Sunday 31 December 2017

Instagram Giveaway





I planned to put this post live two weeks ago, but with the festive period I never got to put it up. As we all know our Instagram followings goes up and down on a daily basis, but a few weeks ago I did actually hit 500 followers. However, it has once again dropped since! Anyway, to celebrate the new year and hitting 500 followers I am doing a little Elf Instagram giveaway at @lucyalanaxo.

A few terms and conditions -
1. Must follow me on Instagram - @lucyalanaxo
2. Must have liked the post
3. Must have left a comment and tagged 2 friends

This is open for 2 weeks and will close on midnight Sunday 14th January. Winner will be contacted on Monday 15th January once winner has been chosen. I will enter all of numbers of entrances into a random draw and the winner will be chosen. If the person who matches the number has not followed all the rules, then another winner will be announced. The winner will be contacted, and I will send out the prize as soon as possible!

Lucy
xoxo
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Friday 15 December 2017

Under £15 Gift Guide




So if you are like me and you are just about getting around to starting your Christmas shopping, then do not panic we still have a week or so to get it done. This year, I am struggling with the smaller presents, the ones that can be the most meaningful. At work we have are doing secret Santa which is set at £15, and I wanted it to be a thoughtful gift and not just another bath set. 

If you are like me and you drink umpteen cups of tea a day whilst at work, buying someone a mug is always a great present. Primark have got a fabulous range of mugs in at the moment, and this Harry Potter mug (£6) is so god dam cute. I think buying chocolate lollies is always a lovely extra present, and my mum always buts some in mine and my sisters stockings.

If you are a beauty junkie like me, then these cute makeup Christmas sponges are a must have. For just £2.50 from Primark, they are a great little addition to someone's stocking. The priciest items in this post come from Real Techniques and their fabulous new brush crush collection. I love, love, love these brushes. First up, look at just how beautiful they are, the handles are glittery and the bristles are ombre. They range from £10-£15, and are currently on a 1/3 off offer which is always a great help.

Whilst in London I went into the Sass & Belle store which was so lovely and contains some beautiful home decor. I picked up this bird trinket dish which I have put on my desk, I am keeping my most worn earrings and rings on it. This is such a nice present for pretty much anyone, as everyone has lots of little things that they need to keep safe. I also think a pair of cute Brandy Melville earrings, or any earrings in fact are something which I would like to receive. If are unsure what style to go for, stick to something simple and everyday appropriate.

I think buying someone personalised or personal presents is always a great option. It is a thoughtful gift and it does not have to break the bank. Cheerz offer snapshot photos which you can choose and send as presents. I keep mine on a string of lights which have clips on, and I display them all above my mirror. You can choose how many photos or magnets you want to include in your personalised box, whether it is for you or a gift for someone else.  I worked with the Cheerz team last year and they kindly gave me a code which you can use: LUCMCSO, with this you can get £4 off your first order when you spend £8 or more.

I hope this has given you some last minute ideas for the presents you have still got left to buy. Let me know if you pick anything up from this gift guide.

Lucy
xoxo



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Wednesday 13 December 2017

Pillow Talk



There is no doubt Charlotte Tilbury is one of my absolute favourite brands. Her iconic Pillow Talk lip liner has become one of her best selling products, and a holy grail item for a lot of beauty lovers. However, I am really not a lip liner person, so I have never thought about the need to have it in my collection. She has recently answered my prayers, as she has launched to exact same shade in a lipstick version. The Pillow Talk lipstick is £24, and is part of her matte revolution line. I am not a huge fan of lipsticks that are really matte, as I find them very uncomfortable on my lips. This formula is enriched with hydrating properties such as lipstick tree and orchid extract to help soften the lips, making it very comfortable once applied.

The reason why this is such a best selling product, is because it is a beautiful mid toned pink rose shade. I feel as though my mission is finally complete, I have found the perfect my lips but better shade which I have been searching for forever. It gives my lips a natural plump and boost without the need to over line them. I have been wearing this on a daily basis day and night, as it is literally a colour that I can wear everyday no matter the occasion.

The formula has quite a waxy texture feel to it, making it glide over the lips super easily. The pigmentation of this line of lipsticks is beautiful, and they are a one swipe product which is what I always want in a lipstick. The tip of the product is a unique square shape, which is angled helping with precision and equal coverage. I have two other lipsticks from the matte revolution line in the shades Sexy Sienna and Very Victoria. Both of these shades are lipsticks I pull out in a rush when I am on to go as I know they are not high maintenance.

Lucy
xoxo
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Friday 8 December 2017

Morphe 35O2 Palette



So as soon as I got the pre-sale email off BeautyBay informing me that Morphe were launching a new 35O palette, my heart started to flutter. It is no secret that the Morphe 35O palette is a holy grail item of mine. This is such a well priced palette considering the amount of shadows that you get, and mostly importantly the quality and colour pigment pay off is amazing. I recently bought their Jaclyn Hill collaboration palette, which I am also very much enjoying. So as you can see I am a big fan of Morphe, so as soon as I saw pictures of the 35O2 palette I knew I needed it.

This was only released last week on pre sale, and I picked it up within 2 minutes of receiving the email. BeautyBay always do cracking delivery and I had it in my hands within 2 days. I have literally worn this everyday since I got it, and I am so happy with it!






As you can see from my swatches the shadows (as always!) are highly pigmented. I am always very honest with all of my reviews, and I have to say I did find 2 or 3 of the shimmer shadows needed more than just a one swipe to get full pigmentation. However, I have not come across one dud shade which is what you usually find in a palette of this size. As always with Morphe, all of the shades are creamy and super easy to blend.

This palette contains 11 shimmer shades out of 35, which always makes me happy. There is no denying I am a big fan of a good shimmery shade especially for a night out. What I like about this palette is that it has more brighter shades than the original palette, which add some vibrancy to the overall feel of the palette. The array of matte shades are much warmer compared to the 35O, and I think they have got a great variety of light to dark colours.


I thought it was important to do a comparison picture of the 35O with the new 35O2. When I actually put them side by side, I can definitely see that the tones of the darker brown shades in the 35O2 palette are much richer. I enjoy using dark cocoa brown shades, however I would have liked a few more of those firey shades that this new palette has incorporated. I am not sure if I will ever be daring enough to wear the bright fluorescent red shade, but a few more coppery shades or even some deep purples would have made this my perfect palette.

As you can see Morphe has come out with a new brand logo. They have kept the exact same sleek black packaging for the actual palette. However, the new white logo looks great on the black background, it is very plain and simple, but effective. They have also changed the outside boxes to match the new look and layout.

To put this simply - get this palette on your Christmas list, with a big underline and star next to it! For £23, yes just £23, you will not be disappointed. If you think about how many high end brands charge £40+ for 12 shades, when you get 35 in this I think it is a jolly decent buy. I don't mean to rub salt in the wound, but this palette is currently sold out everywhere. However, definitely sign up to BeautyBay's alerts, so when it is back in stock you can quickly snatch it up!

Lucy
xoxo
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Wednesday 6 December 2017

24 hours in Christmassy London







When your best friend lives in London, it is always a treat to pop on a train to see her. This time me and my other two best friends planned a little overnight trip, with a visit to Winter Wonderland as the main event. We hopped on an early morning train and headed to Euston. We decided we would head towards Carnaby first, it looked so amazing as they had all of the Christmas decorations up. As we always act like such tourists, we went to Liberty's to have a look at their entire Christmas floor. I always like to buy a present or two, but this year I decided to buy a tree decoration. As it was a Saturday afternoon every restaurant was packed, but we managed to get a table at Pizza Pilgrim's. The pizzas were absolutely divine, and I would definitely recommend visiting. After some more shopping and encouraging each other to buy pretty much everything, we began to make our way back to where we were staying.

We did end up taking a slight d-tour to the giant Topshop with five floors on the way back to the underground. That store is unbelievably big, at one point I actually lost everyone and was concerned we were never going to reunite! After yet again spending money we probably shouldn't have, we then actually did head back to my friend's house. We had always planned to get tea at Winter Wonderland, so we all sat on the sofa for an hour or two, catching up and making Christmas plan whilst drinking tea, before cracking open the prosecco!

We left a little later than planned, and last year it was busy but nicely bustly. This year it was 10x as busy, the queues for security (which I understand is completely is necessary) were just so huge. There was hundreds upon hundreds of people trying to all get into the park. Once inside, we headed to the carousel bar which is always fun. It is a literal carousel which has a small bar right in the centre, whilst everyone stands around on the moving part of the carousel, which after a few drinks can make you feel a little dizzy. There is no doubt that there is an amazing atmosphere, wherever you decide to wander. There are lots of different rides to go on, and a variety of classic fair ground stalls. There is also a  great range of food stalls to choose from, and wine and bar huts to get your alcoholic beverages from. They have huge beer halls where they have performers on, and everyone can sit around on long tables and have a little dance and a sing along. The only thing I would recommend is getting there earlier than planned, if you are wanting a whole night there. They stop serving alcohol at 9.45pm, and the music and stalls start shutting at 10pm.

On the Sunday as one of my friends had never been to London before, we took her on a mini sight seeing tourist tour. We went to the House of Parliament to see Big Ben, and you can also see the London eye along the River Thames. We then went for a wander along the Southbank as they had some Christmassy markets. For brunch we went to a little place called The Fire Station, where we all had a nice late big breakfast. The restaurant was lovely, the decor was nice and cosy, and most importantly the food was great. Before heading back to Euston, we stopped off in Covent Garden. We had a look around some of the shops, and we loved how the inside of the markets had been decorated. It looked beautiful with lots of lights and huge baubles hanging from the ceiling. Of course I made the girls take a trip to Ben's Cookies in Covent Garden, as it simply sells the best cookies which I have ever tried. As always I had a fabulous time, and we have already planned next years trip.

Lucy
xoxo
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Friday 1 December 2017

Bye Bye Bad Skin (well lets hope!)



So I am finally (well hopefully!) if all things go to plan, I am going to start on Roaccutane early next year. I feel like I have not really posted too much on my blog about my skin issues, expect in posts where I explain the makeup I use due to my acne. I have had acne for a good ten years now, it all started when I was about 13. It started about the time I started my periods, and ever since I have had acne. My dermatologist for a long time described it mild, but for the last few years it has been in the moderate -severe category.

I have to say over the last ten years I have popped a lot of pills and tried a lot of topical treatments to try and solve my acne. I have tried every pill possible under the sun, and I have literally no other options left. I met a new dermatologist at my last appointment, and she seemed to really understand my frustration. As soon as she saw me, she said your acne is definitely hormone related due to it being spread over my chin and a little bit on my cheeks. I have never had spots on my forehead and she said for this exact reason she knows it is my hormones that need to be directly treated.

I have also not discussed my recent testing for polycystic ovaries on here, but it is pretty much confirmed that I have it. I am just waiting on my final blood hormonal profile results and my appointment with my gynaecologist in January to confirm what we all suspect. I am so grateful to my doctor at university two years ago who started these investigations for me, as I never knew the reasoning or causes to my acne. I have to say I went on a contraceptive pill called dianette for 18 months a year ago and I did see improvements in my skin. This is the only pill of any kind which I have actually seen an improvement in my skin. However, this is not a pill which you can use forever and is suppose to be a short term solution.

I sat in my dermatologist appointment and stated that I had done a lot of research and I had previously discussed with both my GP and previous dermatologist the prospect of starting roaccutane. My previous dermatologist who I had seen for 20 years recently retired, therefore I felt very deflated at the thought of having to start all over again. I am so grateful at the way she reacted at the prospect of trying the treatment. She straight away stated how she could see that I had tried many treatments and had little success. After some discussions into other medical problems and a thorough explanation into side effects, she had hoped to start me on stage one of roaccutane (the brand name) which is an isotretinion topical treatment. However, as always things are never simple for me and this product is stopped being produced at the moment, due to a manufacturing problem. However, I have been put on epiduo which she states is similar, although I know it is not as good as it does not have the same ingredients as the isotretinion topical treatment.

There is always going to be bumps along the way, and I am determined not to let these set backs get to me as overall I am excited to finally be getting the ball rolling. At the start of January, I have another appointment with my gynaecologist to discuss which contraceptive pill will be best for me to go on whilst under going the roaccutane treatment. This drug is not giving out easily, and it is imperative you do not get pregnancy during treatment due to it causing serious defects to babies. You have to use contraceptive methods during the treatment. I will then go on a contraceptive pill for 6 weeks, before meeting again with the dermatologist where stage 2 of actually taking the isotretinion capsules will hopefully happen.

I tell you something, boy am I ready for this. I am actually really scared as the dermatologist laid out clear and simple that I am definitely going to get some side effects in some way and form. However, I am just dreaming of acne free skin and it actually makes me feel really emotional about it. I am now 23, a fully fledged adult and I am glad we have finally concluded my acne is not due to 'teenage hormones'.

I originally wrote this post about a month ago after coming out of the dermatologist appointment with hope that I am finally on the right path to having some kind of clear skin. I have updated it with the problems of getting the topical treatments I need. It is really interesting as I had to go back to my GP yesterday (who I have to say has tried to help me as much as possible), and his words were "These dermatologists are fobbing you off, none of these topical treatments will work for your acne. It is clear to see it is all hormonal due to it being focused on your chin". He also told me how so many other patients go to him expressing the same frustrations as me. However, I work in the NHS and I know how grateful we should all be to have such a great health service in our country. I find it very interesting as at work I get so many patients saying we feel like we are being fobbed off, as we go to these appointments and then again in 6 months time and no improvement or change has been implemented. I always say I know the feeling, as I do. But, I do reinforce that things do take time and unfortunately we often have to explore lots of avenues, and sometimes it takes some changes before you find exactly what works for you. I think that what can be hard to grasp is that we are all very different, and what might have worked perfectly for others, may not work for you.

I do still have hope that 2018 will be the year I will confident in my own skin.

Lucy
xoxo




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Wednesday 29 November 2017

Lush Sleepy



So this month saw the start of my night shifts (horray!), and to be honest I am not the biggest fan of them. I have been in a regular sleeping routine in the last year of only day and twilight shifts. As a student I did many night shifts, and I have to say they were not my best friend. Some of the girls at work have been putting Lush Sleepy to the test to see if it helps them after their night shifts. I thought it was time that I joined in and put it to the test.

So what is this little pot of joy, you might say. So Lush, the people who create all the goodness from bath bombs to skincare, have created a little purple pot of cream which has those of us who don't always have the best nights sleep excited. Sleepy is a soft, thick lotion which has a gentle mix of oatmeal, calming lavender and sweet tonka absolute. They have then added cocoa butter to make it silky smooth and combine all those lovely ingredients together.

So I thought about how to track my sleep after my night shifts once I get home in the morning, as this is when I struggle the most to sleep. Over my 4 nightshifts I wore my FitBit Charge 2 to bed, and dosed my arms, chest and neck every night in Sleepy before literally crawling into bed. I have previously used This Work's Pillow Spray to help me nod off to sleep, and I have always found that it does help me. The main ingredient of the spray is also lavender. The morning's after wearing Sleepy, I had a quick look on my FitBit app and I was so interested to see how in depth it analyses my sleep. Here is what my night shifts sleep looked like:

                        

                         

So from the stats it doesn't real show us too much regarding if Sleepy did/did not contribute to my sleeping as I slept for different amounts of time each night. However, what I can say is that I definitely felt as though in myself I had such a better nights sleep. I usually only sleep until about 1pm after my night shifts, and every day whilst using Sleepy I slept until around 3.30pm. Two hours extra sleep is an absolute god send. But I thought I would take the experiment one step further and track my sleep when I have been to work and on days off, and use sleepy some night and not the others.


                           
                        Did not wear                                                Wore

                        
                         Did not wear                                                Wore

                          
                          Did not wear                                                Wore


So on the 16th, 20th and 27th I wore sleepy to bed. Due to my shift pattern I quickly realised this was going to be hard to track, as there is never going to be a week where I do the same shifts. On days where I wake up at 6.30ish, I had work and therefore had an alarm set, therefore I do not know what time I would have naturally woken up. However, I found it interesting on the 16th November I did not work in the day, did not wear sleepy to bed, did not have work the next day, and slept for 7hr 3 mins. On the 17th November, I also did not work in the day, but I wore sleepy to bed, and did not have the work the next day, and slept for 8hr 26 mins. It is clear to see that I slept much better on the 17th, on the night I wore sleepy to bed. On all the nights I wore sleepy, the episodes of deep sleep were for longer, and I had less episodes of being awake and as a whole they were much shorter.

My conclusion would not be classed as fully reliable if I was back in my year 11 science class, as the factors have not been the same throughout. But, I have done my best, and like I have said I was never going to get everything matching as my shift pattern does not allow this. Overall, I think for me personally sleepy definitely does help me to get to sleep quicker. For sure, on my night shifts I slept for longer and I had less episodes of waking up than normal and that I am certain of. The scent of sleepy is a gorgeous sweet lavender, and if you struggle to get to sleep, or wake up frequently during the night it is worth you investing in a tub of this goodness. You can pop in store and get a sample size pot to test, or for £7.95 you can get a 95g tub which will last you for a good few months.

Have you tried sleepy?

Lucy
xoxo

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Sunday 26 November 2017

L'Oreal x Balmain Lipstick



I had been trying to get my hands on some of the lipsticks from the L'Oreal and Balmain's collaboration for a few weeks, but I was really struggling to find them anywhere in stock. In Harvey Nichols they had a little concession selling all the shades from the range, however when I went in on the first weekend of their release there was very little left. They had a few of the very dark toned lipsticks, which I would never choose. A week or so later I went on the Boots website, and they had every colour available to order.

I decided to order just one from the line and not get too wrapped up in the hype. I decided to pick up the shade confession. This is a typical 'me' shade, it is a beautiful mid toned pink with some peachy undertones. It has a moisturising matte finish, which is always a plus as I hate lipsticks being very dry and heavy on my lips. I have been able to wear this on a daily basis, which is great. I think it is important to invest in some stand out bright shades which I can wear for special occasions, however they can end up collecting dust within my makeup collection as I do not reach for them often. Whereas, this is a more neutral toned shade which I am able to wear it day and night, and feel comfortable wearing it.

It was easy to apply, and I was impressed with the pigmentation to this lipstick as I only needed one coat. I have worn this several times since buying it, and it now has a firm place in the bottom of my handbag. I also love the packaging of this, I think it is sleek and one that looks lovely on your beauty desk on display. There are 12 shades to this line, split into 3 different colours - black, green and blue. This line is a little bit more expensive than your standard L'Oreal lip product, as they cost £12.99. However, for a high end collaboration I think with any of brand these would easily cost £20+.

Lucy
xoxo
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Wednesday 22 November 2017

The best black friday deals



So Black Friday is definitely something which which has come over from America, which I can get on board with. I am going tor try my best every day until cyber Monday to keep up with the deals which all the retailers have got on offer.

Apple - today only recieve a gift card with purchase. £120- mac, £80 - ipads, £40 -phones, £0 for apple watch.

Boux Avenue - 25% off everything. Up to 50% off selected items.

Beautybay have kicked things off with a bang they have a huge up to 50% off items. Usually websites like to do just one or two offers, but they have literally got hundreds. Here is the best of the bunch -
Gerard Cosmetics setting spray peach 50% off now £8.25
Jeffree Star Cosmetics skinfrosts 50% off now £12.75 and velvour liquid lipsticks up to 50% off now £8.00+
Milani baked blushes all shades 30% off now £7
Zoeva sweet glamour palette 50% off now £9
Oskia renaissance cleansing gel 20% off 100ml now £24.80

Anthropologie - 20% off everything and free delivery code: ITSYOURS

Feel Unique have got daily deals on which I will try and update everyday.
They have got ongoing brand deals such 33% off all La Roche Posay - must haves
Serozinc now £6.65
Effaclar duo now £10.65
Cicaplast balm now £4

Boots has star buys everyday
Paco Rabanne 1 million for men and lady million for women 40% off
Phillips diamond clean electric toothbrush save £209 now £90
Emporio Armani she and he fragrances now half price

Debenhams have got 7 days of amazing daily deals which are always really good. They do one particular brand or department a day and do half price off everything.
Today's deals-
Half price women's and men's  knitwear
Half price kidswear
Half price toys
Half price Denby

They have also got on continuous deals such as
30% off all Yankee Candles
10% off all beauty and fragrance
up to 40% off all toys

Jack Wills - 30% off everything code: BF30

Mango - 30% off everything code: BLACK17

Topshop- up to 50% off everything and free delivery all weekendd

Selfridge's - 20% off your christmas shopping and 10% off beauty and fragrance (selected brands and lines). Online - SELFCCE

Urban Outfitters - 40% off selected items with code: PREVIEW40

Amazon have got daily deals of the day which constantly change throughout each day. They have some absolute bargains with up to 70% off well known brands.
Today - Fire 7 tablet just £29.99!
Echo Dot save £15 now £34.99
Oral B rechargeable toothbrush saving £174 now £55.49
Fire TV stick with alexa control saving £15 now £24.99

Currys
Lenovo Ideapad Laptop £200 saving now £299
FitBit Alta save £30 now £69.99
Canon EOS 1300D with 18-55mm and 75-300ml lens save £150 now £379
Sony PlayStation 4 & games bundle save £177 now £299.99

Very
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge phone was £589.99 save £220 now £369.99
Calvin Klein eternity moment 100ml perfume save £45 now £22.99
Amazon fire kids edition save £30 now £69.99

Ted Baker have got a 30% off five day event from the 23rd-27th in store and online

Tesco have a got a huge amount of of electrical appliances on offer

Argos have got some absolutely cracking deals on which have started already
HP 14 inch laptop bundle for £279.99
Dyson vacuum cleaner save £220 now £249
De'longhi coffee maker save £100 now £349.99

Boden has got 30 off everything with code N6D5

Pretty Little Thing tp to 50% off everything including the entire Kourtney Kardashian collection

Boohoo - up to 50% off everything

Missguided - 50% everything code: CYBER50

New Look - 25% off everything online and in store.

ASOS has got up to 60% off women's shoes and accessories
up to 60% off men's jeans and chinos

Kylie Cosmetics - 40% off all lip kits and 30% off all palettes (one day only!)

Glossier - 20% everything for 4 days

Bath and body works - Buy any 3 get any 3 free across entire store

Hearst Magazine have got a huge 75% off their magazine subscription - 5 issues for £5 including Elle, Women's Health, Men's Health, Red, Cosmo and Bazaar

Zara Home are having 20% off their entire collection on Friday.



This is the best of the deals which I have found so far!

Lucy
xoxo




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Sunday 19 November 2017

Products I Have Used Up


Whilst I was in Madrid half of my must have products in my makeup bag ran out day by day. I literally brought them back for this post being the dedicated beauty blogger which I am!

First up, my holy grail high end foundation of all time comes in the form of Nars sheer glow foundation. I have already re-bought this as I just cannot be without it, it does not come cheap in the slightest as it costs £33. I only usually wear this when I am going out or at the weekends, I just cannot justify to wear it on a day to day basis. It is a medium coverage foundation which works really well with my beautyblender. The best feature to this foundation is its finish which has a glow element to it, which really adds luminosity and radiance to my skin.

I wrote a full blog dedicated to this not too long ago which you can read here. The Vichy dermablend foundation is a full coverage foundation which I wear on a daily basis to work, this is always on offer for £15 which is not cheap but I am yet to find a cheaper alternative. At the end of the day, even with a primer, setting spray and powder, I still have wear over my acne areas. Therefore, it is not the perfect foundation which I am always longing for, but it is the closest which I am yet to find. 

I discovered this concealer thanks to a blogger a year or so ago, but for the life of me I cannot remember who it was! The Seventeen stay time concealer costs just £4.49, and I rushed out and to repurchase this as soon as the plane landed. I use this in the shade extra fair as my under eye concealer to add brightness. It has good coverage, a creamy consistency, and all round I think it is just as good as Nars' creamy concealer which is triple the price of this.

One beauty product I struggle to get excited about is mascara. I always go to the high street for mascaras, as there is a lot out there on offer. The one I have just finished is the Maybelline the falsies push up drama mascara. I have used this for about a year now on a regular basis and I have been impressed with it. Over the years I have had a lot of Maybelline mascaras which I have not been too fussed over, and have sat at the back of my drawers collecting dust. This has pleasantly surprised me as it curls and lengthens my lashes, without any clumping which is often my issue.

As I am fair skinned and have dark blonde hair, my eyebrows are the not best. I go monthly to have them waxed and tinted brown to help give them some shape and definition. However, I still need help with them as my tint starts to fade and I want them to look a little fuller. This is where the Benefit goof proof eyebrow pencil comes and saves the day. I have recommended this to literally everyone who has ever asked me about my brows and products which I use. The slightly waxy feel to the product makes it very easy to glide over the brows. The shade range is good as it goes from light blonde to black; I use shade 2 which is a medium brown shade. Once the product is applied to my brows, I always use the spoolie to brush through them to set it all in place and evenly distribute the product.

Lucy
xoxo

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Friday 17 November 2017

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer & Blush








So I have wanted to try the Physicians Formula Butter bronzer for literally years. I have watched many American YouTubers rave and rant about what a bargain and also brilliant product this is. So when one of my lovely friends headed to America and sent me a text saying "do you want any makeup getting?" this was the very first thing which popped into my mind. She did such a fabulous job and managed to get a duo pack where you pretty much got the blush free too. I was so excited to pick this set up from her house, as it has literally been at the top of my wishlist for years.

I instantly started to put the bronzer to the test. First up a few things I am not the biggest fan of. The packaging is it very plasticy, and it comes with a little mirror and brush underneath which makes the whole entire product so much more bulky. It definitely does not have that luxury feel to it. Secondly, as soon as you open up the product it has a very overwhelming scent to it. It literally smells like coconut sun cream and it is very overpowering. It isn't the fact that you can just smell the scent if you put it near the nose, I can smell it even when it is a good few metres away.

Now on to the more positive aspects. I did not realise that this actually comes in two shades - light bronzer and bronzer; I got the shade light bronzer. I love the actual colour of the bronzer, and I realised that this is what the hype has always been about. It is a very light, natural bronzer which has less of those deep milk chocolate tones that bronzers often have. I apply this using my Real Techniques contour brush which works really well with this product. I have always previously struggled with getting the perfect contour, as I never want it to look too harsh or too dark. This shade has cooler tones which suits my skin tone really well. The texture of this is so much softer than any other bronzer which I have ever tried. It has an incredibly creamy and soft texture, which feels like a combination of both a powder and cream bronzer. I think this is where the "butter" aspect of the product comes into play. This has a slight sheen and pearlescent finish, which I really like. It is not a pure matte finish which can make me look a little flat, but on the other hand I do not like glittery bronzers. I want my contour and all over bronzer to add depth and dimension to my face. However, I have found that the hint of glow in this really helps to add all round radiance to my face.

The blush I have is in the shade Plum Rose which is a lovely medium dusty plum-pink shade. It also has the same scent and texture as the bronzer does. The blush contains some cooler plum tones which when mixed with the darker pinker tones creates a beautiful combination. It took me a few weeks after receiving this to start using it, as I just thought the shade was a no-go for me. This blush is definitely not like anything which I have ever owned, as I usually choose a shade which is brighter pink or peach.

The colour is long wearing which is what I always want from any makeup product. A negative to this is as it contains so many light undertones, I think this would struggle to have much impact on darker skin tones. However, I have seen on their website a few other shades within this range which contains darker tones. I found the finish to this is more matte than the bronzer and seems to have a less pearlescent finish to it. I like both matte and sheen finishes to blushes so it does not particularly bother me. Lastly, this also has the overpowering coconut suncream scent to it, which as times goes on and I have smelt both products numerous times whilst writing this post I have realised I pretty much despise the scent!

So what do I really think? I do like both of these products, and the butter texture is definitely something which is unique to the brand. This special buttery texture blends evenly into my skin, and I can see why it is its big selling point. I like how both of the products look on my skin, and their finishes. If I was to get the chance to try out more Physicians Formula products I definitely would as I have been happy with my first impressions.

Do you recommend any Physicians Formula products?

Lucy
xoxo







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Wednesday 15 November 2017

The Making of Harry Potter



So I finally got to go to the Warner Brothers Studios in London, to visit The Making of Harry Potter. Me and my mum had been desperate to visit since it opened, and everyone who we know who has visited had said it was amazing. We simply hadn't been before due to it being in London, which is not exactly on our doorstep. Anyway, back in July we finally got a date together and when Virgin Trains had a £10 train ticket sale we took the plunge and book some tickets. We decided we would be able to do it in an entire day, rather than stay over night due to my working schedule. We got the train from Manchester Piccadilly at 9am and got to London Euston at 11.20am. We then got a 20 minute train straight to Watford Junction. We had read before we went on their website that they offer a bus that goes from the train station straight to the studios. It worked out amazingly as, as soon as we came out of the station there was a bus there waiting. This is such a great service as the studios seem to be pretty much in the middle of no where, and it would be difficult to get there yourself on public transport without the provided buses.

We got there about 30 minutes before our allocated slot which was 1-1.30pm. We ate our dinner, and then got in the queue as it was pretty big. It took about 20 minutes to get to the front of the queue, as when you first go in you watch a short film so they have to count a certain amount of people in. Heads up, I am obviously going to mentioning lots of the things to see and do at the studios, so if you want everything to be a total surprise then don't read on as I think my pictures will spoil it for you. After watching to the film, you enter the grand hall which is the only bit of the studio they did not change throughout the ten years it took to film all of the movies.





We were then led into a huge room which took us over an hour to go round, it had all different displays from the different movies with little scenes and sets set up to look at. It was great as you learnt so much about behind the scenes, and there was TV's which you could watch with outtakes and extras showing how they made all of the backgrounds. I found it so interesting, and all I kept saying to my mum was how long it must have taken to make things as everything was done with such intricate detailing.






There was another section to this room, where they showed how they made all of the different mechanical devices. It was great as the cauldrons in the picture below, moved as they did in the film. It is also had a life size Buckbead, which was just stunning to see and it moved it's head side to side. There was also a dead girl over Malfoy's table which I always thought was real in the film, but it was actually a prosthetic. It also showed how they built all of the sculptures, as well as making the different characters masks such as all the goblins who work in Gringrots. 






The bit that my mum enjoyed the most was the railway setup. I did not realise that there was the actual train which you can go on to, it has the cabins set up as they are in all the different movies over the years. They also have the magic wall at Platform 9 and 3/4 where you can push through your suitcase, it was all so much fun.




There was then a section half way round where you could sit and get some dinner, and also get some Butterbeer which was such a fun idea. You were then led to an outside section where there was the knight bus, and you could go into 4 Privet Drive and see the Dudley household. The house looked so real I thought it was actual bricks, but it shows you how they built up the house using latex to make it look like real bricks. There was also the original Potter household cottage to look at, and the bridge were Harry and Voldemolt had a huge battle in the Deathly Hallows.







You then went into another section inside where they had created a street which you walked up, and it featured lots of the different shops including the Gringotts bank.





The final masterpiece before you get to the end is the huge life size Hogwarts castle. It was absolutely breathtaking, and it took them 8 weeks to put back together as they moved it to the studios after the movies had finished being filmed. It was so pretty, and it was just a great finishing touch to the whole experience.





After the castle you are lead into the huge shop, which to be fair could only be described as chaos. It was sooooooo busy, and I actually lost my mum at one point. The merchandise was all great, but also mega expensive. I left with a chocolate wand and Hedwig key ring, as I could not bear to pay the prices of anything else!

Overall I had such an amazing day and it was so worth the £39 the ticket cost. Me and my mum were both a bit dubious as to how good/not it was going to be, but it was better than I expected. I am so happy I went, and everyone I have seen since I have told that they need to go. The journey back to the studios was just as smooth as it was on the way with getting on the bus back to the station. We then treated ourselves to a meal at Gino De Campo's Italian restaurant in Euston station, and then headed back for the train to Manchester. We were so tired and both had a little nap on the train back, I am so glad that we decided to just take the plunge and do it all one day. If you are a Harry Potter fan no matter how big or small, then it is definitely worth taking a trip to the studios to see and experience for yourself where all the magic was made!

Lucy
xoxo
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