BOOK REVIEW: THE MISTER BY E L JAMES

Hello everyone! So for today's post i am back with a book review post, which i did want to do a lot sooner than i have ended up doing. The reason for it taking me a little longer to finish was a combination of two things, one i haven't had as much time the past few weeks to read and the second thing being that this book was slightly longer than most would but i got there in the end...

SYNOPSIS:

Life has been easy for Maxim Trevelyan. With his good looks, aristocratic connections, and money, he’s never had to work and he’s rarely slept alone. But all that changes when tragedy strikes and Maxim inherits his family’s noble title, wealth, and estates, and all the responsibility that entails. It’s a role he’s not prepared for and one that he struggles to face. But his biggest challenge is fighting his desire for an unexpected, enigmatic young woman who’s recently arrived in England, possessing little more than a dangerous and troublesome past. Reticent, beautiful, and musically gifted, she’s an alluring mystery, and Maxim’s longing for her deepens into a passion that he’s never experienced and dares not name. Just who is Alessia Demachi? Can Maxim protect her from the malevolence that threatens her? And what will she do when she learns that he’s been hiding secrets of his own?

MY REVIEW:

So fun fact reading the Fifty Shades trilogy by E L James is actually what got me back into reading books on a regular basis, years down the line and many books later...finally she has released a new book and i couldn't wait to pick it up. That being said when i started to read this book, it wasn't what i was expecting at all...

Unlike the Fifty Shades trilogy The Mister is actually written from both Maxim and Alessia's point of view, which i actually like to read books like that as well as just from one point of view because you tend to get more of a sense of what both characters are feeling/thinking. So The Mister starts off with a prologue basically describing the terrible way that Alessia came to be in England, which you are obviously not aware of at the beginning before heading straight into chapter one with Maxim. Maxim is going through all the stages of grieving after losing his brother Kit (including sleeping with many a woman). One thing that i wasn't a huge fan of at all in the book is how long it actually took for any interaction between the two characters to occur, which made it hard to get into unlike some books. That being said once that was over with, i got more invested in the story a lot more and i began to find it more of a page turner. Unlike Fifty Shades i did not find this "steamy" at all which of course is such a disappointment but i did find the story line good still, especially the detail/research that had obviously gone into the book and how anyone could still have believes like the ones that were written into the book about Alessia's culture/upbringing. What i am unsure of is how the book ended, as i feel like it was all leading to this one moment that ended within a page and it almost seemed unfinished but at the same time, i don't know if it was left like that on purpose to leave the opportunity for a book two or not!

Overall i give this book a 3.5 out of 5, as it wasn't the best book i have ever read but it also wasn't the worst i have ever read either. I am left wondering whether a lot of people seem the same, as it just wasn't on the same level as Fifty Shades was?

buy the mister by e l james on amazon | here |

xo.   

MID-2018 MOST READ POSTS

Hello everyone! Now that we are officially in June and half way through the year, i thought i would carry on the tradition that i have done for the past couple of years on my blog and shared with you a summery of the most read/viewed posts from the year so far. This a great way to catch up on any posts that you might have missed first time around and that you might find useful...

mua luxe light lustre liquid highlighter review (friday 5th january)

First up we pretty much kicked off the new year with the first of many first impression/product review posts and one of my personal favourites. Over the past year or so i have become obsessed with liquid/cream highlighters, as well as how much the drugstore brands have been killing the affordable makeup product releases.

early spring clothing + accessories lust list (wednesday 21st february)

A huge favourite always seems to be clothing lust list/must-buy posts and especially this early spring wishlist post, that i shared back in February. I have been sharing my must-buy clothing, accessories and homeware pieces at the beginning of the month and the next instalment is coming up soon, until then catch up on the May edition here.

quick, easy + healthy pinterest breakfast ideas (monday 26th march)

This year i have been loving doing a wide variety of posts rather than just the majority being about beauty related topics, food being one of those things. I get a lot of my inspiration for healthy recipes from Pinterest, so i have been loving sharing a recap of some of my personal tried and tested favourites. Talking of food, i really want to get back into sharing some "what i ate" in a day type of posts again soon.

march favourites: beauty + lifestyle (friday 30th march)

Another style of post that i share every single month at the end of every month, is of course a selection of my favourite beauty/lifestyle items from that particular month. Sometimes i will share the two types of favourites separately or sometimes i will combine the two, just like i did in a popular favourites post this past March.

books i want to read in 2018 part two (wednesday 25th april)

I have done a handful of these posts through out the years on my blog now and they also seem to be a hit, probably with the fellow romance book readers. A great place to find new book inspo/reads is by downloading the goodreads app, which is completely free and you can add your books into different categories from read, to currently reading and also want to read. 

how-to: update your wardrobe for summer on a budget (wednesday 25th may)

Finally a popular post from just last week and one of many "how-to"/tips and tricks post, that i have posted about on my blog. I am personally all about saving money on anything, whether that be clothing, makeup or even food. As i am like that i always like to share any tricks that i have picked up, knowing it would help others.

 Catch up on my previous post HERE...

xo.

TESTING PRIMARK BEAUTY #2

Hello everyone! So last summer i first shared a testing primark beauty post and i mentioned how i had never really tried too many things from their beauty range. That being said just recently (over the last couple of months more specifically) i feel as if they have really upped their beauty/makeup game and they now have such a huge selection of things. With that in mind on Monday whilst i was near my local Primark i decided to see what looked good to try, which was a good selection of things. There was a few things i had seen other people talk about on social media that i wanted to pick up but my Primark didn't have some of them in-stock, so i will definitely have to pop into another store sometime soon.

| ps 3-in-1 brow in the shade tobacco | £2 |

So i have to start with probably my favourite item of everything i picked up and it is actually the item i thought i would like the least, as i am usually super fussy when it comes to brow pencils and more specifically the more affordable ones because they never tend to be the right tone for my brows. This one has completely thrown me at how good it is, not only is the shade Tobacco perfect for my brows this pencil is super easy to work with both the pencil, powder and the spoolie brush. I definitely think this is going to be my new everyday brow product!

| ps colour intensity lipstick in the shade nude | £1.50 |

I actually wanted to pick up one of the nude lip kits initially but my Primark was temporary out of all of the nude ones, so i actually decided to pick up one of these colour intensity lipsticks instead as i thought it could be a good dupe for the MAC liptensity lipsticks, how similar is the packaging and everything though? That being said i wasn't all that impressed, as i found the nude shade was way too pale once applied and looked like slightly concealer lips like, but the formula was really nice and felt hydrating on the lips. So maybe this will be one for mixing with another lip product to either lighten a darker shade slightly or darken this shade with another shade.

| ps my perfect colour mattifying powder in the shade caramel | £2 |

This is actually a product as i saw someone of YouTube using this particular shade as a bronzer, rather than as a face powder and it gave her the most beautiful bronzed look to the skin. Thankfully my Primark did have this shade of powder that i wanted to pick up, although they didn't have my shade i would of needed in the matching foundation as i wanted to give that a try as well. If you was to ask me the question of would i reach for this more than my ever so loved bareMinerals invisible bronze bronzer, then my answer would be probably not, although this is actually a really beautiful product and it looks stunning just blended out for an all over quick eyeshadow look. For £2 though this is a really great product, whether that be picking a deeper shade up for a bronzer or your correct shade as a setting powder.

| ps double dimension highlighter in the shade gold dust | £2.50 |

So in my Primark they actually had quite a few different products with this more "gun metal" style packaging including blushes, but it was this highlighting powder that caught my eye and even more so once i swatch-ed the tester on my hand. This product is one of those products that doesn't look much in the pan but once swatch-ed or applied you are like wow, as it is a simply stunning golden shade and surprisingly pigmented. These little hidden gems are the ones that blow my mind at the fact they are so little in cost, supposed to some more high end products that aren't as pigmented and retail for about ten times more.

| ps pure glow highlighter in the shade brunch club | £3 |

Finally i had to pick one of these highlighters up as it seems everyone else is and loving it, i also believe this comes in a few different shades but this is definitely the type of highlighter shade i would typically reach for. Just like the double dimension highlighter it amazes me how pigmented it is for the price and definitely gives you a "pure glow". The only thing that is really frustrating me is i have been trying to find of the pure glow highlighter palettes, which look similar to the Anastasia Beverly Hills ones as the swatches look absolutely beautiful and for £5 for four shades, you are getting an absolute bargain there.

So all in all i was super impressed with every single thing i picked up on my recent trip to Primark, apart from maybe the colour intensity lipstick but all i would probably change about that is i would make it a slightly darker nude shade.

xo.

MAKEUP REVOLUTION CONCEAL + DEFINE CONCEALER | REVIEW

Hello everyone! For today's post i am back with my second first impression/review post of the month, first time around i shared my love for the brand new mua luxe light lustre liquid highlighters and this time i am bringing to you my thoughts on the new concealer launch by Makeup Revolution. Makeup Revolution is another affordable/drugstore brand that i have tried and loved so many different things from in the past, so of course i needed to put this one to the test.

So when it comes to concealers i am super selective on what concealers i like, as not every concealer works for me as i do struggle with creasing a little bit unless my under-eye area is super hydrated because i do have a dry to normal skin type. Like many i have my go-to concealers, which just like this concealer they both happen to be drugstore and they are the Maybelline Fit Me concealer in the shade 10 and the Bourjois Radiance Reveal concealer in the shade Light. I always apply my concealer no matter what one i am using the same way, with the applicator into a triangle shape under my eyes, down the bridge of my nose and chin before blending out with a dampened beauty blender. I just prefer to do it with a sponge, the same way i do my foundation, as it is quick, easy and has a flawless/evenly applied finish afterwards. 

Getting down to my actual thoughts on the new concealer by Makeup Revolution, if i was to put things about this concealer into a list of pro's and con's, it would definitely have more pro's than con's. This concealer is pretty much a drugstore first as this concealer is available in 18 (yes 18) different shades, ranging from fair to deep, with different undertones and retailing at just £4. The two shades i picked up were C2 and C6 as they are ones with the correct undertone for me. The shade C2 is the lighter shade of the two, which i will probably use when i am less tanned as it is a fair shade with a yellow undertone. The shade C6 is the shade i will opt for the most, as it is a light/medium shade also with a yellow undertone and is a very similar shade to the Maybelline Fit Me shade 10. The amount of product you get in the tube is slightly smaller than most concealers, as you get just over 3ML of product. Something i really like about this concealer is the doe-foot applicator, as it is slightly bigger than usual concealers and you also get a good amount of product in one go, rather than having to go back in more than once. Even though the texture of the concealer is fairly thick it doesn't look or feel heavy/cake-y on the skin and the coverage is definitely on the medium/high side. Something that is definitely going to make me want to reach for this concealer on a regular basis, is the fact it lasted all day long and looked freshly applied/brighter longer than some of my other concealers do. The only con about this concealer is it does dry down to a matte finish quite quickly, so what i have been doing is applying and blending in sections rather than applying it everywhere i would and then blending out. Over all i would rate this a 4 (maybe 4.5) out of 5!

shop the concealer:

| makeup revolution conceal + define C2 | tambeauty | superdrug |

| makeup revolution conceal + define C6 | tambeauty | superdrug |

xo.

MUA LUXE LIGHT LUSTRE LIQUID HIGHLIGHT

Hello everyone! In general i am definitely a self-diagnosed highlighter addict/hoarder, just as i am with any nude lip product. That being said for the past year or so i have become obsessed with using highlighter in liquid form, just as much as a powder finish and i have put a fair few to the test. Recently MUA launched a range of new liquid highlighters as part of their Luxe collection, which i have tried and loved so many products from before and therefor of course i just couldn't refuse giving this new launch a go.

If you saw my previous post talking about my 2017 beauty favourites then you will have probably read how last year was the year of the liquid highlighter for me (like i mentioned at the beginning of the post) and also how before then i had a fear of reaching for liquid highlighters, oh how things have changed and now i just can't put them down. I just love how a liquid highlighter can transform your face from looking matte/flat to looking naturally glowing and slightly dewy, it also couldn't be simpler to achieve by applying a small amount to the needed areas and blended out with a damp beauty blender/sponge. Liquid highlighters can also be used in several different ways other than straight to the area, such as mixed in with your foundation or applied before as a base and i tend to switch between these different methods.  

Moving onto my first impressions/review for the new MUA luxe light lustre liquid highlighters, which are available in three different shades and i have been putting two of them to the test between Christmas and New Year. When i first saw the packaging i was so shocked how beautifully chic and high quality it is for the price point, as they retail at £5 for 30ml of product (currently £4 at Superdrug saving £1). Just like a lot of liquid highlighters this particular one also comes with a pipette applicator, which was a winner for me as this one actually works perfectly unlike some i have tried previously. I love the combination of frosted glass bottle with the chic black font and gold accent on the pipette lid, which makes the product look like a £30+ more high-end type of product rather than drugstore/affordable. Beautiful packaging aside the product inside itself is simply just as beautiful, as the formula is highly pigmented yet lightweight feeling on the skin that blends out effortlessly and flawlessly. Unlike the usual powder highlight the finish of a liquid highlighter is more of a healthy glow, that looks natural and skin-like rather than overly shimmery and sometimes more obvious.

shop the shades:

| mua luxe light lustre in the shade marvel (rose gold) | mua store | superdrug |

| mua luxe light lustre in the shade sublime (gold) | mua store | superdrug |

| mua luxe light lustre in the shade opulence (pearl) | mua store | superdrug |

xo.

THE MULTI-PURPOSE OIL I CAN'T PUT DOWN

Hello everyone! A while back i shared with you a current beauty wishlist: skincare edition post and in that post, i mentioned how i wanted to try out a specific dry oil. The oil i am of course talking about is the ever so famous Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Use Dry Oil by NUXE, which comes in two different formulations the original and a golden shimmer version but the formula i decided to go with is the original.

As i mentioned above this is a multi-usage dry formulated oil, that can be used for the face, body and hair. I have mentioned on many occasions now how much i have really become obsessed with using facial oils (this year mainly), as i just find it is the best product to really hydrate/keep my skin hydrated. That being said so far i have tried so many different oils, some good, some bad but this oil is a game changer for me. Huile Prodigieuse is a dry oil with a unique combination of six different plant oils, including borage, st johnswort, sweet almond, camellia, hazelnut and macadamia to help nourish, repair and soften skin in one use. This product is available in two different sizes in both formula's, 50ML (£17) and 100ML (£29).

I honestly do not have a bad thing to say about this oil, except for maybe the fact it isn't the most travel friendly bottle but i can live with that. I love how much of a luxurious feel this product has, from it's perfume-like packaging, how amazing of a scent it has and not to mention how beautifully makeup sits and leaves your skin feeling once applied. As this product is a dry formulated oil, it sinks into the skin quickly/effortlessly and doesn't leave your face with that "grease" like feeling. Another amazing thing about this product is how you can justify spending a little bit more on it, as a little bit goes a long way and even more if you only use it for one particular thing (like i only use it on my face). This is the only product i have tried from NUXE but i definitely want to try out more from the brand, if you didn't know NUXE is a french natural cosmetics company popular in pharmacy's across the county and has won many award for the first multi-purpose oil titled "prodigieuse".

TESTING PRIMARK BEAUTY

Hello everyone! Let's all be honest here, who doesn't love a little Primark spree from time to time? I mean over the years i have found some hidden gems and i also love love love their pyjama selection and homeware. That being said something i haven't really tried a lot of (except from the nails, lip liners and roller ball perfume) is their beauty/makeup range. So i decided to pick up a few beauty items that i haven't seen anyone really review/talk about already and put them to the test, some things i loved, some i didn't love so much.

private collection mandarin and basil eau de parfum

As i mentioned at the beginning of the post, i have actually tried the rose gold explosion roller ball perfume and it is one i love to keep in my handbag at all times. So whilst i was browsing through the fragrance section i saw this "private collection" range of fragrances and as soon as i smelt this particular one, i was like ok sold. This particular fragrance is quite fresh yet it has that slight "cologne" manly notes to it and i really liked about it. I also love how this particular size is perfect for your handbag also, like a roller ball and is a bargain at only £3, for quite a luxury/sleek looking product. This particular collection is available in two sizes, as well as a hand wash.

ps bronze highlighting stick

Seeing as i am completely obsessed with cream contour sticks at the moment, i thought i would pick this particular one up as it claims it is more of a "bronze" highlighting stick and that is definitely more my preference as i don't love a cool contour stick, i prefer something a little warmer. That being said once applied this is way more cool toned than it looks in the stick and once you start to blend it out it looks quite muddy/patchy looking, which is not for me at all and it also took quite a while to blend also. This bronze stick retails for £1.50 and is part of the ps bronze collection, even though this particular product didn't work for me i still want to give some more items in the collection a try, especially the body bronzer.

ps pro radiance drops

I am such a huge fan of adding facial oil/radiance liquid to my foundation, so i thought why not give this particular one from the ps pro range and i have become obsessed with it. The thing about radiance drops/facial oils, is if you are a fellow dry skin girl or just love the dewy finish to your foundation, then these are literally going to be your best friend. They add such a subtle/radiant glow to your foundation, as well as if you have a foundation that is slightly thick, you can just add in a couple of drops to thin out the consistency and what i have learned from testing out these drops is that you don't need much at all, as it is quite a thin formula. These drops retail for £5, which i think is a bargain as you can spend anything between £20-£40 for the same type of product.

ps rose gold strobing highlighter cream

Finally we have a product that i am still undecided on, whether i love it or i think it is just mediocre and that is this strobing highlighter cream. Strobing cream is one of those products that can be used in a few different ways, either as a base, mixed in with foundation or applied straight to the highest points of the face where you would normally apply highlighter. The way i like to use it is applied straight to the highest points and then blend out with a damp beauty blender, which does blend out flawlessly and looks beautiful but you do need to apply quite a large amount of product to get the desired effect. That being said you don't mind so much as this is such a bargain at only £2 and if you are looking for a natural looking glow-y highlighter, then i do definitely recommend picking one of these up to try. I also like how nice and sleek the packaging looks, with the rose gold elements. 

♥

TAKE ME TO PARADISE: L'ORÉAL PARADISE EXTATIC MASCARA

Hello everyone! I have never made secret of the fact that when it comes to mascaras, i am all about the drugstore mascaras and i always favour Maybelline or L'Oréal. So when L'Oréal said that they were launching a new mascara called "lash paradise", naturally i was going to be excited about trying it.

So the L'Oréal Lash Paradise mascara has been out for a good few months in the states and it finally launched in the UK, that being said the UK version is slightly different as a lot of them tend to be (packaging wise). Unlike the US version the UK version has more of a rose gold style packaging, rather than being pink and it is called "paradise extatic" and not "lash paradise". This particular mascara has been branded the drugstore equivalent to the ever so famous Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced. The two products are super similar in packaging and the shaping of the wand, so i can see quite clearly where the dupe vibe comes from. This mascara is not a one or the other mascara, as it gives your lashes both volume and length in one and has a flake free formula that allows you to build it up to your desired effect, without clumping.

If you are curious about the other two new mascara releases by L'Oréal this year, then i did a full in-depth post talking all about lights, camera, lashes: drugstore mascaras and in this post i compare the two other releases to each other. Each of the three mascaras all cover different areas of what you might want in a mascara, such as curl/lift, spidery length or a multi-purpose volume and length. Yet again this is another down to personal preference situation, but for me personally i am really enjoying the new Paradise Extatic mascara as it does do both and is great for both top and bottom lashes and i am obsessed with how quick you can achieve the type of lash look you want. This mascara retails for £9.99 (usually £11.99) and is available at both boots in-store and online, as well as superdrug in-store and online.

♥

A DOSE OF BAKED BROWNS: THE PERFECT MINI MATTE PALETTE

Hello everyone! When it comes down to eyeshadows, it is no secret that i am such a sucker for the warm neutral shades and i literally don't feel like myself if i don't opt for that kind of eye look. Also as of late i have been living for a completely matte eye look and just having a pop of shimmer in the inner corner, i just think it looks stunning. Talking of stunning for quite a while now (since it launched in the states) i have been lusting after a certain Dose of Colors five matte shadow palette, after seeing swatch after swatch and tutorials here, there and everywhere. So the other day when it launched in the UK on BeautyBay, i had to snap it up ASAP!

So this is the particular palette that i am talking about, the Dose of Colors Baked Browns eyeshadow palette and the first product i have ever tried from Dose of Colors, as until recently it wasn't really a brand we could get easily in the UK but now we can thanks to BeautyBay. So earlier this year the brand launched two different palettes one called Baked Browns and the other called Marvelous Mauves, both contains five matte eyeshadows. Of course being the complete warm neutrals girl that i am, you know i was going to be all about that Baked Browns palette. The pigmentation of these shadows are insane, without having fall-out, buttery soft texture and not to mention blend effortlessly, who doesn't love all those qualities in a eyeshadow? If i was to compare the formula of these eyeshadows to another brand, i would say they are very similar in ways to Anastasia Beverly Hills palette formulas. These palettes retail for £28GBP each ($32USD) from BeautyBay.

Like i mentioned above this palette is made up of five matte warm neutral shades, in a palette with a deep bronze/brown metallic packaging which is super luxurious looking/feeling and not to mention sturdy. The palette also comes with a pretty decent dual ended eyeshadow brush, unlike some of crappy brushed you tend to get in palettes. The palette is also cruelty free, talc free and paraben free. The shade range is great for creating a bunch of different looks with from light daytime looks, to dramatic smoky evening looks. 

tealight: off white / deserted: sandy caramel beige (perfect for a transition shade) / outdoorsy: tawny peachy brown / cherry wood: reddish rusty brown / rock bottom: chocolate brown 

♥

SUMMER HAIR: GARNIER ULTIMATE BLENDS COCONUT WATER

Hello everyone! In my previous post beauty & random favourites: june, i mentioned how i had been loving a combination of products including a de-tangle spray from Lee Stafford, which was included in that post and a particular shampoo and conditioner. That particular duo is from the Ultimate Blends range by Garnier and is something i have been reaching for non-stop in the shower every single time i wash my hair.

Now that we are into the summer months i always need serious help when it comes to keeping the frizz at bay and my hair looking/feeling hydrated, as my hair type is dry. So with that in mind i always find that either Argan Oil or Coconut based products are the way to go, when it comes to doing just so. I had mentioned in a couple of posts tropical trends for summer and best of beauty: coconut that i had been reaching for the ogx weightless hydration coconut water shampoo & conditioner, but when i was all out and went to purchase some more this one from Garnier caught my eye. The Garnier Ultimate Blends Coconut Water and Aloe Vera shampoo/conditioner, claims to quench your hairs thirst when feeling dry/dehydrated in a freshly scented way to leave your hair feeling soft, smooth and full of shine. The claims/benefits of this particular blend of shampoo and conditioner, are super similar to the OGX coconut water duo but there are a few things that have made me like this Ultimate Blends formula more, such as the price and over-all effect of the product. The comparison of the two products is the OGX coconut water shampoo/conditioner retails for £6.99 each for 385ml and the Ultimate Blends coconut and aloe vera shampoo/conditioner retails for £2.50 offer price (usually £4.99) each for 400ml.

I have been using this shampoo for around two weeks now and usually i have to wash my hair every two day (three times a week), because my hair is dark it tends to look greasier quicker than a lighter hair colour would and the day after washing it i would need to reach for a hefty amount of dry shampoo. Since using this shampoo/conditioner duo my hair stays fresher looking longer and on that second day i don't even need to use dry shampoo, which hasn't happened in a long time. My hair is super shiny, full of moisture but not weighed down, soft, frizz free and i have also found it is a lot easier to style once dry also. How i like to use the products is firstly when in the shower i go in with the conditioner first, i only concentrate this on the ends/length of my hair and i leave that in my hair whilst i go about doing all of my other shower things. Once i have done that i rinse out the conditioner before going in with the shampoo, then rinsing again until all of the product is out. 

Shop the ultimate blends range here.

♥

MAKEUP REVOLUTION AWESOME DUAL EYELINER: KOHL & FLICK*

Hey guys, i hope you are all having an amazing day whatever you are up to! So the other day i was out shopping and whilst browsing at drugstore makeup how you do (can anyone go shopping without looking at makeup? I CAN'T) and i noticed that my local superdrug now stocks makeup revolution, which is amazing as i am obsessed with their products as they are amazing quality and so in-expensive. I had been looking for a new felt liner as they are my favourite kind to create winged liner with, i am no good with an angled brush and gel liner, felt liners are just so easy to me...

I decided to pick up this dual eyeliner from their range which has a retractable kohl liner on one side and the felt liner on the other, which to me is such a cool idea to me...you basically have two products in one place which is always handy for traveling or throwing in your makeup bag. Another plus side to this product as well as its handy packaging is the fact it ticks all the boxes: pigmentation, easy to apply, long lasting oh and the fact it's a bargain at only £3.50.

To see more products available from makeup revolution check out their website here:

http://www.makeuprevolutionstore.com/ 

or available at superdrug online or in selected stores:

http://www.superdrug.com/b/Makeup%20Revolution 

♥

CLINIQUE ANTI-BLEMISH SOLUTIONS

Hey guys, i hope you are all having an amazing day whatever you are up to! *TMI ALERT* you know how it is when it's that time of the month your skin is never at it's best, as your hormones are all over the place and you are prone to crazy hormonal breakouts. I am one of those people that once i get a spot it decides to stick around for a while, which is so annoying.

For a while i have mentioned that whenever i get a breakout or i feel like i am about to, i apply the anti-blemish solutions clinical clearing gel by Clinique and that really helps any breakout that i get to disappear faster and helps keep them from reappearing. Along with that whilst looking at trying out a different face mask, i decided to give the cleansing mask from the same range at Clinique and these two products literally go hand in hand and work like a dream. This face mask not only helps with the breakout situation it also leaves your face feeling super soft/hydrated and looking glowing. Another tip which will cost you very little is drink tons of water...well not tons but at least 2 litres a day, by drinking more water this has done wonders alone for my skin! 

I would love to know any tips and tricks you have to help your skin?

♥

SEVENTEEN DEFINE AND CONQUER KIT

Hey guys, i hope you are all having an amazing day whatever you are up to! On my last blog post i shared with you a "boots haul" and one of the items i picked up was the Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit, so for today's post i thought i would do a mini review on what my first impressions of the product are...

Firstly i was rather shocked when i removed the product from it's box as the packaging is very similar to NARS products but obviously the only difference is the writing on the front. I believe Elf Cosmetics also have similar packaging as well for some of their products. 

When you open the packaging it looks like the image shown above, with the highlight shade on the left and the contour shade on the right. The kits come in two different shades fair and medium, this is the fair kit as the medium looked a tad too dark for me. Also enclosed in the packaging you get this little card which has a step by step guide on how to use the kit and where about's on your face to place each of the two products. My first impression of trying out the kit is that i really liked the bronzer and it was easy to blend and also build up but for me the highlight wasn't much of a highlight and i definitely think i own much better quality highlighters. Saying that i tried applying the highlight shade to set my under eye concealer and it was perfect for that. Overall this kit is perfect if you are either a beginner or if you are not wanting to spend a lot of money on a product. 

♥

SOAP AND GLORY FAVOURITES

Hey guys, i hope you are all having an amazing day whatever you are up to! Many of us all know Soap and Glory is probably the most loved drugstore brand when it comes to all things shower/bath and pampering related. So for today's post i thought i would share with you my favourite products and a little little bit about why i love them as much as i do...

The Daily Smooth Body Butter - £9

I decided to start off with this body butter as it is hands down the winner of them all for me. I have tried out so many different brands of body lotions/butters but none of them do it for me like this one does. I love everything about it the incredible softness it leaves my skin feeling as well as its heavenly scent of rosehip seed oil and cocoa butter, with the famous mist you madly scent. 

Scrub 'Em and Leave 'Em Body Buff - £8

This product is also scented with the mist you madly scent as well as babassu oil, sea salt, jojoba and mandarin oils. Whenever i unscrew the lid i have to take in a good smell it smells that good. Like every soap and glory product does it leaves your skin feeling ultra soft and smelling delicious. I do prefer this over the "scrub of your life" (which i will get onto next) but it's only downside as it isn't a very shower friendly product unlike a squeezy tube is.

The Scrub of Your Life - £7

This is definitely the perfect exfoliater for the shower as it is easier to use with the way its packaged unlike trying to struggle to open and close a tub with wet hands. I also like that when you rinse the product off it just washes away straight away unlike some other brand products can take some rinsing off. The scent of this scrub is their original Pink fragrance and is very fresh smelling.

Hand Food Hand and Nail Cream - £2.50 (Travel Size)

Hands down the best hand cream i have ever tried and that is probably why i have found myself having around 5 or 6 back up ones. I always buy the the travel size ones as they are perfect handbag size and i always have one permanently living in my bag. This is also their Pink Fragrance as well as being infused with shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow. The soul purpose of this being the best hand cream is not only it's amazing scent but also the fact it is a non-greasy formula.

♥

ZOEVA LUXE COLOR BLUSHES

Hey guys, i hope you are all having an amazing day whatever you are up to! The other day i ordered a couple of blushes by a brand from Germany called Zoeva, which many of you might be familiar with for their makeup brushes. I have wanted to try out some of their makeup collection for a while now and thought i would start off with some blushes. as i have heard amazing reviews on them and so far so good...i am not disappointed!

The two shades i decided to give a try are "rush, rush" (left) and "shy beauty" (right).

They come with very simple yet sleek black packaging with the "zoeva" logo in the bottom corner. I love the finish to the packaging as it feels really luxurious unlike some packaging where it feels it could snap off its hinges any minute, it also comes mirrored which is another bonus (you can never have too many mirrors ha ha). These blushes retail for 7.80EUR from the Zoeva website or £6.95 from Beauty Bay.

As well as having really nice packaging the product is just as good if not better. The texture of the blushes are so velvety smooth and not powdery in the slightest, which is always better to work with when applied to the skin. The formula of the blushes are really pigmented, long lasting and look so beautiful on the skin as well as in the pan. 

♥

REVLON COLORSTAY MOISTURE STAIN

Hey guys, I hope you all had a great weekend! I am super excited about today's post, (i did have something else for today's post but i will now be posting that on another day) because i finally got my hands on the Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain's. I have been seeing American Bloggers/YouTuber's showing these new moisture stains and saying how amazing they are but i was unable to get my hands on them as they were only available in the states. About a month a go i read somewhere online that they were launching them in the UK around August time, so i have been counting down the days haha...

First of all lets talk about how nice this packaging is, it feels so sleek and very expensive in it's appearance considering it is a drugstore product. The applicator is a really nice doe-foot shape which makes it super easy to apply to your lips, a little like that L'Oreal glam lip glosses applicator. Second of all the colour pay off is second to none when you apply two coats and you are left with this gorgeous glossy opaque lip look. They are very similar to the YSL stains but obviously much more affordable. You can get your hands on these now available at Boots for £7.99 (Revlon also have a buy one get one half price at the moment in Boots). I can honestly see myself reaching for these on a daily basis already, i highly recommend trying them out.

As of yet i only picked up 4 of the shades available. 

From Top-Bottom:

050 London Posh

025 Cannes Crush

010 LA Exclusive 

005 Parisian Passion

As a little side note, how cute are these names? I am also always drawn to something that has a cute name to go with the product.

♥ 

THE BALM NUDE 'TUDE PALETTE REVIEW

Hey guys, i hope you have all had a great weekend! The other week i posted a "Beauty/Fashion Haul" where i shown a few items that i had been buying and i had quiet a few requests to review the Nude 'Tude eyeshadow palette by theBalm which i had shown. So since i got the palette i have been trying out so many different looks and just seeing how the shadows last/colour pay off/texture etc to tell you all what i think...

This is how the palette comes, it is packaged with a sliding box which you can just slide off to get to the actual palette and the design is the same on the outer packaging as it is on the product itself.

I love the whole design aspect of the packaging as it is quiet unique looking as most of theBalm products are. The palette is really light weight and compact/slim so it would fit into a travel/makeup bag really easily.

Once you open the palette it looks just like this, it comes with a mirror (which always comes in handy) and a mini double ended brush which if i am being completely honest i dislike as i pretty do with all brushes that come with palettes (except for the urban decay brushes). The palette consists of 12 shades (8 shimmer and 4 matte). The shadows are so pigmented it's crazy so a little goes a long way, they also blend really nice and easy. There is a little bit of fall out with the shadows but nothing too major that can't be wiped away and concealed afterwards. The palette retails for £26.50 (UK) and $36.00 (US). In my opinion it was worth every penny and i can't wait to try out some more products from their range.

Swatches of the top row from L-R.

Swatches of the bottom row L-R.

I this review gave you enough insight to the palette and if you want to check out the "Beauty/Fashion Haul" i was talking out in the intro, you can read that here:

http://katiebeautyshake.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/beauty-and-fashion-haul.html

REVLON COLORSTAY SHADOWLINKS

Hey guys, hope you are all having an amazing weekend! I just wanted to do a quick blog post sharing something with you that in my opinion is super cool. Revlon have done good yet again with these what appear to be "single eye shadows" when in fact you can link the eye shadows together to form your very own custom palette. Don't get me wrong i love me a eye shadow palette but some palettes have them certain shades that you're like that shade isn't for me, but this way you can pick and choose what you have for a very affordable price. The eye shadows retail at £2.99 each although at the moment in Boots they are on 3 for 2 which makes it an even bigger bargain.

At the moment i have three linked together but i am planning to add more to my collection.

The shades from L-R: Bone/Matte, Sand/Pearl, Taupe/Satin.

Hope you liked this little extra blog post and will you be creating your very own Revlon ColourStay ShadowLinks palette?

THE BODY SHOP HAUL

What self confessed beauty lover doesn't love The Body Shop? Cause i know i do and i am a complete sucker for not being able to go in without purchasing something. So yesterday whilst in town i thought i would pop in.
Some of the items i have purchased i haven't tried before and a couple are repurchases.
So here is what i have purchased...

The first thing i purchased and one of the main reasons i actually went into The Body Shop was to take a look at "Tea Tree skin essentials" as my sister had recommended this line to me as it has really helped to clear up her blemishes fairly quickly and i have been having a few more breakouts than usual just lately. I decided to go for this set of 4 mini items from the range just to try them out and for £10 you really can't go wrong with that. If you have ever smelt Tea Tree before it has quiet a strong scent to it but if the outcome of the product is effective it is worth the smell.

1. Skin Clearing Facial Wash - 60ml (2.0 US FL OZ)

2. Skin Clearing Toner - 60ml (2.0 US FL OZ)

3. Skin Clearing Lotion - 15ml (0.5 US FL OZ)

4. Tea Tree Oil - 10ml (0.33 US FL OZ)

1. Mini Pink Grapefruit Body Butter - 50ml/48g (1.69 US FL OZ) £5

2. Coconut Hand Cleansing Gel - 60ml (2.0 US FL OZ) £2.50 each

3. Chocolate Lip Butter - 10ml/8.5g (0.3 US FL OZ) £4

(Cleansing Gel and Lip Butters are all 3 for 2)

1. Brow and Lash Gel in 01 Clear - £10. 

I wanted to get a new brow gel for a few weeks now as my no7 one has all dried out fairly quickly, so i decided to go back to the trust The Body Shop one. 

2. Honey Bronzer in 03 Medium Matte - £13.

(I didn't purchase this on this particular shopping trip but have purchased it recently so i thought i would include it in the same haul). I have been wanting to try this bronzer out for some time and it has become my new favourite go to bronzer.

At the moment at The Body Shop they have this free gift set worth £22.50 when you spend £18 on makeup and skincare. As i spent over this amount i picked one up. 

The gift set includes:

1. Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask - 6ml (0.2 US FL OZ) usually £1.50

2. Vitamin E Cream Cleanser - 60ml (2.0 US FL OZ) usually £2.50

3. Big and Curvy Mascara in 01 Black (Full Size) usually £10

4. Eye Definer Crayon in 01 Black (Full Size) usually £8

So that is everything that i purchased from The Body Shop, i hope you enjoyed seeing what i have bought. What are your favourite The Body Shop items?

Katie♥