A Mini Makeup Haul

This is my second post of the day for all you lucky people, and this time around I have a little haul. I've been trying to stay more restrained leading up to Christmas, so there's only a few items, but I thought I should share them with you.

Boots recently had one of their 3 for 2 mix and match across all makeup brands, so of course I had to take advantage of this. I needed a new foundation for the winter months, now that I'm paler. I chose the Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation Nude (£7.99) because I loved the Match Perefection, but wanted something slightly higher coverage this time around. I did decide to get the medium coverage nude one rather than the full coverage original as my skin is actually behaving itself at the moment (touch wood).

The next product I decided to get on the deal was this L'oreal Matte Bronzer (£7.99). It's less orange toned than some so I thought it was be good for contouring, but I have found that it still isn't grey toned enough so I may have to save up for Benefit's Hoola as I can't find any grey toned bronzers in the drugstore. However, this is still good for bronzing up my skin, and because it's matte, it still looks really natural.

The final product I got in this deal was the Maybelline Under Eye Concealer (£7.99), which silly old me forgot to photograph. It has a very unique applicator but so far I've been loving it. It has quite a thin consistency but it still has good coverage. I like to have a different concealer for my under eyes to my blemishes as it is much more hygienic so this is great for me.

Lastly, I bought this an Essie nail polish in the shade Toggle to the Top. I have had my eye on this for a while but at £8 I just couldn't justify it. Low and behold, I am browsing in TK Maxx and find it on sale for £3.99! Of course, at this price I just had to pick it up, and so far I am impressed. It is perfectly opaque in two coats, dries relatively quickly, and lasts well on the nails. The only negative is that it is very difficult to remove, but then that applies to all glitter polishes.

And that's it! I'm quite proud of myself because there's a lot on my wishlist at the moment but hopefully after Christmas I'll have a bit of money to spend on a few new beauty products.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Benefit Dandelion Box Blush

I've had this product for a good few months now, having kindly received it as a gift on my birthday, back in the summer. At first I was quite unimpressed with how little it showed up on my tanned skin, and ended up rarely using it, other than occassionally as a subtle highlight as it was so pale compared to my skin. Fast forward a few months, and my skin is a good few shades lighter and I can finally see why people give so much love to this product.

I have to say, I'm really not a fan of the scent of this powder, to me it smells very grannyish, but to be honest the scent of a product really doesn't have an overall effect on whether I like it or not. As with all of Benefit's boxed powders, the packaging isn't the most practical thing in the world, but I am impressed with the brush that it comes with. I don't keep it in the box as I find that it tends to chip bits off the powder, and I actually use the brush for a different product: bronzer. I find that its the perfect shaped brush to contour with, but more about that in a later post.

The blush itself is a pale pink colour with a hint of shimmer, and isn't overly pigmented. It gives you a really fresh and alive look when applied to pale skin, and helps to brighten up your complexion. You can never go over the top with this, and you don't have to be too precise with your application as it is quite sheer and looks good as a highlight. In fact, Benefit actually suggest applying a small amount over your whole face as a brightening finishing powder. I am yet to try this but I can imagine it will work very well for me as I have yellow toned skin so this should help to neutralise it a little.

As for wear time, I find that this does last me through most of the day, and when it does fade, the shimmer remains so my skin still looks lovely and glowing. Having tested the wear time in the colder months, I actually wouldn't consider trying to carry on using this in the summer as my skin needs something super long lasting to keep it in place throughout its oiler moments, however it is absolutely perfect for a light flush of colour in autumn and winter.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Rimmel Kate Moss 107 Lipstick

A month or so ago I finally jumped on the bandwagon and bought one of the most raved about lipsticks EVER. I'm one of those people that refuses to follow the hype about products but then a few months later I decide that maybe I should try it ahah. A deep red lipstick is pretty much essential in Autumn and Winter and I didn't have one so I thought that I should try the Rimmel Kate Moss 107 as everyone seems to love it so much.

The bright red packaging is great because I can easily find it in my collection, and the lid clicks really firmly shut which I like because I'm always scared that the lid of my lipstick is going to come off in my bag. As you probably already know, 107 is a deep red, berry colour that works on most skin tones. I have slightly tanned pale skin and it looks amazing on me if I do say so myself. It really compliments my skin and somehow makes it look clearer.

The formula is slightly drying so a good lip balm underneath is required, but it isn't so bad that my lips take days to recover. The colour is very opaque so the bullet will last me forever. I find that this is a great colour for the evenings, and during the day I will sometimes press the lipstick onto my lips to leave a sheer tint. This gives my lips an autumnal berry tone without being too out there.

Overall this is a great lipstick for this time of year, day and night, and although the formula is quite dry, I find this preferable to it smudging and having a short wear time.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Herbal Essences Bee Strong Hair Mask

My hair is super soft, like unstyablely soft, but it is also dehydrated and weak so I needed a mask that was nourishing and would make my hair stronger, without making it softer that it already is. Insert the Herbal Essences Bee Strong Mask.

It may seem like every product I feature on my blog I am in love with, however this is because if I'm unimpressed with a product I tend to get rid of it and move on to something better before it can cause too much damage; only the best is good enough for me! Also, I tend to do my research before buying a product so I never end up buying many products that I don't like, therefore if you're on a budget, I would really recommend reading a few different reviews of a product before taking the plunge.

Back to what we're here for and on with the review of this hair mask. Firstly, the packaging is a large tub, meaning you get plenty of product, and the only thing I don't like about it is that the yellow colour really doesn't match my bathroom, but hey, I can look past that.

This mask smells AMAZING! It smells like honey, but also has a typical shampoo smell so that your hair is still left smelling fresh. The scent does actually linger as well so your hair is left smelling wonderful until you next wash it.

The mask itself is lovely and smooth and glides over your hair really easily. I actually use this over my hair to give it all a moisture boost as it doesn't leave my roots greasy in the slightest. If I'm in a rush I'll leave it on for 5 minutes or so while I shave in the shower, but if I have longer I will leave it in for a good half an hour to an hour while I have a nice bath. When I wash it out my hair is left feeling soft, but not too silky and slippery.

After blow drying, this mask makes my hair feel thicker because the strengthening qualities help to widen each hair strand. Since using this for the last few months, I have noticed less hair breakage which my hair was previously very prone to because the strands are so thin.

Overall I am highly impressed with this hair mask considering its price point, and I will be trying more from the brand. What other herbal essences products would you recommend?

emma x

Product Empties #3

As I mentioned in my last empties post, I have been using up a lot of products recently, hence why there's another empties post so soon after the last one. I've been loving using up all the products though as it always gives me a sense of satisfaction, and it helps to clear out my cupboards. Also, it means I can move on to using the new products I've bought that I've been waiting to use. Here's what I've used up this time:

All of this post's hair products are actually styling products so I thought I'd start with them. First up is the Toni and Guy Casual Salt Spray, which I actually did a review about here, so I won't go on about it too much, but basically it's a really good salt spray for adding texture and wave, so much so that I've already bought another bottle. Next is the L'oreal Texture Spray which I also mentioned recently in my drugstore favourites and fine hair tips, tricks and products. This is just a great product for adding volume to limp and lifeless hair without the damage of backcomb. Lastly in this section I have the Schwarzkopf Heat Defence Spray. I only bought this because I was in desperate need of one so asked my mum to pick up whatever one she found in Tescos. It was actually pretty good and did it's job of protecting my hair from heat damage, however I have since picked up a bit more of an advanced one that is more suited to my hair type and helps to add volume.

The next section is skincare and I'm pretty sure I actually mentioned all these products in my morning and evening skincare routines so I won't go on about them for too long. The first thing is a Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Face Scrub. I really enjoyed using this because of the fresh scent and how soft it left my skin, however I felt that it wasn't quite abrasive enough for my needs so I have replaced it with a different scrub (which I will be sure to feature soon). Then there is the No7 Soft and Soothed Toner which I have been using for years and just love. With the No7 Vouchers it comes out really cheap, and it just leaves my skin feeling so refreshed and clean. I will continue to repurchase this over and over again. The Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturiser was just what I was looking for when i purchased it; an all in one product that can be used day and night without breaking me out. I have since moved on to more specialised products, however this is great for someone younger who is just building their first skincare routine. Finally, the Clean and Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion is ideal for people who cherish their sleep and want to have an extra few minutes in bed in the morning. It's a quick, easy and fuss-free way of cleansing your face and I have already repurchased this.

The last couple of products, as usual, didn't fit into any category. The first of these is the Gillette Satin Care Pure and Delicate Shaving Gel. I really like this as it makes a really rich and thick foam, and is only very weakly scented with a lovely fresh aloe vera scent. I find it much easier to shave using a foam because I can see which parts I have been over already, so it is less likely that I miss any patches. To finish, I have yet another Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I just really enjoy using this as it has great coverage, is easy to blend, and is one of the cheapest concealers on the market. I have actually bought a different concealer to try this time (which you will already know if you read my last post), however if it disappoints me I will come straight back to this one.

The end! Hopefully I won't be using up many more products over the next few months as this month proved very costly with all the products that needed replacing hahah. Until next time...

emma x

Dealing With Fine Hair: Tips, Tricks & Products

I've had fine hair since the day I was born, I still do and I probably always will. Not only is my hair limp and lifeless, it is also overly soft and slippery, making it a real pain to style, and almost impossible for updos. However, over the years I have used lots of different techniques to deal with this, some worked, some didn't, and today I'm going to share with you what I find to be the best ways of making your unstyleable hair styleable.

The first thing I would recommend is doing the reverse wash. If you haven't heard of this before, it's where you use conditioner and then shampoo. I like to focus the conditioner on the ends of my hair, and the shampoo on the roots and the hair just above my neck. Doing this gives my hair a bit more grip, whilst still keeping it in good condition.

My next tip is to always blow dry your hair upside down. This gives it more volume and body, making it easier to style. Try not to go to bed with damp hair, because if you lie on it, it will dry very flat and lifeless.

Don't skimp on the texturising products. Salt spray, volume spray, backcomb powder and dry shampoo are all going to be your best friend. On a day to day basis I usually just go for my L'oreal Volume Spray, with the addition of sea salt spray if I'm going for wavy hair, however if I want to wear my hair up, I will go all out on the hair products in order to keep the style in place.

If you want to wear your hair straight, straighten it. Don't think that straightening your hair will make it even limper. If you straighten your hair, it will make people trick people into thinking that it's meant to be dead straight, rather than that your hair is lifeless. Also, it can make you look more put together.

Don't go overboard on the eyebrows. If your hair's thin, chances are your eyebrows are going to be too. Therefore if you fill them is too bushily, it will look unatural, so try to shape and define your brows, without making them too bold.

My final tip is a bit controversial, but something I like to do is lightly bleach my hair. I use the L'oreal Sun Kiss Jelly, which is a very weak bleach that gradually lightens your hair after 5 or so uses. I use this once every two weeks, just to dry out my hair a tiny bit to make it less soft. I don't use it often enough to actually damage my hair, and it is only a  very weak bleach (as you can see, my hair hasn't exactly gone bleach blonde), but it just helps to make my hair a bit more managable. I also enjoy experimenting with where I apply it. At the moment I've gone for a slight ombre, with more lighter bits at the front to help frame my face. As I said, controversial, but it works for me.

Lastly, I just want to say that whatever your hair type, enjoy and embrace it. I hope you enjoyed this post, and saw something that you want to try out.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Tresemme Hairspray

I actually came across this hairspray back in the summer when I went on holiday (take me back!), and was looking for a travel size one to take away with me. This was the chosen one and I have since bought a full size version as I loved it so much.

The packaging is very sleek with a black can and silver and purple accents. There were various sizes available and I bought the biggest 500ml one because it was the best value for money, however next time I think I would purchase the next size down. The bottle is just so huge and heavy that it is quite hard to manoeuvre around my head, strange as it sounds.

One of the things I like the most about this hairspray is that it has such a fine mist, meaning it doesn't weigh your hair down because of the size of the droplets. This gives it even better hold. I bought the 4th strength one as against the strongest hold because I wanted my hair to still have a bit of flow and movement to it, and that is exactly what this does. When I curl my hair, using this ensures that the curls stay all stay, but it still allows them to move, making the style look more natural and relaxed.

There's not a lot more to say about this because essentially it is just a hairspray, however I do really like it and the scent isn't too offensive either.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Nivea Night Cream

Hey guys! Today's review is another skincare review. The reason for this is that I previously only had one moisturiser, but when it ran out I decided to replace it with an SPF one for the daytime and a richer one for the nighttime. I reviewed my daytime moisturiser here, and today I will be reviewing my night cream: the regenerating night cream by Nivea, which is targeted at normal/combination skin. For reference, my skin is oily around my t-zone, but normal everywhere else, with no dry patches.

Starting with the packaging, I really like that this comes in a glass pot as it makes it seem more highend and luxurious. However, it does make is unsuitable for travel, and the actual pot doesn't have much information on it, so you may need to keep the outer packaging if you want the ingredient list and other details about the cream.

The formula itself is very thick so it does feel quite heavy on the face, but you leave it on overnight so by the morning it has all sunk in and your skin feels lovely and soft. Although it is thick, it's not at all oily, so my skin didn't get overwhelmed by it. I actually feel that by giving my skin a moisture boost, it doesn't create as much oil. I think that although my skin fits the target audience for this product, it would be suitable for all skin types as it is moisturising enough for dryer skin, but it isn't an oily formula, so oily skinned people would get on well with it too.

Overall I would really recommend this night cream, and I think that for just £4 it is an amazing product, especially considering the price of high end night cream, which can often be more than £40.

emma x

5 Drugstore Favourites

So today I wanted to share with you my favourite products from the drugstore; the ones that I repurchase over and over again, and the ones that I believe are better than more expensive, higher end options.

The first product is the L'oreal Studio Line Volume Texture Spray. This is a product that I use every single day to add some volume and texture into my limp and lifeless hair. It smells amazing and has good hold, meaning I don't have to follow it up with hairspray. Using this means that I don't have to add as much backcomb to my hair, meaning it benefits my hair as backcombing is very damaging.

The next product is the Soap and Glory Righteous Butter which I have raved about on my blog many times before. I love everything about this product; from the smell, to the formula, to the packaging. It looks great in my bathroom cupboard and you get an amazing amount of product for your money. The scent lingers enough that you smell good, but it doesn't overpower your perfume. I love how quickly this sinks into your skin compared to most other products of its type, and it can be applied when your skin is still slightly damp without sitting on the surface of your skin for ages. Oh, and most importantly, it is deeply nourishing and moisturising too!

Onto the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder which is a universally loved product by almost all makeup wearers. People are starting to move on to other options now, but at one point, this was the only powder that anyone used. Nothing compares to it. It is mattifying, without leaving your skin looking dead, it lasts a good 4 hours before you need touch ups, it doesn't break you out, and the shades are perfect colour matches for any skin colour. People of any skin type can use this powder without problems, and the cheap as chips price means that you can use as much as you like without feeling guilty.

My next favourite isn't actually available in the likes of Boots and Superdrug, but at £4 The Body Shop Shower Gel certainly fits into the drugstore category. I normally only pay £2.40 per bottle because I always stock up when I have a 40% off voucher. I love these shower gels because they lather up really well and give my skin a good clean. They don't leave any residue, but a slight fruity scent does remain on the skin. In the winter I like to use the Cranberry one from their Christmas collection, and in the summer I prefer the Raspberry one from their harvest collection. There is a scent for everyone and you would be silly not to try these out.

Last up is the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipsticks, which I am absolutley in love with! The colour range is lovely, there isn't loads to choose from, but all the colours available are ones that I would wear. The formula of these is amazing; they glide onto the lips really easily but they are quite solid, meaning they stay on the lips for longer. The colour pay off is really good, you only need a couple of coats for full opacity. There is a shade for everyone available and I can't wait to pick up more.

What are your drugstore favourites? Or do you prefer high end products?

emma x

The Tuesday Review: MAC Paint Pot

I know I have mentioned this product a fair few times in my most recent posts, but I thought that it needed a dedicated post being as I love it so much. On the MAC website these cost £15.50 but I actually got this in an outlet for £10.50. Originally I wanted to get the shade 'Barely Branded' but when I saw that I could save £5 by getting this shade ('Let's Skate') instead, I decided that it was definitely worth it as the colours are so similar.

I have only tried one other cream eyeshadow, and that was a Maybelline Colour Tattoo, which I really wasn't very impressed with if I'm honest. Therefore I was a bit worried that I wasn't going to like this either, but boy was I wrong, so I really want to stress that if you tried a cream eyeshadow and didn't enjoy it, you shouldn't be put off trying other brands. The formula of this is really smooth and blendable. It is very soft, making it easy to apply and blend over your eye. It sets quickly meaning it won't smudge when you move on to the next stage of your makeup, but you still have plenty of time to work with it.

I love that the shade is so wearable and perfect for days when you don't have much time to spend doing your makeup. A quick swipe of this and you're good to go, but it can also be used in smokier looks as a base or highlight. The icy colour and shimmer makes it perfect for wintery looks, in fact, for some reason the shade really reminds me of the film Frozen, so I would love to use it for an Elsa inspired look!

Overall I would definitely recommend giving these a try as I have fallen head over heels in love with the one I have and am desperate to buy another shade, I just can't choose which one!

emma x

Everyday College Makeup

Today I thought I'd share with you my everyday makeup that I wear to college. I think that makeup routines are proof of what products bloggers and YouTubers really like as they love them enough to use them on a daily basis. Therefore rather than tell you what I think of each product, I'll just let you know now that I love all these products and think that all of them are worth purchasing. So, without further ado, on with the routine...

I begin with my base, and the first step for me is foundation. I will sometimes wear primer but as it's getting colder now, my skin isn't as oily so I don't feel that I need it. For foundation I use a full pump of L'oreal True Match and half a pump of Rimmel Match Perfection. I really like this combination because it gives lovely blendable medium coverage, and the shades I have give the perfect colour match for my skin. I use the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to blend it in. I then use the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer under my eyes and on any blemishes. I then set with the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder using the Real Techniques Blusher Brush. I will then use the same brush to add a bit of contour and colour to my face using a 17 Bronzer. I don't use blush that often because I have quite naturally flushed cheeks so the colour shows through my foundation.

Next I move onto my eyes and begin by blending MAC's Paint Pot in 'Let's Skate' over my lids to add a subtle shimmer and hint of colour. Then I use my Eyeko Liquid Eyeliner Pen to add a thin line and small flick to my eyelids. At the moment I'm really loving pen liners and the control that they give you, and I find them the best type of eyeliner to use for neat flicks. Whilst my eyeliner is drying I do my brows, starting by filling them in lightly using the Topshop Brow Pencil in Blonde. I use this to fill in any gaps, enhance my arch, and extend the tail of my brows. I then set them in place using the Rimmel Brow This Way Gel in Medium Brown.

Now that my eyeliner has dried I can curl my lashes without smudging it. For this I just use my Primark Eyelash Curlers which were only £1! Next I apply my Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara to add lots of volume, length and drama to my lashes. The only thing left now is lips; first I use my trusty Nivea Repair and Protect Lip Balm, and then I add my lip colour of choice, Generally, I will use the Revlon Colourburst Laquer Balm in Demure for a nude lip or the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 05 if I want a brighter pink colour.

And that's all there is to it! Be sure to leave links in the comments to your blog if you've done an everyday makeup routine as I would love to take a look!

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Nivea Lip Balms

Today I wanted to share with you my love affair with Nivea Lip Balms. They were the first real brand of lip balms that I was introduced to as a child, by my mum, and even after trying literally hundreds of balms, they still remain a firm favourite.

My favourite everyday lip balm is the Nivea Repair and Protect. I really like the formula of this because it is quite hard and waxy, and has a matte finish, meaning it doesn't affect the lip colour that you apply over the top. It is really nourishing and although I like to top up throughout the day, you need only use it once a day. I also like that it is a twist up balm as I hate lip balms in a pot, and find them so messy and unhygienic.

The Nivea Sun Protect is an essential for me in the summer as it contains SPF30. It is a very similar formula to the previous lip balm but the addition of the SPF means that it also protects your lips from the sun. You have to be careful not to go overboard otherwise your lips do go a bit white, but if you're applying lipstick or gloss over the top it really doesn't matter.

Lastly, I have the Nivea SOS lip balm which is in a squeezy tube. I apply a generous layer of this before bed and wake up with my lips completely rejuvenated. Any chapping is gone and my lips are super soft. This is a real life saver in the winter when the bitter air results in my lips getting easily chapped.

Next on my list to try is the Nivea Milk and Honey lip balm as I have heard lots of YouTubers raving about it recently! What do you think of the nivea lip balms? Are you a fan?

emma x

September Favourites

I thought that as my schedule of posting on a Friday coincided with the start of a new month, it was only right for me to do a monthly favourites, especially since I haven't done one in a while.

The first favourite is a bit of a random one but I have really been loving this shoe spray. The brand is Kiwi but I just picked this up in Tescos. I mainly bought this for my badminton shoes as I play for my county and recently got a new pair. I really want to try and keep this pair nice so after each training session I leave my shoes to dry overnight (ew I know), and then spray them with this in the morning before putting them away. What I love about this is that you twist the bottom, pop it in your shoes and push down to release the spray. I don't know why but something about this really excites me haha. Oh, and it has a lovely, fresh scent too!

Onto something a bit more normal, the L'oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo. It's safe to say that I've tried a thickening shampoo from basically every drugstore brand so I was really excited when a new one was released. What really intrigued me about this is that it claimed to scientifically widen each hair strand, whereas most other shampoos of it's type just give your hair a bit of a boost and texture. I have definitely already noticed a difference after only using this a few times, so with continual use I am confident that I will see a vast improvement in the thickness of my hair.

Now for a makeup item, and something a bit different for me as it's actually high end. For my birthday back in August I was kindly given a MAC Paint Pot in the shade 'Let's Skate', and I have used it nearly everyday since. On a normal day I will just use this and a swipe of liquid liner, but on a more adventurous day I will use it as a base under a more developed eyeshadow look. The shade is a lovely pale pink with gold shimmer. It looks lovely and simple on the lids and adds a lot of brightness to your eyes.

Next up is a bit more a bit more of a general thing and it's statement necklaces. Since being given a ridiculous amount of necklaces for my birthday I have been trying to get into the habit of wearing one everyday, and so far I have really been loving statement necklaces. I wear quite plain clothes for college as I don't want to look too dressy, so these necklaces really help to add a bit of interest to my outfit. The one in the photo is from New Look and is one of my favourites because the cream and gold colouring mean that it goes with everything.

My final favourite is my Amazon Kindle. Having always thought I would be a book person, I was reluctant to try a kindle but I have fallen in love. I love how light it is, making it easy to hold, and I love that it tells you how far through the chapter, or entire book, you are. I also really like that you can look up the definitions of words whilst reading, because it helps to extend your vocabulary, whereas with a normal book I would just move on without finding out what a word meant as it was too much effort to get a dictionary and look it up. Overall, I feel that there are so many positives to using an e-reader, and the cheaper prices of e-books is yet another.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your favourite products from September in the comments.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Toni and Guy Salt Spray

Salt spray is something that's a daily essential for me; my hair is ridiculously soft so anything that adds a bit of grit and texture is a winner for me. I am on my second bottle of this stuff now so it's fair to say that it impressed me a lot as it's not often that I repurchase a product because I always want to try new things.

After I've washed my hair, I'll spray my hair with a bit of this product to add a bit of texture right from the start. I always blow dry my hair in order to add volume, so this helps to give it more of an undone look. I then style my hair and add this as one of the finishing stages. If I'm wearing my hair straight, this helps to add a bit more of a piecey (I don't think that's a word but oh well) texture. If I wake up and my hair is a bit wavy because of how I've slept on it, I just add a generous amount of this and then scrunch my hair to emphasise the waves and help them stay all day. If I curl my hair, I will spray this in to help maintain the curls/waves and give them more of a beachy look. Basically, this is perfect however you like to style your hair!

I really like that this product gives your hair a bit of hold as well as texture, so you don't need to go overboard with the hairspray. It does leave your hair slightly crispy, but then beachy hair is like that anyway so it's only doing it's job. I prefer to buy the travel size bottle of this because it's still a decent size at 75ml, so lasts a good 6 months, but means that the product never goes out of date before getting used up. Salt spray is something that I will always buy from the drugstore as there is so many budget options available, and at the moment, this is the one that I'm really enjoying.

Everyone has a holy grail hair product, and for now, this is most definitely mine.

emma x

Nail Polish Loves

A slightly different post for you today as I thought I would share my nail routine with you as recently I have found some amazing new products that have been total game changers for me! Starting with base coat, I have been using the Rimmel Nail Nurse Base Coat for the past few months and have really noticed a difference in the quality of my nails. Prior to using this, I had real problems with my nails peeling, and although this has not eradicated the problem completely, it has really helped to strengthen my nails and lessen the issue.

For my birthday I recevied my first Essie polish. I had always avoided the brand before because I deemed the nail varnishes to be too expensive compared to what I could get from other brands. However, I can now see that they are totally worth the money; the brush is the perfect width, it had barely chipped on my nails after a whole week, and the colour range is insane. I have the shade Sunday Funday and am in love with the coral colour and subtle specks of glitter. I have to say that I am definitely converted, but I will still be saving other colours for my Christmas list as I still can't justify spending £8 on a nail varnish out of the blue.

Another nail varnish collection that I highly rate is the Barry M Gelly Nail Varnishes. These are super shiny, meaning it is not necessary to use a top coat, and they last well without chipping. My only complaint about these is that they take forever to dry, so I generally have to use top coat anyway to make it dry quicker.

And that brings me smoothly on to the final product which is Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat, and I am not kidding when I say that this is quite possibly my favourite make up product ever! I literally just apply a generous coat over my nails and within 2 minutes my nails are fully dry, so much so that you can knock them against a table, do the washing up, whatever you like, and they wont smudge at all! Not only this, but it also leaves your nails extremely glossy and extends the wear time of your nail polish!

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know what you thought of them in the comments.

emma x

Adapting to Change

Last week my life went through a lot of changes, all for the better, but scary all the same, so I thought I would share with you how I have been dealing with all the new experiences. In the space of a week I started college, which involved going to a new school with entirely new people, I started my first job, working on reception at a local social and fitness centre, and I started a new badminton session as I got into the Sussex team so I have to attend team training where the majority of the players are a LOT better than me. Turning up to all of these things for the first time quite frankly terrified me, however I got through it and it made me feel a lot better about myself. For this reason, I really want to stress that if you want to do something, don't be afraid to do it. After a few goes you won't feel nervous anymore and you'll be so glad you did it.

In terms of getting through your first time doing something, I would say that confidence is key. Even if you don't feel confident in what you're doing, pretend that you do. In my first lessons at college I spoke up a lot in class, which was really out of my comfort zone, but it gave off a positive message about me to other people and then they felt able to talk to me, enabling me to quickly make friends. People are much more likely to start a conversation with you if they can see that you engage with others, so even if you don't feel confident talking to other people, put on a brave front and speak to them. After you've spoken to them a few times, you'll be much more confident anyway, so you won't have to pretend anymore.

Another method I use to calm myself is to feel really organised. If I'm going to a new place, I will make list upon list of what to do before I go, both in the hours before, and in the days before. I write all the things I have coming up on my calendar and make sure that my desk is a stress free zone so that I can focus fully on what I am about to do. I also try and keep really busy beforehand. Not so busy that I'm stressed about getting everything done, but busy enough that I don't over think everything.

This was a very different sort of post for me to do, which I suppose fits in with the theme of the post as it involved me stepping out of my comfort zone a little bit. I really hope this helped some of you, especially if you've just started a new school or are taking up new activities. Remember that the most important thing is to enjoy yourself.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara

Mascara and concealer were the first types of makeup that I ever begun wearing, so it's safe to say that I've tried a fair few mascaras in my time. Yet still, the unique brush that this mascara has was new even to me, but I loved it! Why has no brand ever used a brush like this before? The plastic wand has tiny little balls on the end of some of the spokes to help coat all the lashes in mascara by reaching around and between lashes. This helps to give your lashes a hell of a lot of volume and a fair amount of length too.

I have the waterproof version of this mascara; I always use waterproof as you never know when rain or tears may strike. I find that the formula can make lashes clump together a bit if you're not careful so two sparingly applied coats is generally better than one, more heavily applied, coat. Towards the end of the day my lashes do begin to droop a bit but that is the least of my problems as my oily skin plays havoc with my base. The mascara is a bit stubborn to remove, but not so much so that it puts me off it.

Overall I do really like this mascara, though admittedly it is mainly because of the wand, so if another brand brings out something similar, I'll be straight there! I've heard that the normal version performs exactly the same as the waterproof one so to be honest, unless you really hate waterproof mascaras, you may as well get this one for extra protection against the elements.

Have you been trying out a new mascara lately? What did you think?

emma x

Product Empties #2

This post is incredibly overdue, I actually had so many empty bottles that I couldn't even fit them all in one post, so expect another fairly soon! I had a lot of products half started and they all finished at once, which is good for this as it gives me lots to talk about, but replacing and repurchasing them was not so good for my bank balance haha.

I thought I would begin with shower products seeing as I seem to have gone through a lot of it in the last few months, which can only be seen as a good thing because it means I am very clean! First is a Ted Baker Body Wash Mini, which I wasn't overly impressed with. It didn't lather up that well and I wasn't a massive fan of the scent, however a good point was that the scent remained on my skin for a good day after using it. Next are a couple of shower gels from The Body Shop, one is cranberry, and the other is raspberry. I tend to use cranberry in the winter months, and raspberry in the summer. I love these; they lather up amazingly, they smell great, really fresh and fruity, and because The Body Shop always has offers on, they're dead cheap. Last in this section is the Soap and Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter, which is a very moisturising body wash. It lathered up a lot more than I expected it to considering the texture, and smelt really comforting, making it perfect for autumn.

The next section is skincare, and I'll begin with the Clearasil Overnight Lotion, which I believe they don't actually sell anymore, which is a shame because I really liked it. You just apply it over your face and it acts as a moisturiser but it also helps prevent and reduce the size of spots. The Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream isn't really skincare but there was no other makeup so I slipped it into this group. I wasn't a massive fan of this, because although it's the lightest colour, it's very orange toned, and my skin isn't even that pale. It didn't last well on my oily skin but I've now purchased the one aimed at my skin type (Dream Pure) and can confirm that it performs much better. I purchased the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Moisturiser because it's oil free and I do think it works well and doesn't overload the skin, however I wasn't a big fan of the smell. I think it's because I enjoy drinking pink grapefruit squash and for some reason it made me feel a bit sick putting it on my face. However, I don't think other people would have this problem so I would recommend this, and besides, how can you not love the pink packaging! The Boots Skin Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion is a product that I used in the morning; I just quickly swipe a cotton pad of it over my face and then apply my moisturiser. It quickly cleanses my skin and helps to prevent spots. I've tried lots of these from many different brands and they all perform just as well so I tend to just buy whichever one's on the best offer.

This last section is just miscellanous products that were left over. First up is the Garnier Curl and Bounce Hair Mousse. I actually meant to get the volume one but got this one instead, however this did actually give my hair lots of volume when applied before blow drying, and to be honest the two products probably aren't much different anyway. I really like this and would definitly repurchase, but as this was my first mousse, I want to try a few others first to check that there isn't anything that's even better. Next is the Sally Hansen Strengthening Nail Varnish Remover. I really like this because I prefer to use nail varnish removers with acetone in as I find them to be so much more effective, but acetone can make your nails quite weak. Therefore I like this because the added vitamins cancel out the effect as they strengthen your nails, meaning your nails aren't damaged, but your nail varnish is quickly and easily removed. The final product is a Ted Baker Body Souffle Mini which has the same scent as the body wash, so I wasn't overly keen. It does it's job of moisturising the skin, however it wasn't as good as other moisturisers I have tried from brands that focus on bodycare.

And that concludes this empties post. Stay tuned for another one in the near future and I hope you enjoyed reading.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Kiko Nail Varnish

Hey guys! This weeks review is another Kiko product, and this time it's one of their nail polishes. I was really excited to try this and it did not disappoint. The formula is really lovely and creamy, and two thin coats was enough to give an opaque colour. I could have got away with one coat if I applied it more generously, however I always prefer to apply two. The wide brush made for an easy application and it dried in no time. I wouldn't say it was particularly glossy, but I always finish with a coat of Seche Vite top coat anyway. The only thing I was slightly disappointed with was that it only lasted a couple of day without chips, and with other nail polishes I can often last a whole week. Other than that I was really impressed with the formula.

I have the shade 363 which is a lovely deep pink. On the nails it comes out slightly darker than in the bottle, making it more suited to winter than summer. I haven't tried any other shades so I can't comment on whether all the other shades perform in the same way,  but I will definitely be trying more, because at just £2.50 per bottle, I can look past the chipping as I don't mind repainting and going through more bottles.

Have you ever tried a Kiko nail varnish? Let me know in the comments.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Kiko Glow Touch

For today's review I wanted to talk about the Kiko Glow Touch because it's a limited edition product so I wanted to get a review out before they stop selling it. I have been using this product for a couple of months now so I feel that I've tried and tested it sufficiently to give you guys an honest opinion about it. I have the shade Wave Hibiscus which is a lovely pinky coral that is perfect for summer. I love this shade for both my cheeks and my lips because, on my cheeks, it gives a bright flush of colour that's a bit more interesting than a boring pink shade, but without looking unnatural, and on the lips it also looks great, especially when wearing the blush at the same time.

In terms of wear time and formula, as a blush I only apply a light layer to even out my natural flush, and it wears for about 6 hours, which isn't bad for a cream product on my oily skin. I apply this with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, after applying my foundation with the same brush, so that the colour is not so intense due to the remaining product on the brush. As a lip colour, it is very sheer and feels like a tinted balm. This also gives it the wear of a balm, meaning it only lasts a couple of hours and comes off easily when eating or drinking. However, it is not a hassle to reapply so I don't mind too much, and the formula is really hydrating so it doesn't cause any damage to my lips to be continually applying product.

I would definitely recommend this product, especially if you are new to Kiko makeup and are wondering what product to try first.

emma x