and is very easy to build, it can be used just to look a little fresh-faced or to make yourself up for an event. The longevity is OK, but it works even better when paired with a primer, The POREfessional in particular. 



         


                                    
Now onto the drugstore brands, first is Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, which I bought a couple of years ago then completely forgot about. It is such an amazing product, with a matte finish to suit all oily skin types. On top of that, the coverage is fantastic and easy to blend as well as build. I use either my Real Technique's Stippling Brush or just my fingers, both work very well to get a flawless finish.


   














And lastly is my least favourite of the bunch, Revlon's Photoready BB Cream. First off (and I know this is my fault rather than Revlon's) I swatched it on my hand, like an idiot, and so I bought a shade that's darker than my face! And secondly, it's so greasy that it would just slip off my face. I can't imagine even somebody with normal skin could find this to work for them, because as soon as I put it on it just looked so shiny and oily. That could be down to the SPF 30 that's in it, but I would personally rather wear my own SPF and avoid the greasiness that is this product. So unfortunately, this is a big thumbs down product from me.

So those are my foundations, overall I think that it's actually a tie between the Benefit one and the Maybelline one! They do different things and I use them for different kinds of events, but I still really love them both. 

Saturday 16 November 2013

#BritishBloggerSelection: Week 3- Favourite Clothes Shop


This is my second instalment of #BritishBloggerSelection, if you want to learn more about it read this post. The category this week is 'Favourite Clothes Shop' and it was a toughie! I buy from so many different shops so it was difficult to choose, but my overall victor is ASOS!

Friday 15 November 2013

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

 I finally got to try out the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer after an order from Sephora, which was probably the most exciting part of my year- makeup wise, of course!
It's a much-raved about product for its creamy texture (hence the name) and the great coverage while not looking cake-y at all.


I got the shade 'Ginger' as was matched to me in a Space.NK, and from the swatch it seems like quite a good match- bearing in mind that my hands are darker than my face. However, this oxidises the second it touches my face, even if I've just cleansed, toned and moisturised. I've tried it in so many places around my face and I can't seem to make it work, which is such a shame as the texture and coverage of it is so amazing. The good thing is, as I bought it for $28, it's about £17.50, which I know is still a lot to pay for a product, but it's cheaper than the UK's £21.
I'm really upset that it doesn't seem to be working for me, but I'll keep trying and post if there are any changes!

Sunday 10 November 2013

#BritishBloggerSelection

I'm going to be joining Ellie from Little Vintage Camera's #BritishBloggerSelection, when every week we are emailed a blog theme and we can write a blog post on it.

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoos



One of the most famous products from the high street, the Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoos are cream eyeshadows, often likened as being dupes to MAC Paint Pots

I only have 2 of the Colour Tattoos but they have certainly left an impression on me! As you can tell from the swatches, they are really pigmented. They last all day without a sign of smudging or creasing.

The shade On and On Bronze is a beautiful bronze colour, looking lovely alone or used to prolong and intensify the wear of an eyeshadow. 

Pink Gold is an unusual choice for me, an impulse purchase in the dangerous aisles of Boots! It is the single pink eyeshadow product I own, as it's a colour that doesn't usually suit me. This, however, looks really beautiful as a nice wash of colour on the lid and surprised me as a colour I'd never really used.

The 24 Hour Colour Tattoos retail at about £4.99 each, which is amazing value, but you can catch them when Boots are having their 3 for 2 offer!

Sunday 3 November 2013

Sephora Favourites Super Stars 2013

 Every year around Christmas Sephora come out with a range of value gift sets, and they always have their 'Super Stars' set containing best sellers from the year. This year's set retails for $75 but is valued at around $280! It contains 12 items, some full sized and others very generously sized. They have products from the likes of Smashbox, NARS, Urban Decay, Origins and more, but unfortunately, it's now sold out online, but you might be able to find it in-store.




 First is the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in the shade 'Light'. I'm lucky that this shade works with my winter skin, but to be honest this was a bad idea. So many people have darker skin, they could have at least put Light/Medium or Medium, or perhaps even had a choice of 3 Superstars sets with Light, Medium and Dark. Anyway, getting onto the actual product, this claims to:


  • PRIME: Wear alone, or under your favorite foundation to create a smooth canvas
  • PERFECT: Tinted formula in 5 shades evens out skin for a flawless finish
  • HYDRATE: Improves skin moisture in 4 weeks.
  • PROTECT: SPF 35 guards against UVA/UVB rays
  • CONTROL OIL: Minimizes shine with no chalky finish.


Quite ambitious claims but I'll see how true they are! This is a full-sized product, normally retailing at £27. When you think about it, this kit was $75, which is about £45, so it's really great value for money.

 Next is the mini NARS Duo 'Orgasm/Laguna'. This is an amazing product, small enough to fit in my handbag. The pigmentation is really great, and the colours are beautiful- review to come soon!


 There was a duo of the Urban Decay eyeshadows in 'Sin' and 'Mushroom'. The little container is full sized but each shadow is half, but that's more than enough for me! It's a great little duo, compact and the colours work really lovely together- it's a whole eye look in a small container.


Then there is the full sized Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in 'Black'. This is such a good eyeliner, making it easy to just slightly define the upper lash line or to go full out cat-eye. The longevity is great and, after just shaking it, it's ready to go!

 I've never really been a lipstick kind of gal, being too scared to pick the brighter shades but the nude shades would just wash me out, so I was really glad that this was a pre-picked shade, 'Dolce Vita' NARS lipstick. It's full-sized and is so creamy, the formulation is really nice.


 I don't really do anything with my brows, I leave that to the lady at the salon who waxes them! I have quite thick brows, not really needing to be filled in, but they are pretty wild. This is a deluxe size of the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel, and it's such a nifty little product that I comb through by brows to keep in check- no crispiness, no messiness, simple!


 This is a really interesting product, the Too Faced Better Than False Lashes mascara. It's a two-part product, which literally makes you look like you're wearing false lashes. It works by putting that white stuff, nylon fibres, onto your lashes, then the black mascara over it, really lengthening them. 


 I've never tried this Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb perfume so I, being an avid perfume collector, was excited to try this out. It comes in a handy little roller-ball form and smells incredible- I literally roll this all over my body just so everything smells like it!


 I've wanted to try the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray for a while but couldn't really justify spending so much on it, so I was really pleased to find a mini size of it in the box for me to try. 


 I've wanted to try this Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil for I don't know how long! It's only a mini size, but I use it for everything, nourishing the ends of my hair and even as a serum before my moisturiser.


 I'm a fan of Origins products and really wanted to try their Ginzing range, so to find a full-size of this Ginzing eye cream was great. It's really brightening and moisturising, making it perfect for my dark under-eye circles.


 I always hear about Deborah Lippman nail polishes but have never really had any inclination to try them out, due to their steep prices, but this nail polish in the shade 'Cleopatra in New York' is really beautiful both alone and on top of other colours. In the picture above, you can see I used it as an accent nail over the Barry M Matte Nail Paint in 'Mocha'.


Top-Bottom: Smashbox Photo Ready BB Cream 'Light', Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Eye Liner 'Black', Urban Decay Eyeshadow 'Sin' and 'Mushroom', NARS lipstick 'Dolce Vita'
This post was a long one so well done to those of you who got through to the end! These were just mini reviews of the products but I will be doing full reviews on some of the ones which particularly caught my eye.