Elizabeth & James - Nirvana White

I got this for Christmas off my parents, I had been longing over trying either the black or the white fragrance since their release. Well I'll let you into a secret which I am not one bit ashamed of. Since childhood I have been obsessed with the Olsen twins, it all started with the films, the books, the tv series. They even had a line of clothing and makeup in Asda and I used to always pick something from it on a special occasion just because I thought that they were it. I think at the time idolising them was the norm within girls my age just because they exploded on to the scene and were such a global success. There is no denying that I still watch the movies because they were just great and bring back only happy memories. Me and my best friend still call each other MK & A till this day when we're being cute!

So now you know I was a pretty big fan you probably have guessed the reason why I wanted to try the perfume. After their teenage success they have gone on to be incredibly well known in the fashion industry and have a variety of clothing lines. Elizabeth and James (their younger sister and brother) is the name of one of their clothing collections, and they have branched out from there with the realise of the perfumes. I think people were intrigued to find out the scents they had chosen for the black and white fragrances. There has been a buzz around the white fragrance in particularly on the blogging front. I tried to get this back in Sephora in Majorca last August but they did not have it, so I am not sure if this is exclusive to Sephoras in America. As this came from Sephora in New York I didn't personally have the opportunity to smell for myself the difference between them. I am one of those girls who loves fruity scents and this is the absolute complete opposite. Therefore it took me a good few days to get use to it and decide whether I actually liked it or not. I continued to apply it and every morning I would intensely smell where applied to see if I had grown to love it anymore. I kept asking friends their views and they were mostly positive. But I think if it had been one of my friends asking me it would of initially of been a negative response from me, due to it being so different to my usual choice. The scents of the perfume are musk, peony and mugnet which make a perfect blend. The perfume is long lasting and settles into the skin nicely, I would describe it as a feminine fragrance. I came to the conclusion that I do really love the perfume, it is just polar opposite to what I usually wear but that's a great thing and to me this is just something which took me time to get used to. There is three sizes of the perfume a rollerball which is ultimately a perfect size for your handbag. I got this for my best friend for Christmas and I felt like it was a really thoughtful present. I would definitely pick this smaller version up for myself if anyone was taking any Sephora trips any time soon, as it's just so convenient to pop into your handbag when your on the go. This rollerball costs $22 for 0.34oz. The size which I got was the 1oz which costs $55, and there is a 1.7oz for $75. Lastly I would like to mention the bottle because I think it's really lovely and looks expensive sat on your dressing table, with the intercut detail.

Have you tried either of the Elizabeth and James perfumes? 

Lucy 

Xoxo 

Top 5 MAC Nudes

MAC are known for their phenomenal range of lipsticks, and they are the brand which I always head to as you know that there will be always be that perfect colour which you have been lusting after on the display. From left to right I feel give you a run down on why these are my favourite five and I hope I give you some lipstick inspiration!

Velvet Teddy featured in my New York Haul as after Kylie Jenner stated that this is what gives her huge lips it is now very hard to track down in the UK. Thankfully my sister managed to get it for me from Macy's. It is a matte nude which can be worn as an everyday, I have found that matte does not suit me as much as something with a sheen running through it. Although, I think that is just preference and it does look lovely on the lips. If you do not want such a strong nude you can pat it out to make it more suitable to your liking, it is also has excellent lasting power on the lips. If I was to imagine a 'nude' lipstick it would be this, it has a slight bronze tone but all round the description of it in one word is nude.

Brave has a satin finish which means it in between the matte and the lustre finish. On those days when I am not feeling Syrup this is always my opposing pick as it is just a little darker and adds a most bolder lip to a simple look. This is also a long this Kylie Jenner vibes and it creates a stronger look and I prefer the texture of this to Velvet Teddy.

Now after I had taken the pictures for this blog post I discovered that the name of this lipstick had rubbed off to my delight. I have searched the internet for hours trying to find what the name of it is but I just do not know what it is, and my memory seems to have been swiped. All I know is that it is an amplified finish but on the MAC website under the amplified finishes section none of them matched this one. Which means that I have concluded that it must have discontinued unless, someone clever reader has this and can put my mind at rest - pretty please!! There is barely any of this left so I am going to have to go to MAC and solve the problem if possible because it is such a lovely colour. It has pink tones running it and is the darkest of them all.

Syrup has purple and pink tones running throughout, and is my favourite on the whole bunch, it is my go to in the morning when I haven't got time to think about what colour I want to wear that day. You can tell its my most worn as out of them all it has the least amount left. It is a lustre effect meaning it is soft and creamy on the lips.When someone asks me to suggest a new lipstick surrounding a nude/purple toned I would always suggest this without a doubt. I do not think anyone would not like this, which is a strong statement, but I am yet to find someone who disagrees.

Patisserie the lightest of the bunch and a Lily Pebbles recommendation. It is lighter than I thought it would be but it really lovely for a pretty girly everyday look. Another lustre finish which is my favourite as it leaves a sheen gloss across the lips. This has lighter pink tones running through it making it perfect if you don't like anything too noticeable or overpowering. Worn with a gloss it can create a great combination, I usually go with Charlotte Tilsbury in Sweet Stiletto.

Have you got any other shades which you think would fit into my collection perfectly? if so please leave your suggestions below.

Lucy
xoxo

Love Tanya

Whether you love the idea of beauty bloggers releasing books or loathe it, out of them all to me Tanya Burr is the person who I always can guarantee to rely on with when it comes to makeup advice and tutorials. So when she brought out the book, I was intrigued to find out what it was all about, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. She has had so much success with her blog and YouTube channel lately, and her audience is obviously loving what she is doing, so why not realise a book all about it.

I like how the book starts letting you into Tanya's childhood and her upbringing as it makes you feel like you are able to relate to her throughout the book and the ins and outs of her life. The part which I most enjoyed was the Beauty section as it is something which really interests me, and Tanya always has the most glowing skin. She does delve into her skincare routine in depth and explains her top tips for creating great skin. I find that she always manages to produce such beautiful makeup looks in a matter of minutes and nothing is ever to complicated or over the top. She gives a lot of advice throughout this section and features her favourite products both skincare and makeup. I love how much recognition and how grateful she is to Sam and Nic Chapman for encouraging her to follow her ambitions, and giving her the opportunities at the start of her career which really helped her to get to grips with the basics to the makeup artist role. She tells the story behind her Tanya Burr Cosmetics line, I am a personal fan and her lip glosses are really great and such good value at £6.99 which are sold in Superdrug. I am a sucker for a good love story and her and Jim's is just so cute and you can tell how much they love each other through how shes portrays him within the book. She shows so much personality within the book and I love how within the Fashion section she says how she has her own individual style and it has taken her a while to be get used to her shape. I think all girls can relate to this as it does take time for you to distinguish what does and what doesn't suit you and sometimes you just have to understand that not all things are going to show you off in the best possible way. The book also includes a Baking section and Tanya always says on her vlogs how popular her baking videos are, and it seems to have taken a firm place within her channel. She expresses how much she likes to bake and I think there are some really lovely bakes in her book which I am looking forward to trying out.

All in all I think that because there has been many YouTubers releasing books in whatever form within weeks of each other it has received a lot of negativity, which I think is a shame. The publishing company's have been clever they know the amount of millions of followers these guys have and they also know how well they could potentially sell. In reality if you got offered the opportunity to write a book like Tanya on something you feel passionate about then why not! Lastly don't bother going to WHSmiths or Waterstones and paying full price for it, head to Asda or order it online as it is currently only £7, and it won't be a waste of money.

Lucy
xoxo

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

It has taken my a while to get round to blogging about this palette of absolute beauty. Blush is definitely not something that I naturally venture towards when makeup shopping, I seem to have only own two or three which I stick to as I no I can rely on them. But this palette really caught my eye and I have been wanting to try Hourglass products for a while, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. There was a hell of a lot of hype around the realise of this palette since the success of the company's Ambient Lighting Powder. I was lucky enough that my sister managed to pick this is up for me whilst on her trip to New York as I had been lusting it over it since its realise. In Sephora it costs $58 which is approximately £37 compared to UK stockists such as Space NK and John Lewis  where the price tag is £56, quite a hefty difference. You are able to buy these individually for £28 for 4.2g or in the palette each shade is 3.3g. The three blushes from left to right are Luminous Flush, Incandescent Electra and Mood Exposure. I love how the three colours are completely different shades going from a baby pink into a lilac shade.

Luminous Flush is the one that I would class as my classic go to shade when I am out shopping for a new blusher to add to my collection. It contains the pink shimmery tones and adds a lovely pop of colour to the cheek bones. I swatched it to compare it to my two previous go to blushes both from MAC, which are Stereorose (not online) and Peachykeens and it falls somewhere right in between, which pretty much makes it the perfect shade. Its light and looks radiant on the skin adding a glow which reflects perfectly on the cheeks.

Incandescent Electra is exclusive to the Ambient Lighting Blush Palette. This is the lightest shade within the palette and I think you can wear this as a pretty girly shade to the cheeks, or wear it softly above the cheekbones as an illuminate/highlighter. It is a great addition to the palette as if you do not like a flush of colour on the cheek that is worn to be seen then this is the perfect alternative.

I was very intrigued by how Mood Exposure would show on the skin, I have never seen a shade of blush containing this amount of  purple tones running through it. On the skin I can safely say it looks completely different to how it does in the pan, it definitely has a lot more pink tones running through than at first glance. It is the deepest colour of the three but it still wearable for daytime, it adds a lot of depth to the cheeks.

The texture of these blushes are so smooth and glide on to the skin with ease, the pigmentation is excellent and transfers on to the skin perfectly. This palette contains such different shades that you can carry and use this on all occasions depending on if you prefer lighter more subtle cheeks or a more stronger and heavier look. Lastly, I have to say that these all contain more shimmer than I first thought, so if you prefer a matte blusher these are differently not something for you to choose. But if your like me and adore shimmery cheekbones then I suggest you get ordering from Sephora. These are also great for any flash photography as the finishing powders are made and formulated to enhance the skin in any kind of light and refine the appearance of your complexion.

Lucy
xoxo

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil

I recently took a little trip to the Charlotte Tilsbury counter in Selfridge's. I took an instant like to the stand containing all the eye products and the colour chameleon eyeshadow pencils looked very interesting. The stand had great organisation and it splits the products into eye colours as Charlotte has created specific shades to suit each eye colour - what a perfect idea! She has also created a day and night look for each colour of eye, so everyone has two options. So naturally I started to look at the blue eyes part of the stand and the colour Champagne Diamonds instantly caught my attention, it was the daytime colour. There was some other great shades for all the different eye colours on the stand, and I would definitely venture out and would not just necessarily choose the colour which it is tailored for. The formula was smooth and incredibly pigmented with one swipe. The lovely makeup assistant told me that they are quick drying so once applied to work fast and quickly blend it to your preferred look. The formula is quite thick, meaning it does stay where it is suppose to, on the eyes this adds a real pop of colour and looks really lovely with a thin line of eyeliner along the top lash line. It has a shimmer running through it, which is a personal preference as I prefer something more shimmery for daytime than matte. This does not come cheap at £19 but I think it is a definite investment for your makeup stash, it will also last a while as you do not need much to create the acquired wash of colour across the eye. I have already added one of the night time shades - Bronzed Garnet to my never ending makeup wishlist.

Lucy
xoxo

La Roche Posay Serozinc Toner & Cicaplast Lips

I recently made a sneaky order on Escentual.com, I have ordered from there previously and have always experienced excellent service. If you are a regular reader you will no that La Roche-Posay is fast becoming one of my favourite brands for products which get the job done. Throughout the year the site has 15% of all French pharmacies so I thought I would take advantage and order a few bits which have been on my skincare wish list for a while.

Serozinc is a much anticipated toner which has become globally well known for it wonders, my skincare bloggers have repeatedly recommended it as something to in cooperate into your daily skincare routine. It states it is for oily blemish prone skin, my skin is more dry than oily, but it definitely falls into the blemish prone category without a doubt. I have been trying to establish a more defined skincare routine. This is usually costs £8.50, but with the current discount it is £7.20, which I think is an absolute skincare steal. This only arrived in the UK at the beginning of the year and there has been a lot of hype surrounding its arrival. Many people used to buy in bulk when on vacation in France, but thankfully this site has taken it under their wing. I have been testing it out this week after cleansing and before the application of my moisturiser, I have noticed that it leaves your face feeling refreshed and cooling. It contains three active ingredients - soothing water, zinc sulphate and sodium chloride. This combination aims to target blemishes and get rid of excess oil, all sounds very impressive to me.

Cicaplast  states to intensively replenish chapped lips. It is a step up from the Ceralip which I recently reviewed and you can have a read of that post here. I changed it up and started using this as I had not used any lip treatments in a few days and the soreness had started to flare up again. It was particularly sore right at the top of my lips at my cupids bow which was very dry. I applied this heavily and it has quite a thick consistency but it is so soft and it feels like it is working instantly. It does not have a flavour or have any kind of tingling effect, it just feels like a thick balm. It clearly claims to be a barrier repairing balm and that is perfect description for it. The main difference between the two is this one feels a bit thicker in consistency but I think this has helped them repair that little bit quicker s it a more intense treatment. This is usually £6.00 but with the current offer it is £5.20 which to me is definitely a drugstore price, and I think it is much better than anything currently out there on the high street with this price point.

Have you tried either of these products?

Lucy
xoxo

Real Techniques: Bold Metal Collection - 201 Pointed Crease

This collection have been at the very top of my wishlist since I first heard Sam and Nic talk about their release. There was a lot of speculation surrounding the price of this new collection, if you would like more detail about the brushes Pixiwoo themselves they made a YouTube video which you can watch here. Within the video they state how since the release of the original line they have always wanted to bring out a line which is a little  bit more luxury. They explain the increase in price of the new line is due to the quality of these new brushes, and these are to essentially compete with the more expensive rather than drugstore brands. They are still sold  in Boots as they want them to still be widely available, which I think it great meaning everyone is able to get their hands on them. On the Boots website  you can have a more in depth look at each brush, and you can also order them and have them delivered if it is easier or your Boots does not have the stock currently in.

Due to the demand and the release of this range three weeks ago they have been sold out online and in store, but thankfully they seem to be restocking at the moment. I looked in the Trafford Centre store and they had the entire line stocked to the brim on the shelves, which meant it took me approximately twenty or so minutes to decide exactly what I wanted to pick up. For once I was good and told myself just to pick up one for now as I can always buy more. I finally made the decision and picked up the 201 - Pointed Crease Eye Brush. The price was £12 which is still much cheaper than the £18-£25 which most high end brands charge for a similar style of brush. The reason I went for this one was I thought it could be a perfect combination along side my staple 217 MAC eyeshadow brush. As this is a crease brush I am hoping they work like two peas in a pod along side each other. The brush is so soft and you can tell that the bristles are densely packed and different lengths going into the arrow shape. This collection of brushes to me do look more luxury and look great perched on your dressing table.

Whilst I was in Boots I also fell in love with the 300 - Tapered Blush Brush even my sister who likes make up but is not too fussed about brushes said that she really wanted it! It just looked so soft and the shape was perfect for applying blush to the cheeks. So I will definitely be picking that up come next month's payday which excites me hugely.

What is everyone's thoughts of the new line have you been liking it? Any recommendations to other
products I should pick up from the line?

Lucy
xoxo

Garnier Micellar Extra-Gentle Cleansing Wipes

When I saw these advertised in one of my weekly magazines I was instantly intrigued as I hadn't heard too much about the realise of this new Garnier skincare product. Now I currently had on trial before this, Garniers micellar water and the boat is still out on this at the moment. I have got a kind of love/hate relationship currently taking place. Previous to the Garnier wipes I have been using either the ever so loved Boots Essentials Cucumber Wipes or the Yes to Grapefruit Brightening Wipes. I have enjoyed using both of these so I was interested to see how these compare.

I have been trying these out every night this past week since I picked them up from Tesco as they are currently on an introductory offer of just £1.63 and it states that they are also currently exclusive to the supermarket brand.

My first night of trying out the wipes I had just face makeup on and no eye makeup that particular day. The very first thing I noticed was how smooth the wipe felt across the skin which makes its very soothing. I then noticed on the packaging it states that it contains silky fibres so I'm guessing this has something to do with it. I felt like it did give my face a good cleanse and it feels refreshing as the wipes are really moist. They definitely live up to their extra gentle status, which is great for at night time. The only negative aspect first noted was that after the wipe made my skin feel a little sticky and not quite as smooth as I expected. 

The second night I had had a gold shimmery eye going on that day with a few layers of mascara. The wipe gently eased over the eye and my eyes are sensitive and can sometimes sting and go red after using some facial wipes. This was such a relief! Taking the rest of my makeup off again, it once again emphasised just how soft the wipe is. It feels slightly foamy and glides around the skin effortlessly. 

After continuous use throughout the week the overall judgement is that these are a little gem which I have found. I will be popping off to Tesco to stock up whilst the half price offer is still on. They do the job perfectly and they have no overpowering fragrance. If you have sensitive skin like me I would recommend these, but I think all skin types would be fine. Like I said at the beginning the only downside it that it leave a slightly sticky residue to your face but nothing to off putting. 

Has anyone else tried these yet? 

Lucy

xoxo

January Favourites

I usually start these posts stating how quick the month has flown by, but this month is different. I think January has been never ending, and I glad to be welcoming February.

 Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Yu and Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Descanso  are my two most worn since getting them just before Christmas. I snapped up the miniature set of Nars lip pencils as I have been lusting after trying them. I am glad to confirm that they are just as brilliant as everyone makes out. They are highly pigmented and the colours are so bright and vibrant with just one swipe. At £19 they are pricey but I have to say if there was a colour which I fell in love with I would definitely pick it up without hesitation. Charlotte Tilsbury Lipgloss in Sweet Stiletto is my other lip lover this month it is the perfect combination with the Descanco nude colour. At £16.50 its once again on the higher end of the spectrum but I love the texture of the gloss and this also has excellent pigmentation. La Roche-Posay Ceralip is my chapped lip saviour this month, this horrid cold and windy weather had taken a terrible hacking at my lips and they ended up so dry. I did a full post on this for further details which you can read here. Unfortunately it does not seemed to be widely stocked at the moment and Boots is out of stock at the moment, if you do manage to get your hands on it it will only cost you £7.

L'Oreal True Match Foundation in W1 Golden Ivory has literally been my best discovery of the last few months and its all thank to Amelia Liana. She has recommended it quite a few times either on her blog or on her YouTube channel and I finally managed to snap it up. People sometime ironically seem to have a problem with matching it perfectly to their skin tones and end up mixing two. But for me this colour matches my skin perfectly and for £9.99 it is the best drugstore foundation which I think I have ever used it is definitely on par with more high end brands which easily charge double to price.

This month I decided to treat myself to having some acrylic nails and I choose to have them painted in Naked by China Glaze. It is a lovely bright colour with a shimmer running throughout it so girly and cute. I loved the colour so much that I decided to by it myself so I can wear it once I get my nails removed. My mum instantly borrowed it and she reported back how long lasting it is, which means a thumbs up from her.

In the Selfridge's sale I picked up the Vera Wang Bejeweled Perfume  for £22.50. The scent is beautiful and fresh - perfect for the spring. I have been wearing it on a daily basis and it is very long wearing, it keeps the fresh cool fruity tones light on the skin.

What have been your go to products this month?

Lucy
xoxo

La Roche-Posay Ceralip

January the month where chapped lips is the fashion and there just so sore and cracked. I whipped out my La Roche-Posay Ceralip and it has been working wonders. This product is one of those no fuss, no scent, nothing fancy treatments but gets the job done and works fast. It instantly softens, and it helps with the cracks on your lips to repair as soon as possible. It is a handbag essential which is so easily to carry around and use whenever needed.

La Roche-Posay is fast becoming a brand which I am able to rely on in order to get the job done and done well. It is a French brand which has become increasing well known with the UK and I find the prices are somewhat between drugstore and luxury. I bought this from escentual.com it was early last year and it does not seem to be available anymore from their site. However, you can buy it from Boots as most now stock this brand, alternatively off Boots website. It was around £6 at the time I bought it which is such excellent value and the tube is not particularly small either.

Lucy
xoxo