What's in my makeup bag 2015

The last time I wrote one of these blog posts was back in October 2012. Had I have known it was that long ago, I would have done this sooner.

Quite a few of the products have changed and since 2012 I have ditched the BB creams and powder and opted for a single foundation instead. There's an obvious distinction between summer and winter makeup too and it seems that I currently have a bareMinerals and Benefit obsession, but rather than babbling on, here's what I've been storing in my makeup bag in 2015 so far...



Rimmel Wake Me Up Make Up Foundation (£8.99/30ml) has actually been my go-to foundation for a couple of years now and I find it really hard to steer away. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't last the longest but it is great at giving skin a real boost in the mornings. It's super light and does give skin an instant flawless finish. I like to apply mine with a slightly damp makeup sponge (No7 Flawless Finish Sponge).

Benefit BADGal Lash Mascara (£17.50) is a product I received as a gift at Christmas. I'll admit, it's not really my mascara of choice but it's in my makeup bag as a backup and great for popping into your handbag on a night out.

Benefit Porefessional Primer (£22.05/22ml) I absolutely love this product but tend use it quite sparingly, on top of my makeup to stop any particularly greasy areas. This product is a true gem!

bareMinerals Original SPF15 Foundation (£22.50) is probably my most favourite foundation, ever, ever, ever! I was introduced to this around five years or so ago, by a PR friend who insisted that I give it a whirl. Despite being totally anti-powder, I was converted and I've re-purchased ever since!

Benefit Posietint (£22.50) is a bit of an undecided product for me. I like the idea of a tint but hate the shade and therefore, it gets used very rarely. If anyone wants to recommend any other tints with a slightly less than luminous shade, please let me know in the comments below.

Benefit Erase Paste Concealer and Highlighter (£18.45) is another product that I love which is great for masking pesky spots. Although the shade is slightly too dark for my skin tone, dabbing over with a sponge and setting with a little powder blends this concealer perfectly. 

Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Age Reversing Line/Wrinkle Cream (£54/50ml) is currently my moisturiser of choice. I recently blogged about this fab product and explained why I will be sticking with this it for some time. 

bareMinerals Stroke of Light Eye Brightener (£22) was a product that I received as part of the bareMinerals Flawless Future Collection. To be honest, I find highlighters a slight waste of time (someone please tell me how to use this product more effectively) but I keep it in my make-up bag just in case. If you would like to read further, you can do so in my blog post here. 

bareMinerals Frame and Define Brow Styler (£13) is great for a quick fix. Although there isn't much else you can say, the brush on the end is perfect for taming unruly brows. 

Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara (£7.99/9.5ml) I don't want to say too much about this product, because I will be reviewing soon in my Mascara Monologues series. Maybelline claims that this product contains their first "layer reveal brush to capture the tiniest of lashes you didn't know you had" as well as claiming to volumise and define the look of longer lashes. Keep your eyes peeled soon...

L'Oreal Paris Touche Magique Concealer (£8.19) also took pride of place in my makeup bag in 2012 and providing L'Oreal doesn't discontinue it, it will very much remain as my go to concealer for another three years. 

Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream (£25.50) this is a little sample pot I picked up off the internet, because I wanted to see if eye creams were worth the hype. Honestly, no they're not but it makes me feel better about myself knowing that I'm at least one step closer to minimising future wrinkles. 

Benefit Brow Zing (£24.50) a gift from my sister after she swore that this was the best eyebrow product to ever exist on the planet. It's pretty good, doesn't smudge or run and relatively easy to use. Because the brushes are quite small, it's a little fiddly, but nothing you won't get used to after a while. Shades are very limited however, the lightest of the three I find is quite dark for me. 

Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eye Liner (£5.29) I have been using Rimmel's liquid eyeliner since white eyeliner, on the eyelid, coated in brightly coloured eye shadow went out of fashion in the early noughties (if you were born in the late 80s, you will remember this dreadfully embarrassing fashion statement in secondary school). As much as I have tried gel liner, pen liner and pencil, nothing gives that super sleek line like a liquid liner, which is why it is still very much one of my must-have daily makeup products. 

Revlon Colourburst Laquer Balm (£7.99) in my bid to wear more lip products, I purchased this. I suffer horrendously with dry lips in the winter and the Triple Butter Complex has been brilliant at allowing me to wear a lip colour, without drying too much. I would definitely recommend for anyone who wants an easy, daily colour to wear. 

Benefit "That Gal" Brightening Face Primer (£20.25) aside from Porefessional, this is my other favourite primer but instead I apply this to the whole of my face to act as a base. It smells a little like bubblegum, which makes it slightly more fun to wear and really helps makeup stick. 

La Roche-Posay Targeted Breakout Corrector (£9.50/15ml) I blogged about this product back in February in my Best Beauty Products for Blemishes post and raved about how quick-acting this was at diminishing blemishes. This is still a favourite product of mine a year later. 

Max Factor Masterpiece Transform Mascara (£9.99) I have been using this mascara for some time. My favourite part is the brush - it's small which means it coats all of those tiny lashes you usually miss and perfect for bottom lashes too.

Maybelline Line Refine Expression Soft Kohl Liner (discontinued) your pretty standard black, pencil eyeliner which I believe, might have been discontinued. Not a huge wow product - what you see, is what you get. 

Eco Tools Bamboo Domed Bronzer Brush (£9.99) I really like Eco Tools make up brushes mostly because they're quite natural. They're 100% cruelty-free, the handles are made from bamboo and the bristles are extremely plush. They really are a lovely brush to use and don't cost you the earth to purchase!

So there we go, there are a lot of products in my makeup bag at the moment. I'd love to see what you keep in your makeup bag, so please leave links below! 

Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Age Reversing Line/Wrinkle Cream

I’m 27 years old and still very much in wrinkle denial. In fact, I’ve only just noticed that this cream is an anti-wrinkle cream after reading the label. And there was me thinking it was your average moisturiser! [scraps original blog post idea!] Needless to say, I think I may have discovered a moisturiser that I won’t be replacing for some time.

The hardest thing about writing this review is the ability to comment on how well it worked on fine lines. I may only be three years away from turning 30 (yes, I had to stop and think about that for a minute) but I'd say I'm pretty lucky when it comes down to the age of my skin. What I can comment, however, on is how it transformed the appearance and texture of my skin.

This advanced cream essentially helps to rewind the appearance of ageing, giving skin a fresher more radiant look, as well as supposedly plumping out fine lines and wrinkles. After using this moisturiser for a couple of weeks, my skin certainly felt softer and a lot smoother. It's lightweight texture sinks into skin quickly and actually provides the perfect base for make-up. I often suffer with the odd greasy patch on my nose, which can cause make-up to completely slide off my face, but this was great at almost matifying skin.

One other thing that I loved about this moisturiser was the smell. If you have this product, you'll know what I mean. It doesn't have a specific 'scent' but it smells quite fresh and exactly as I believe a moisturiser should smell. 

A little goes a long way with this product, so don't be fooled by the small size. This moisturiser will last you a good couple of weeks if you're using morning and night.   

You can pick up the Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Age Reversing Line/Wrinkle Cream from most drug stores for approximately £54/50ml.

My New Years resolutions...

So we’re nearly two weeks into January and I’m only just getting around to publishing this post. Not because I haven’t wanted too, but instead it’s given me plenty of time to think. Think, because I’ve never actually given myself a new year’s resolution before…

I’ve always been of the impression that if you want to change or better yourself and your lifestyle then, why wait until the start of a new year to do it? If you really want to change something, then you will, there’s no doubt about that. So instead of throwing myself in at the deep end (and inevitably failing) I wanted to set myself goals – goals that I can aim towards throughout the year and look back on at the end of 2015. Goals that aren’t impossible but still make an impact. So here goes…

To keep on top of my anxiety

During 2014 I was diagnosed with having health-related anxiety. Not something I have had for long time but a mental health issue that I was made aware of the year before when I experienced my first panic attack. 

I’ve always been a bit of a worrier and dwell on things far longer than I should. However, worring about my health and panicking every time I felt an ounce of pain, niggle or notice a change in my body, had never been something that I thought would overcome me. In eight months I went from having the attitude of 'it's nothing, stop worrying' to 'I must be dying' or 'I must have some dreadful disease'. 

I was lucky enough to get help in tackling this head on and after doing a lot of my own research and CBT sessions, I understand my anxiety more than ever but I still have a long way to go. Which is why my goal for 2015 is really push my anxiety to its limits and be completely in control, which leads nice too...

To stress less

It's a well known fact, stress does not do anxiety any favours and throughout 2014 I have felt myself becoming more stressed than ever before and most of the things I stress about are so small. 2015 is all about not allowing things to build up and get to me, rising above life's challenges and seeing how small things are in comparison to real problems other people have in the world.

The best way to deal with stress is to tackle it head on - take a step back, three deep breaths and think about the situation. Be it work, home life or money issues, there's never a reason to worry or stress. 

To incorporate a healthier lifestyle

Now I wouldn't exactly say I'm super unhealthy, but I'm not the healthiest person around. Don't get me wrong, I attend the gym whenever I can, I go walking with the dog at least five times a week, but what really lets me down is what I eat. Fruit and vegetables are few and far between. 

With Andrew working away from home four nights a week, I have used the excuse of it being too difficult to cook super healthy meals for one, for far too long. So 2015 is all about incorporating more vegetables into my evening meals and snacking on healthier snacks like fruit and nuts during the day. Opting for the chocolate snacks was becoming too easy and not doing my waistline any good! Now I don't want to jump right in so I want to start off small, incorporating lentils as a good substitute to meat and adding easy vegetables to dinners. Overtime this will become second nature and snacking will hopefully become a thing of the past!

In order to incorporate a healthier lifestyle, that also means becoming a fitter person, which means training more and not making excuses! This goal is going to be tough but I know I can do it and I'm going to keep reminding myself that!

So there we go, that's my three goals. Easy goals that I can work towards and better myself. And with that, here's to a bloody good 2015! 

December favourites

December has been an odd month beauty wise. I've been so wrapped up with Christmas (no pun intended) that I've hardly found the time to try and test new products. Therefore this months favourites are a little on the slim side.

Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser

Boring this product may be, but every beauty addict needs a brush cleanser in their life. I love how easy this product is to use - just spritz a little on your brush and wipe with kitchen roll to clean. 

I like to clean my everyday brushes at least once a week and then give them a deep, thorough clean with Johnsons Baby Shampoo once a month. Clinique's Makeup Brush Cleanser is great at acting as an interim cleaner but there's nothing more satisfying than thoroughly clean brushes.

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss

I blogged about this product back in September and have been loving it ever since - a fantastic product that accompanied many winter looks throughout December. It's a fantastic lipgloss that stays put much longer than any other I have tried and the colour is just perfect too. You can read the full review here.

You can purchase Clinique Make Brush Cleanser (£13/200ml) from all Clinique in store counters and bareMinerals' Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss (£16) from most bareMinerals in store counters. 

Lastly, just a little update - in November I blogged about the Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser. Since using the cleanser I discovered that I was developing copious amounts of zits that were appearing all over my hairline, chin, forehead and neck. When one lot cleared up, another two, three, four would appear. I actually ended up heading to the doctors and being prescribed an acne lotion but this only acted as an interim solution until the next ones appeared. I stopped using the cleanser over Christmas and low and behold my 'acne' cleared up. As much as I loved the idea of the product, it really didn't agree with my skin type. So I am on the lookout for an alternative. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

2014 Jade-Emma in review

Firstly, Merry Christmas. I hope you all had a fantastic couple of days filled with family, friends, food and very little movement. From the sofa that is. Now that Christmas is over and New Years is just around the corner, I thought I would celebrate by giving you a round up of my five most popular blog posts in 2014.

The best beauty products for blemishes - if you want to know my top picks for tackling pesky spots and blemishes, then this blog post is worth a read. I still use most of the products included, but since February I have discovered a few more. Keep your eyes peeled for an updated blemish post soon. 

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Colour Renew Tone-Correcting Shampoo - back when I had my dip-dye I was struggling to find a shampoo that tackled that horrid yellow, brassiness. You know, that awful colour that comes as a result of having your hair bleached. This product was fantastic and in fact still my go-to shampoo that I use once a week. 

Tigi The S Factor "Serious" Conditioner - turns out haircare reviews are pretty popular on Jade-Emma and there was no surprise with this one. The likes of Zoella rave about this deep conditioning treatment and I couldn't agree more. 

The Mascara Monologues: Benefit They're Real Mascara - the hype behind this product at the beginning of 2014 was crazy after receiving as a gift last Christmas, I couldn't wait to share with you guys my personal opinion. And trust me, it's an honest one...

The Mascara Monologues: Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara - probably one of the better products I have received in a Glossybox, but despite loving the idea, I was left a little disappointed. Find out why...

I love looking back at blog posts from the year, it fills me with a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of I still can't quite believe people want to read my blog. So here's to writing more blog posts and a happy, prosperous 2015. 

Homemade Christmas gifts

I've always loved the idea of making little homemade Christmas gifts. Not only are they super cute but they add a little personal touch too. This year I decided to make these cute little hot chocolate pots for two of my closest friends. 

To make this cute little gift, you will need:

One small Kilner jar (or similar)

Good quality hot chocolate

Marshmallows

Chocolate drops

Cute Christmas ribbon to decorate

Firstly, make sure you give your jar a good clean (If you're struggling to find a good jar, I purchased mine from TK Maxx - they have a good selection at a good range of prices) and let it dry. 

Pour in enough hot chocolate to fill half way and then add a layer of chocolate drops (flavour - your choice - however, I went for milk). 

Next add a layer of marshmallows. They can be any marshmallows you wish. I went for slightly larger marshmallows as they're more fun and it means you can allow for a few extra for eating on their own! 

To really give this hot chocolate a kick, I've included a little mini Bailey's Irish Cream bottle. These are super easy to buy, in fact I ordered mine from www.justminatures.co.uk but you must be 18 and over to purchase. 

Lastly, decorate your jar with some cute Christmas ribbon. I ordered mine from eBay, where you can find a huge selection of different colours, patterns and styles.

This mini jar is super cute for Christmas and you don't just have to limit yourself to hot chocolate. Why not make your own gingerbread body scrub or a Christmas cookie mix?

I would love to see your homemade Christmas gifts that you are giving this year. Leave your links below!

Christmas gift guide: your mum and nan

Christmas gift guide part one

Christmas gift guide part two

Two very important women and what better way to show them how much they mean to you with a special Christmas gift. For most of you, buying for your mum or nan is relatively easy however, for a nan who doesn't want much or a mum whose been overly spoilt, here are a few extra gifts to show how much you care...

Starting from top left to right: (1) Scuffette II Slippers (£70) Ugg Australia; (2) L'Occitane Shea Butter Delights (£10) John Lewis; (3) Pandora Moments Charm Bracelet (£55) Pandora; (4) Olivia Burton Women's Midi Date Dial Watch (£70) John Lewis; (5) Personalised Thanks Mum Print (£28) Elephant Grey; (6) Travel Candle Collection (£62) Jo Malone London. 

Keep your eyes peeled for the last instalment of my Christmas gift guide where I will be looking at those last minute gifts for super special fathers and grandads. 

Christmas gift guide: your boyfriend and brother

Christmas gift guide part one.

If your boyfriend/brother is anything like mine, then buying for them at Christmas has to be one of the most challenging tasks. Boys don't really have 'wish lists' like us girls. They like something, they buy it. Simple. So if you're struggling to find something for the special men in your life, here's a quick gift guide with some fab gift ideas

Starting from top left to right: 1. Nutri-Bullet, Selfridges (£149.95); 2. Born Idol Apollo Tee, Urban Outfitters (£28); 3. Personalised Leather Sleeve for iPad, Brit Stitch (£30); 4. Navy Reindeer Christmas Jumper, Topman (£30); 5. Men Collection Grooming Essentials, Clarins (£38); 6. Lonely Planet Instant Expert Book, ASOS (£14.99).

If you enjoyed this, keep your eyes peeled for Christmas gift guide for your mum and nan - there are some fab gifts! 

Christmas gift guide: your best friend and sister

No matter how much you love and enjoy Christmas shopping, there's still those really difficult people who we struggle to buy for. This post looks at those sisters and best friends (because let's face it, some of our best friends are our sisters) who have everything...

Starting from the top, left to right: 1. Navy Check Poncho, Accessorize (£35); 2. Make up Bag, Lola & Gilbert (£12.99); 3. Candy Cane House, Ciate (£25); 4. Black Tartan Check Reversible Scarf, New Look (£14.99); 5. Rose Golden Luxury Set, Zoeva (€65); 6. Leather Stab Stitch Bag, Ted Baker (£149). 

Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment - Christmas gifts for brothers and boyfriends. 

The best of: Autumn 2014

This autumn has been rather quiet and I am thankful for that too. I needed time to recuperate after the most hectic spring and summer of my life. So although I haven't taken many photos this autumn, here are just a few of my favourites...

For the last couple of months we have spent time catching up with friends and family and spending our weekends going on long country walks with our beloved pet pooch.

The middle top photo wasn't a recent one, but it popped up on my Timehop just after Halloween. It was a simple reminder of how much fun I had at university, especially when we had chance to dress up.

The fourth and sixth photos are of our three nieces - the most adorable, beautiful little girls you will ever meet. They brighten up a room and they are a pleasure to spend time with.

Although there wasn't many photos this autumn, I'm looking forward to the excitement, warmth and fun that comes through winter. We've got lots planned and I can't wait to share it with you lot.

I'd love to see your 'best of' blog posts. Leave your links below!

Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser

Facial cleansers, we have a kind of love-hate relationship. I love to use them, but they hate my skin. But all is not lost with the Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Gel. 

This mild cleansing gel is perfect for blemish prone skin. I have been suffering from spots in and around my hairline recently of which I'm putting down to not removing make-up properly. So I figured my skin needed a little more of a helping hand to tackle these problem areas. According to Avene, the cleanser helps purify skin and regulate oil secretion - a breeding ground for blemishes and zits. 

The one thing I love about this cleanser is that although it is soapless, it still has the same consistency of a soap and cleanses just as well, if not better. The Cleanance Gel smells amazing too - not too overpowering but pleasant enough to use daily. 

Although at £11 it may seem slightly more expensive compared to other cleansers, it is worth every single penny. I picked mine up from Boots for £11/200ml. 

For more information on other Eau Thermale Avene products, visit www.avene.co.uk. 

Schwarzkopf Got2B Oil-licious Tame and Shine Styling Oil

I picked up this cute little product while doing a quick shop in Co-op, of all places, for only £4.07 (50ml). And yes, I know what you're all thinking - another styling oil! But this little product packs a pretty good punch. 

The non-greasy formula, packed with Argan Oil, is super light and offers the ability to be used in numerous ways. I personally prefer to apply to newly washed and dried hair, just before styling, but you can also use on damp hair pre-style, to the ends of freshly styled hair to set and tame any fly-aways and to hair pre-wash for extra shine. 

Another great thing about the Tame and Shine Styling Oil is that it makes a fantastic de-tangler after washing too. Considering 50ml may seem like a small amount, a little really does go a long way. 

You can pick this product up from most supermarkets that stock Schwarzkopf products or from www.got2b.schwarzkopf.co.uk.

15 things I've learnt...

Image credit: weheartit  

So, last weekend I turned 27. A relatively good age in my opinion. The wrong side of 25 some others might say. Needless to say that in twenty seven years I have learnt a lot...

 

1 Giving is so much better than receiving: it's totally okay to be more excited about Christmas shopping than the day itself. Likewise for birthdays, Mother's Day, weddings...the list goes on.

 

2 You will still make fashion disasters: Cheryl Fernandez-Versini style combat trousers didn't work for her and they didn't work for me either.

3 You will become more emotional: One Born Every Minute, Don't Tell the Bride and even Hollyoaks, shedding a tear to my much loved television programs has become more frequent than Dodger taking his top off.

4 Wine and chocolate will be best friend (sometimes): the reason being? See above.

5 Make time for those who matter: my father once told me that when I become an actual grown up, counting my best friends on one hand would be normal and right he was. But this isn't a bad thing by any means.

6 You meet some rather amazing people: as I've aged, I've developed more friendships than I ever did as an adolescent, all of which I know are lifelong.

7 Staying in is the new going out: there's no denying it, enjoying a glass of wine with the TV definitely trumps a sweaty nightclub.

8 Grown up drinks become more grown up: wine is enjoyed with dinner and not in the bottle with a straw!

9 Its okay, not to be okay.

10 You won't take BS from anyone: with age comes the ability to stand up for yourselves, be it in the workplace, out and about or sadly, over social media.

11 ...But you'll always be polite: temper tantrums and awkward arguments are a no-no.

12 It's normal to have more than three weddings in a summer: all of which will be special, exciting and magical in their own way.

13 Grown up talk turns to bills and babies: no more boys and bad nights out!

14 But you become less scared to say what you think: honesty is always the best policy.

15 It's okay to ask for help: growing up means standing on our own two feet, but sometimes we all need a helping hand and it's okay to admit it.

What about you? I'd love to hear yours?

Autumn nails

Autumn is definitely one of my favourite seasons. The night’s drawing in, fashion gets warmer and autumn nails really pop.
 

This autumn, nail trends couldn't be more, well, autumn. From fancy fuscias to dark greens – there’s a nail colour to suit every single style. Here’s a selection of a few of my favourites.

Going nude

The great thing about nude polishes is that there is a shade to suit every skin tone – from super subtle transparent hues to dark, opaque tones – there are hundreds to choose from.

This autumn I will be sticking to a slightly lighter shade with a pink hint. I find that lighter toned nudes really flatter pale skin, like my own. My favourite at the moment is Charlotte Street from Nails inc (£12)

Make like a tree...

It goes without saying that the autumn months bring out the most beautiful, natural colours so why not reflect these on your nails. Dark blues and mossy greens are right on trend this autumn and were seen on the catwalks of Julian McDonald and Burberry. 

I love British Racing Green by Butter London (£12) and Max Factor’s Prusian Blue (£3.99).

A different shade of red

Red – a classic shade that can really pop. This season, the deeper and more orange, the better! 

To really add a hint of autumn go for a slight shimmering shade like Butter London’s Sun Baker (£12) and Models Own Tropical Sun (£4.99) from the Beetlejuice collection.

Heavy metal

Need a nail colour for those dark, autumn evenings? Metal based polishes are always hit at party season and can add instant wow to a simple party outfit. This season I love Chanel in Black Pearl (£18).

For those of you who prefer simple, classic outfits, adding a metallic nail can really finish it off. Something like Essie Shifting Power (£7.99) or if you want to try something a little different, nail wraps are perfect. Rebel Nails offer a huge range of nail wraps from Bright Mirror Nail Wraps (£7.99) to 22 Carat Gold Stunning Swirl (£14.95).

 

So with plenty of choice, I know I’m definitely going to have fun with my nails this autumn.

I would love to see your autumn nails – leave links to your blogs below! 

The Mascara Monologues: bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara

So, you may have recently read one of my blog posts last month – bareMinerals a Flawless Future Collection (if not, you can have a sneak peak here). I raved about how much I loved this collection, but didn’t divulge much information about the Flawless Definition Mascara. That’s because I wanted to dedicate a whole separate post (because I loved this product ALOT!). So here goes...

When I started writing the Mascara Monologues I never imagined that I would come across a mascara that I well and truly loved. All the others have been a bit mediocre, so I came to the conclusion that maybe I just had high expectations. However, this beaut left me more than impressed.

When you look at the product from the outside, it’s not the type of product that would stand out on the shelf. Its matte black...and...that’s about it. The wand is...simple...and...that’s about it. What else is there to love? But this mascara is so god damn good!

First of all, the small 360 fine-toothed wand comb grabs and coats every single eyelash, even those hard-to-reach lashes in the corners. It covers them and gives them a dramatic lift replicating those that false eyelashes create. Lashes look full of volume and defined. The staying power is incredible too – one coat is enough to last you from day to night and it doesn’t smudge, run or disappear.

The bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara has to be my favourite mascara to date and I will definitely repurchase again and again. Or at least until another fantastic product comes along.

The bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara is available from www.bareminerals.co.uk for £16/10ml. 

What did you think of the bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara? Do you have any others you could recommend?

bareMinerals: a Flawless Future Collection

If you are regular reader of this blog then you will know how much I adore bareMinerals make-up. So imagine the squeal that left my mouth when I recently discovered a fabulous offer on Feel Unique (via Money Saving Expert).

Now, I have never purchased a ‘group’ of products like these. It has been the occasional item here and there, so the whole bulk buy is new to me and also one of those things where I will plan on using every single item, when in hindsight I won’t. Needless to say, I absolutely love them.

I won’t talk too much about the Original SPF Foundation because I have previously spoken about it here, but the other products are also great. To start with the Clear Radiance All-Over Face Colour is great for giving complexion a quick boost. During winter we start to lose our natural summer glow and this is great for giving skin a subtle hint of radiance without looking too overdone.

Secondly, the Frame & Define Brow Styler (in Universal Taupe) is just your simple eyebrow pencil. I really, really like this product and its all down to how slim the nib is. I usually use a well-known Benefit eyebrow product, but often find the brush really hard to work with, so the Brow Styler from bareMinerals is perfect, plus the colour is a very good match too – I have mousy brows so finding a colour that isn’t too dark is often quite difficult.

I’m not really a huge fan of highlighters. They’re one of those products that I know are important, yet I’m really unsure on how to use them (note to self: must YouTube) and therefore they end up sitting in a drawer until they’re ready to be thrown out. I imagine the same habit will follow with the Stroke of Light Eye Brightener. bareMinerals claim to immediately brighten and defuse dark shadows around the eye area, as well as reducing the appearance of fine lines over time. Now, as much as I want to believe this, I’m not sure I can. I thought this was what eye creams and concealers were for, but we shall see.

Now the Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss (in Go Getter) is, by far, the most impressive product in this collection. I usually HATE, and hate is a very strong word, lipgloss – they’re sticky, slippery and disappear within minutes and trust me, I have tried a fair few. I put this to the test at the weekend. I was drinking and eating and it did a real good job of staying put and I only reapplied on a couple of occasions. The colour is nice too, a subtle pink that can be worn anytime – day or night.

Now, I really don’t want to discuss the last product, Flawless Definition Mascara too much because I will be reviewing it in my Mascara Monologues series. But I will let you into a little secret – it got me more excited that the gloss. So keep your eyes peeled soon.

All of these bareMinerals products can be purchased from www.bareminerals.co.uk or www.feelunique.co.uk. Prices are below:

Original SPF Foundation £25
Clear Radiance All-Over Face Colour £19
Frame & Define Brow Styler £13
Stroke of Light Eye Brightener £22
Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss £16
Flawless Definition Mascara £16

The best of: Summer 2014

Can you believe that we're almost half way through September already? No, neither can I! But with the nights drawing in I think it's fair to say that summer is officially over.

There's only one word to describe my summer and that was BUSY! Nearly every weekend has been filled with socialising, weddings, hen parties and holidays. But as much as I have enjoyed the summer of 2014, I am definitely looking forward to sitting back and spending a few cosy nights indoors during autumn. So to celebrate this summer, here's just a few of my favourite summer snaps this year...

The start of summer was definitely one of the busiest I think we've ever had. Firstly, we saw two of our best friends tie the knot and then three days later jumped on a plane to Thailand, landing in Bangkok before heading over to Koh Samui. We created so many memories - from holding baby monkeys and riding elephants to enjoying the nightlife of Khoa San Road and eating the most delicious food we have ever had!

This summer has also been spent creating memories at Eminem's Wembley Stadium concert, seeing an old university friend marry her prince charming and spending the weekend at The Mere Resort Golf & Spa in Cheshire for relaxing pre-wedding celebrations!

I think it's fair to say, this summer has been one of the best and I can't wait to see what autumn and winter have to offer.

I'd love to see your blog posts like this one. If you have any, please leave your links below!

Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask

You know when you impulse buy a product on a whim, well this was one of those. Naturally, I had ran out of my usual leave-in conditioner and needed a new one to replace it. I'm not quite sure what made me pick up this one, but it was a pretty good choice. 

I really don't get on with Toni & Guy shampoos and conditioners but they're styling products are pretty spot on, plus they're affordable too (and cheaper than some other haircare products that are no where near as impressive). The Nourish Reconstruction Mask, however, was really pleasant to use. Made with a deep conditioning formula, it provides advanced repair and replenishment for distressed hair, and after years of colour and heat damage, my hair needs all the help it can get. 

The Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask is applied to freshly shampooed, damp hair and left for between 3-5 minutes before rinsing out. By leaving it in for longer than your average conditioner, it deeply penetrates the hair follicles to repair and replenish any lost moisture. I have been using it for the last couple of weeks and have definitely noticed a difference. 

Apart from its conditioning properties, the one thing that really sells this product to me is the smell. You know that smell that you only get from visiting the hairdressers? Well this hair mask has that.

If you're looking for a hair repair mask that intensely nourishes, then I would certainly recommend this one. It's affordable, at £6.29/200ml, and will last a considerable amount of time too. 

The Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask is available from most drug stores, but you can also purchase from www.toniandguy.com. 

Dear eighteen-year-old me

So, A Level results haven’t long been announced which led me to think about what might have been going through my mind at the tender age of eighteen (most probably boys, fashion and partying – oh what a hard life I lived) and after reading Lauren Conrad’s letter, it spurred me on to write my own…

Never have any fear

There’s no doubt about it that being a teenager is tough but always try and remember to never have any fear, especially when it comes to starting university. University is a daunting process – you will leave family and friends behind – but cherish the time, the memories and the friendships that you make – these will last a lifetime. Make time to travel too as the world has so much to offer and there is so much to see outside of that small town you live in. But one of the biggest things of all – never worry about what people think of you. Those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.

Parents know best

Despite thinking that dad knows nothing, trust me when I tell you that he knows everything and more. A problem shared is a problem halved and dad is pretty darn good at halving them. But don’t listen to him when he tells you that your hand will fall off if you wear a hair bobble around your wrist. Eight years later and both hands are still intact!

Always remove your make up before bedtime

Rolling in at 4am should never be an excuse not to remove your make up, despite how drunk or tired you are. Do it religiously now and you will reap the rewards later on. Stick with cleansing, toning and moisturising just like you did at sixteen – but don’t forget to exfoliate too. The same goes for SPF. As much as you think that using a low factor sun cream will give you a glowing tan, it won’t protect your fair English skin. Take time to look after it, you only get one chance.

So there goes, what advice would you give to your eighteen-year-old self if you had the opportunity? Leave your links below!

Four years blogging: My top ten

(Image credit)

I can't believe that I have been blogging for nearly four years!

I first started this blog back in 2010. It was my way of expressing how I felt about beauty products aimed at women my own age. At the time I was writing for a national magazine aimed at women over sixty and although I had access to the latest beauty products, I never had the opportunity to write about them and express my own personal opinion, that was until I set up this blog.

You may be thinking, four years is a long time and you don’t have many followers, well I never started this blog to have ‘followers’. I enjoyed writing for me and although it was great to see that my posts were being read, I never actively promoted it.

So as a celebration of four years, I decided to give you a run down of my favourite top ten posts that I have written over the years:

1: Bare Minerals Prime Time Brightening Primer

Reading back over my early blog posts, I often wrote in non-biased way – I tried not to give too much of an opinion, which as a blogger is key. But I put this down to my journalistic background. However, I have chosen this post because this is where my love for Bare Minerals began and I was totally won over by their fantastic products that I still use them today.

2: Bad beauty habits

I chose to put this in my top ten because it was a really different blog post for me. I often don’t like to write about myself but I actually really enjoyed it in the end. It was interesting to see that I had quite a few bad beauty habits and I loved being able to share them with you all.

3: Garnier 2-in-1 Pure Active Spot Roll-On

The Garnier 2-in-1 Pure Active Spot Roll-On is an odd blog post for me to pick. When I look back over the post, I really dislike it. The images are dreadful and I don’t really delve into too much detail. However, this is my second most read post on my blog so I felt that it deserved a place in my top ten.

4: Bare Minerals Skincare

Again, my love for Bare Minerals grows and they really smashed it out of the park with their first skincare range. I absolutely loved reviewing these products and I actually went on to re-purchase the Pure Transformation Night Treatment.

5: What’s in my handbag

My very first ‘what’s in my...’ and still one of my favourite type of posts to write. I love looking at what other bloggers store in their handbags – it makes me realise that I’m not the only person who carries a lot of crap around with them!

6: My holiday saviour

This post was named ‘My holiday saviour’ because it actually was! I’m quite fair-skinned and can burn quite easily, especially on delicate areas like my nose and ears, so this product came in super handy on a previous trip to Egypt. I still have this product and won’t go anywhere in summer without it.

7: Nail decals

This was a really exciting blog post to write because it was a slight challenge getting the decals to work. If I remember right, it took me quite a few goes to finally get them spot on, and I was so impressed with the outcome. In fact, it has spurred me on to try them again!

8: The Mascara Monologues: An introduction

The Mascara Monologues was an idea that stemmed back when I was writing for living. After speaking to the girls I was working with at the time, we all agreed that we had never come across a mascara that we truly loved. So as a sub-section to the blog, The Mascara Monologues was born.

9: No More White Bits

This is an odd choice to place in my top ten, but the reason is because is that it is actually my most read post to date. Every month I get hit upon hit and I’m never sure why. Maybe a lot of people Google ‘no more white bits’, who knows, but this one is actually about a fake tan brand.

10: The best beauty products for blemishes

I chose to include this post in my top ten because it is includes one of my favourite images that I have ever taken. My lovely boyfriend bought me a new camera for Christmas and I couldn’t wait to give it go and show off the new images on my blog!

I would love to see your top ten posts, leave your links below!