Friday Fav| Primark Shoulder Bag

So I was scouting around Primark for a new bag, I’ve been looking for a sort of businessy type of bag, that I could use for a potential job and job interview since I’ve been applying for loads lately. I was actually looking for the Zara City Bag Dupe but they didn’t have it – but I stubbled across this little beauty.

I think that this bag looks more expensive than it actually is (£10) and I’ve had so many compliments on it already in the week that I’ve had it.

There are so many little touches that make it look just that little bit more special.

The small silver edging on the front and little feet, as well as being a rather softish pleather, it is rather more usable than some of the other bags I found which we so stiff you could hardly open them.

It comes with 2 handles, one on the front and one on the back,The bag also comes with a long, completely adjustable shoulder strap which you can easily unclip from the sides and keep in the bag for easy access.

Inside the bag, is a small zip compartment, where you could keep loose change or receipts and on the other side is a phone pocket. It was a little smaller than I wanted, but only by an inch or so, it can still definitely be used to keep your iPad, books, paperwork etc (A4 size) You couldn’t keep a full sized laptop in there however.

Have you found any amazing products in Primark lately? Do you like this bag? Let me know what you think!

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Manicure 7| Golden Goddess & Blush

Another post in the series of manicures. This manicure started off as a themed nail polish for a birthday party. It was meant to be for a disney princess fancy dress birthday party (I was going as the princess and the frog), but due to some of the group being ill we ended up just going out in normal clothes.

So today’s nail polishes show off a new purchase from the e.l.f sale, these colours were from the nail polish set ‘Glam Bam’. I used Blush for the base and Golden Goddess over the top for a bit of sparkle.

The Golden Goddess is not over the top, its covers the nail in hints of golden sparkle with larger golden specks all over, which gives it a magical effect.

They’ve lasted rather well also, no chips or dents and that was with no application of the base or top coat, very impressed.

I really like the overall effect and would definitely use these colours again, you could also get away with this for an everyday nail too, not just going out glam.

What do you think of the e.l.f nail polishes?

Revlon| Lip Butter Peach Parfait

Today I wanted to post about the Revlon lip butters, which I only discovered in the last few months. They are of course seem to be quite big in the blogsphere. So I brought this one in the shade 25 Peach Parfait. But don’t let the name fool you.

It comes in a nice and chic looking packaging in the same colour of the product inside. It’s sturdy and a pretty addition to every purse or make-up bag.

I love this, it’s a pinky, nude colour with a dash of golden glitter through it, even though that’s not really the colour you expect when the shade is PEACH PARFAIT but there you go. There’s no strong scent, and it applies smoothly. One thing I don’t like however is that you can feel a slight grainy texture when you apply it, I assume from the glitter, which isn’t that appealing.

It doesn’t really show up very well on my lips (since mine are quite pigmented), but gives them a nice sheen and makes them look quite pretty. This one is a nice natural colour, and just adds a little bit of shine but not at all over the top. It goes on fairly sheer, but is buildable.

I too suffer with very dry lips so although a lip butter, its not quite moisturising enough me, but put a bit of lip balm underneath and your good to go. It lasts quite well but you’ll need to reapply when you eat or drink.

What shades do you have?

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Manicure 6| Perle de Jade

Today’s manicure features the l’Oreal Paris Color Riche Nail Polish in shade 602, Perle de Jade.

Its a bright pastel green, which is more suitable for the summer and springs months but in this dark weather its the perfect pick me up.

The thing I love most about this nail polish is the brush (which I’ve forgotten to take a picture of) its shaped differently to your normal brush. Instead of being a straight edge, square shape, the bottom edge is slightly curved and pointed which is so much better for a smooth application in the corners of your nails.

The texture is quite watery on the first layer of application but sorts itself out by the second coats and only needs this two coats for a perfect application and look. Bright and colourful its a great shade.

Have you got any of the Color Riche shades, what’s your favourite?

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Clinique| Chubby Stick Intense

Chubby Stick Intense Moisturising Lip Colour Balm is the newest addition of the lip crayon craze by Clinique. It comes in 8 other rich bold colours but I have the shade Plushest Punch.

There is no smell to it whatsoever unlike the Revlon ones which are quite minty in scent. But the colour and consistency is the same as previously renowned sticks.

It provides you with full coverage and has a subtle sheen to it. The pencil has a great consistency, just creamy enough to apply evenly and smoothly but not thick. I do find though that a lip brush comes in handy for when you want an intense lip as the crayon doesn’t seem to get in all the corners and needs some smoothing out occasionally.

I found it to be neither moisturizing nor drying when I put it on. But I would not recommend this for people with dry lips issue as this does not provide adequate moisturisation. But if you are keen to try it out then you would need to layer it on top of a lip balm, just on its own it might not work for you.

The colour is beautiful deep reddish pink shade and it does not contain any glitter or shimmer in it. Sometimes I found the colour to be too intense for me, as it is almost like a red lipstick in the intensity of the colour.

But the shades can be built anyway you like but just adding a hint of colour to the lips. Here are three looks I created, I started of buy blending a tiny amount on the lips just for a hint of colour and slowly added more and more layers.

This is the final look and most intense of the looks on me below, just to show you what it looks like with a full set of makeup. I quite like it. It can be brilliant for a night out when you want to dress yourself up more or blended for a more natural daytime look.

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Birthday Week| Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

Next in the Birthday week series is my current favourite foundation from Bourjois, the Healthy Mix Serum Foundation. I have shade 52 Vanilla.

First thing you notice when using the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation is the smell its fresh and fruity and very prominent. However, the scent disappears instantly on applying it to your face, so don’t let that scare you off giving it ago.

Another thing thats great about this product is the pump it pushes the product up and then out so in my opinion that causes less waste of the product.

The foundation is very light and almost watery in texture. Which is lovely to apply on the face and not cakey or heavy. My skin is currently darker than the shade I have which is due to some after summer tan which I’m sure will fade soon enough with the colder days now in full swing.

The Healthy Mix Serum like other products in this range is great at evening out the complexion and neutralising redness as you can see in my before and after photos. I’d say the coverage is light to medium and I like that the finish isn’t too dewy but not completely matte either.

The coverage is really good, it covered the blemishes and gave a lovely luminosity to the skin. It also feels really hydrating and minimises pores very well. I like the natural skin effect of dewy foundations, but they soon look too oily on me, so this is my preferred finish.

I definitely like the finished result, I think this will be a very good foundation for winter because of its light texture and hydrating finish which is something you need during the colder months.

I find that this foundation lasts quite well through the day on me but needs a touch up of powder after about 5 or so hours.

Have you tried any of the Bourjois Foundations or products? Which is your favourite?

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Birthday Week| Tea Tree Shampoo

Next in this weeks series is my current favourite shampoo; the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo. I used this when I was little and suffered really badly with a dry itchy scalp but hadn’t used it for years until this problem came back. I found another great shampoo the E45 (review here) which is also amazing but this is my current favourite.

The Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shampoo contains special ingredients to help rid your hair of impurities – they mix among other things tea tree oil, peppermint and lavender to help invigorate, moisturise and de-tangle your hair.

Tea tree shampoo has become a popular option for healthy looking hair, especially if you have dandruff and itchy scalp issues. The benefits of tea tree oil shampoos are cleansing without over-drying, helping correct a dry, itchy and flaky scalp, leaving hair lustrous, soft and manageable.

This is one of the larger bottles that they sell but the product is still the same. I love using this product especially during summer since it gives off a “cooling” effect on the scalp. This shampoo is just heaven in a bottle for your scalp and hair.

The best part is that tingling feeling your scalp gets which helps you know that it’s really cleaning your hair and doing some good.

The green in colour shampoo smells of tea tree and is almost minty, it is just a wonderful fresh clean scent. It is safe for use on colour treated hair and is ok for all hair types.

On this larger bottle I found the spout it be great and simple to use however if you do buy the regular size the lid changes to a flip cap which I found to be a little stiff and hard to open with wet hands.

I wouldn’t recommend using this everyday as it can be a little drying with everyday use. It is a cleansing shampoo to get rid of build up.

Have you tried any of Paul Mitchell’s tea tree range, what do you think of them?

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Birthday Week| Pai Skincare Cleanser

Next up this week in the Birthday posts is my favourite cleanser the, Pai Skincare Camellia & Rose Hydrating Cleanser. My first experience of using this was the sample size (link to review here), which ultimately led me to buying the full size product.

This cleanser is a wonderfully thick and creamy one that has a flowery scent, but it isn’t overwhelming. It spreads easily, but is still very thick while still feeling very moisturizing on dry skin and doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight afterwards. It has never irritated my skin at any point.

The Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, although designed for sensitive skin is suitable for all skin types. It’s ingredients are 100% naturally derived, 78% of which are also organic.

This cleanser has an “easy-to-use” pump that distributes just enough cleanser with only one pump – although I do find the pump a little temperamental, but stick with it – the directions actually advice you to use 2-3 pumps but that is way too much 1-2 pumps is more than enough.

This product can be used as a cleanser or a make-up remover, and can be used around the eye area. It’s perfect for sensitive skin.

Camellia oil contains Omega 3 and vitamins A, B & D to condition the skin while it cleanses.
Rose oil helps to retain moisture in the skin. It also has restorative properties to help treat damaged skin, great for people with eczema. Castor oil also features in the ingredients and is known for it’s cleansing abilities. It also contains essential oils like geranium and lavender.

Although I’m only using this in the evenings now, mainly to remove foundations etc. I was originally using it in the morning and evening, although I’m not sure you really need such a deep cleanse in the mornings. But I find using it a night is more beneficial than in the mornings because it is when my skin is at it’s most dry and vulnerable.

I originally thought the muslin cloth that came with it would be much too rough. Simply because the fibres looked coarser and wider apart. However this wasn’t the case at all, it felt really soft yet still providing that gentle exfoliation you need.

The 100ml cleanser cost me £25. Which I’d say is definitely towards the higher end of my budget for a cleanser. However the higher price is reflected in the quality of ingredients and the quality of the product.

If you have sensitive skin or you simply want a gentle cleanser made from naturally derived ingredients, the I’d definitely recommend you give Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser a try.

Have you tried any of the Pai Skincare products? Which is your favourite?

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Birthday Week| Nuxe Reve de Miel

Okay so this is the second post to be posted to celebrate my birthday this week. Celebrating all my current favourite products and this one is a must have ‘holy grail’ product. Already celebrated by a many bloggers Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm is the best lip product I have ever purchased.

I’ve really struggled with dry lips over the months and was using a variety of products to combat the dryness. But using it, it’s no wonder this little balm has made such a big impression.

With no preservatives and no artificial fragrance, this is a naturally nourishing, repairing and non-sticky formula. Full of lovely sounding products like acacia honey, shea butter and precious plant oils, its really helped bring some life back to my lips.

The lip balm has a really nice, subtle lemon scent and has quite a strange texture. It’s matte and very thick which is a nice change to the ‘glossy’ lip balms. Once heated up by your own lips the thickness becomes easier to apply ands stays put.

Cased in a heavy frosted glass pot, this lip balm automatically feels more luxurious than the others and feels expensive and grown up. Lots of reviews recommend this only as a night time balm but on days when you need something extra this has been perfect for the day too. So if you have really thirst craving lips give this a try.

It’s £9.50 which is a bit of a crazy price for a lip balm, but you get a 15ml pot and it’s a great product wouldn’t leave the house now without it!

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Review| Stila Convertible Colour: Gerbera

Stila’s Convertible Color in Gerbera is a perfect peachy pink and great for wearing everyday.

The Convertible Colour products are made to give a flush of colour to lips and cheeks, although personally I only really use them for cheeks; used on my lips I think it washes me out making me even paler than I already am so…

They’re really creamy and pigmented I find the formula is a bit tacky or even sticky but it blends in perfectly for a hint of colour and because the formula is a bit sticky it last longer on the cheeks, without the need for touch ups.

I prefer a minimal no makeup, makeup look so cream blushes really suit me. I apply a little bit to my cheeks with a foundation brush lightly, gently blending and building up the colour until I am happy  – I got this tip from Lisa Eldridge (to watch video click here) I find this technique to be the best for a minimal natural and airbrushed look.

In the picture of me below I have the colour on both my cheeks and lips to show you what they both look like on. It’s quite an expensive product which isn’t the greatest retailing at about £16.00. But it has lasted me ages and there is still quite a bit of cream blush left.

What do you think of the Stila Convertible Colour? What shades do you own?

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