Saturday 29 September 2012

Favourite autumn blush - Stilla convertable colour

Now winter is fast approaching, makeup is getting a little heavier and Blush is the must wear product of the season. So, i thought i would share with you my favourite Autumn blush, which to be honest is just my fave blush ever. 

  

Stella Convertible Colour in Peony.  I got this from Space.NK for £16 but i know believe it is also available from Boots. Stilla are a brand that i really quite like, i think the quality of the product is really high. (If slightly overpriced)
I love the packaging on this blush its cute and pretty and fairly sturdy plus the little mirror inside is really helpful. The colour of the outside is different for each colour.

Without Flash



With Flash

The colour is closer to that with a flash, a dusky pink with a hint of peach. I put this on with my Eco-tools stippling brush and it goes on perfectly, blending without streaks or patches. It can be applied very lightly or build up with no problem. This really suits my skin tone exactly. The name convertible colour comes from it being a munti-use product, i use this on my lips if im in a rush and it gives a nice hint of lasting colour and moisture.



This is it swatched very heavily and because my camera is still broken the quality isnt great, the actual colour is slightly more pink/bright.
This blush is a very thick cream consistency than goes on smooth and dries slightly but not to a powder, it stays tacky. (but not overly in a yucky way).
The lasting power on this is amazing as well, i put this on at 8am and its still there at 5pm with no touch up needed.
Im thinking of also getting this in gladolia and lillium.

Whats your fave blush this time of year? What do you think of these?

Lorna xxx

Friday 28 September 2012

Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Gel soapless

This is one one my purchases from Escentual.com's French Pharmacy Sale. Its a cleanser i had a sample size of before and loved it so decided to take the plunge and buy it full size. The sale is still on throughout September and you can get this for only £5.49 when it usually retails for £8.25. You can get it here. There delivery was super fast, i had this within 3 days of ordering.


 

This cleanser is designed for oily/blemish prone skin which is my skin exactly. Its soap less to avoid drying and irritation. It is a green/blue colour that is just slightly bluer than the typical tee tree colour. The bottle i have is 200ml which i think is the only size you can get, also its just a good convenient size, not so small its done in a week but small enough you could take it in your bag when going away.

 I really love the cap on this bottle, it twists around 90 degrees and that  creates a small opening that is easy to get just the right amount out. Its so much better than the cleansers you can get in tubes that you need to close the cap before you can put it down because it sits on the lid, they always get so messy and i end up with lots of product on my bathroom counter. (maybe its just me haha).


This cleanser is very thick, especially for one designed for oily skin as they are usually very thin and runny. It goes on very smooth and you don't need a lot as it spreads very well. (i use a 20p size amount and it does my whole face).When you run it in it taken a bit of work to start lathering but when it does it is sooooo lovely. Creamy and still thick and just luxurious feeling. It also washes off very easily which I'm please about as one of my biggest pet peeves is face washes/masks that cling to your face and just spread around but don't wash off well.

It leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean but not dry and tight. I use my No.7 toner after and alternate between my No/7 day moisturizer in the mornings and either my monu beauty balm or No.7 night moisturized in the evening. If  follow this routine when i get up in the mornings my skin only has a tiny sheen of oil on it and i can really see a difference in the blackheads on my nose, they are definitely getting smaller. With this i also find i don't need to exfoliate as much, once a week rather than every second day which has got to be good for my skin.

Anyone else use this, what do you think? :)

P.s. Yay for my first follower :D but i think she might me lonely all on her own in the picture at the side of my page so more people should should follow for company:D and as a plus you'll get to read my posts.

Lorna xxx Follow on Bloglovin

Wednesday 26 September 2012

September Empties... Short and Sweet... and a little early.

Now i know its a little early but theres nothing else im going to finish in the next few days so i thought i would do this now. Its been a month of many products so not many got a long use, hence the 5 products i have to show. 


Tresemme Naturals Non- Aerosol Hairspray

I dont think this is available any longer but it cost about £5.50. I dont think i would buy this again (even if i could) and i understand why it was discontinued. It is a great concept and i would like to try this in another type, hair spray that isnt in an aerosol. I liked the way it sprayed and the hold it gave but you need to be very careful as it really hardens the hair and goes stiff.


L'oreal Studio Secrets Primer - £14.29 - Boots

This is a great primer for smoothing and resurphasing, it really does what it says. It feels like velvet going on your skin and leaves a completely smooth surphace for make-up. I would use this all the time if it lasted better on oily skin, but it just melts after a few hours.
Ialso think they have raised the price on these. I could swear it was £12.49 when i got it.


 YSL Touche Eclat - £25 - Debenhams

Now i got this to try and was horrified when i found out half way through wriing this post (from Makeup Savvy's latest post) that they only contain 2.5ml:o But i wasnt planning to repurchace anyway.Everyone will think im crazy for this but i REALLY dont like this it just doesnt work for me, ive tried all different ways of applying it but it just doesnt happen.


L'oreal Super Liner Luminizer - £6.49 - Boots

I likes this liner, a lot. I dont think there is anything paticularly special or new about it. It is just a quality, long lasting, well pigmented and easy to apply. This is going to be my go to liquid eyeliner.
It also helps they do it in variations of black to enhance eye colour.


 Tresemme Colour Previtalise Treatment Masque

I use this instead of conditioner every week or when my hair is feeling a little tired or stressed. It it lovely and creamy and really leaves hair feeling silky and smooth. I dont really think it works much better than the normal conditioner though. I also think this has been changed/discontinued as i cant find it to buy anywhere. It was about £5.

So thats me this month, not all that much finished but i have got a lot of things on the go so more next month :)

xxx

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Arran Aromatics Just Grapefruit Sea Salt Scrub

Right so i have been talking about this scrub in other posts since i got it. Ive used it a few times and can make the bold claim that this is the best scrub i have EVER used.
Now i might be being a little biased because i tend to love the just grapefruit range in general but this is one of my favourites even in that. I have tried a lot but others that usually fight for top stop include Soap & Glory The Breakfast scrub, Soap & Glory Scrub em and Leave em and The body shop Sweet lemon body scrub, This tops em all.


It contains natural Sea Salt, Coconut Oil, Grapefruit Peel and Grapefruit oil to refresh and tone skin. It is also believed that it helps to relieve cellulite.

The smell, oh god, the smell, its heavenly. As you probably guessed it smells of grapefruit but not just any grapefruit, this is arran aromatics grapefruit. Its my favourite senct ever if i could affort it i would buy all my products from this range. Its sweet but fresh and tangy.


Now im going to ask you to take a look at the packaging because im just a sucker for glass terrine jars, they feel so old fashioned and quaint. I always like it when a product comes in packaging you quite like showing off in the bathroom. ('Cause im just a wee bitty weird like that).

As you might be able to make out from the pictures the top centimeter of the jar is a different colour, this is where the oils have seperated slightly, this needs to be mixed up before use. It is a lovely thick consistancy that smooths on and and spreads really well. A little truly goes a long way. (about a tablespoon sized amount was enough for my whole body)
The salt particles are varied sizes but mostly quite big compared to most scrubs which i like. When this goes on and you rub it is a little rougher than im used to but i really like it, but because of this i dont think it would be very good for anyone with sensitive skin.

Before mixing
After mixing


But as far as I'm concerned its when you wash it off that you really discover he magic of this scrub.























The salt washes off but the some of the oil stays to a degree having sunk into the skin a bit. And boy does it feel lovely because its not that your skin feel very oily and yucky, it feels slightly like a film until you dry off after and then the film disappears and its just soft soft soft.
I used this after i had been having very dry flaky skin appear on my legs and it literally cleared it right up and my legs were soft and smooth and moisturised again. and the best part, the smell lingers on your skin for a loooong time. Which makes me a happy girl.

Do you have any other favourite scrubs?
Also still looking for the elusive first follower:p come on... you know you want to.


French Pharmacy Sale

Ive discovered this a little late so everyone probably knows but Escentual.com has 1/3 off the price of French Pharmacies skin care brands including Vichy, Caudalie, Nuxe, Avene, Klorane, La Roche-Posey, A-Derma, Pierre Fabre and Rene Furterer. Ive already put in an order and some priducts are starting to sell out so get in quick.

Monday 24 September 2012

My Week #1

So this is my very first week in pictures and i hope you like it. Im hoping to maybe start getting a few followers soon as im getting a lot of page veiws a day, so if you like this please think about koining.

Please beware these are in a terrible order:P


1. My September Glossybox came this week and i had mixed feelings about it. You can find my review of it here.
2. Dominos!!! This sunday night i was recovering from not feeling well on my birthday and having a generally lazy day so me and marcus decided Pizza was the only way to go.
3. Marcus and I outside The Duck Bay Marina. This is a lovely restaurant in Loch Lomond (about 40 mins aaway from home) which has a nice jetty and a lovely view onto the Loch. We went with my mum for my 20th.


4. My new heels! I'm in love with them. They were only £40 from Garage shoes. They don't look it but these are by far the most comfy heels I've ever owned.
5. A little piece of my Birthday cake, i decided to pretend Ive not just entered my 20's and got a caterpillar cake. They taste just as good as when i was little.
6. This was a birthday treat from Marcus, he got me the Just Grapefruit Sea Salt Scrub and its one of the best things ive ever smelled and it works so well.
7. Ta-Da!!!! Here it is, my engagement ring!!!! Its so pretty. Three main diamonds and 3 small each side. I'm a very happy girl.

Ive had a pretty good week this week i would say apart from being ill on my b'day but i suppose its not too much to complin about when you think about the rest.

Have you all had a good week? Anything fun and happy happen?

Lorna xxx

Sunday 23 September 2012

New favourite eyeshadow - Bourjois Little Rund Pot Intense


 Now i am completely AMAZED by this eyeshadow. Its from the Bourjois Paris Little round pot Intense range in rose sable (03). Available from Boots for £6.99 I think i will go as far as to say this is favourite eyeshadow i own.
I think when i saw it in boots the little girl that still wants to be a princess in my went in to a frenzy of "PINK!!! GLITTER!!! SPARKLE!!!" It was a little scary to behold and Marcus (the fiance) almost ran away.


Don't ya just love the little pots? They are so cute and hold so much product and you get a helpful wee mirror in them.


How beautiful is that!! I don't even know what to say as i think everyone will have tried these little pots and I'm a little tongue tied in awe of the pretty-ness.
The pigmentation is great and is easily built up, they blend well and the sparkles don't fall down your face throughout the day.


This picture is a bit deceiving as to the quality of colour as only the sparkle is picked up but the pic colour really comes through in the perfect non tacky way.  I am so happy with this and the amount you get for the price and quality is awesome.

It was my birthday yesterday and i was really ill at night so i was a bit shit. BUT Marcus had given me a great present earlier from Aron Aromatics Just Grapefruit range so i was well happy sitting with the avengers on :D

I will probs review that later because it is such good quality.

Lorna xxxx

Saturday 22 September 2012

Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm

So in the winter  months i really dont like the feel of heavy make-up on my face which i know is a bit reverse from most people but im a little weird. This has sent me in the search of a new bb cream, something with a little more coverage than my trusty No.7 tinted moisturiser (which is my usual go to low coverage) and it led me to Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balm.
They now do it in various types - Regenerating, Water Fuse, Premium, Platinum. I got it in Water Fuse as i thought it would be best for my younger skin and its oil-free so will help with my oily skin.




At £18 (Water fuse is the cheapest, the others retail for various prices ) I would have liked to have better packaging. This doesn't excite me or inspire confidence in the product.



BB creams that i have tried either go on grey with beads in it or are already the colour you would expect from your foundation. This is an odd mix of the two.
Its very smooth and creamy and blends very easily and unlike some bb creams matches your skin tone perfectly.
 Obviously this isnt spread or blended but when it is its perfect. It doesnt go sticky which i know people find an issue with a lot of BB creams and it dries quite matte. Althought i still put a dusting of MAC Prep+Prime over after to seal it and help with oil control.
I wore this last night before going out to dinner for my birthday with my Mum and Fiance and it lasted well the whole time it got a little oily after about 3 hours (which for my skin is really good) but a shine paper sorted it out. It made my skin glow and looked flawless. My only concern was that i looked a little bright in photographs but it wasn't so bad you have to avoid flashes. I like to thin k of it as radiating light. haha

Ive also just aquired a new Bourjois eyeshadow which im inlove with and a Stilla convertable colour (my first). Ill right about them soon.

Lorna
XxX

Thursday 20 September 2012

September Favourites

So this is my first ever video blog. Please feel free to leave comments :D

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Mini Blog Sale

Just had a little clear out and thought i would see if anyone wanted any of these before i get rid of them.
  • Postage will be £1.70 with 50p reduction on postage for each additional item.
  • Leave a comment saying what you want along with your email for me to send an invoice to.
  • Payment must be made within 24hours. (if going to be longer just let me know :))
  • Payment only by paypal
  • Postage outwith the UK will cost more



 

China Glaze Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - used 3/4 times - £5.45 - £2.50 
Barry M Block Orange £1


Barry M Magnetic Nail Paint - Magnetic Blue - £4.99 -  £2

























MAC Cremesheen Lipstick - Creme Cup - Swatched once - £14 - £8



The Porefessional 22ml used 3 times - £23.50 - £15



September Glossybox Maggie Li

So I've been eagerly awaiting this months glossybox since they took payment from me WEEKS ago and it has finally arrived. No i know a lot of people were very unhappy with last months but i quite liked it, especially the DHC Oil. This month is a bit of another story. A hair treatment big enough for one application, an eye cream that smells like a drawer liner, some sashes that came in an envelope, a celeb perfume that smells like all the rest and... wait for this one... a body shop moisturiser. Since when has the body shop been considered Luxury? did i miss some serious re-branding there?
Its just annoying me that some people got full size Mystic oil, not that I'm saying i necessarily wanted that i know its just lick of the draw. My concern is that i think if some people are getting a full size product then everyone should get one full size product , regardless of if they are different. 
Sorry for the rant but its annoying me.

On a positive note, how beautiful is that box! This wonderful creation from Maggie Li is the nicest one I've ever received i think.





 Okay so it looks like there is a lot there and a few are from good brands.

Lady GaGa Fame Fragrance £25/30ml, £32/50ml, £61/100ml /// Balance Me wonder eye cream £20/15ml


Right first ill get this out there. I HATE celebrity perfumes. They all smell the same, that horrible sickly sweet musky smell ugh the smell makes me want to whitey and this is no different.

The Balance Me extra care wonder eye cream is meant to be a very natural product with 99% of its ingredients coming from natural origins. Looking at the ingredients list it seems to be mostly from plants and fruit. We'll see how this works because it has a very very strong scent and i prefer my eye creams to be very plain as my eyes react very easily and randomly.

Rodial 5 minute mask £10.95 for 10x1ml /// Rodial Glamoxy snake serum £29 for 10x1ml
This is a brand I've been quite interested in trying but have never bothered because iv dismissed the price as extortionate and unaffordable, i mean those prices for 10ml. Im looking forward to trying the 5 minute facial the most. There was two of each included in the box.

Biosilk Silk Therapy £15.80 for 50ml /// The Body Shop Vitamin E moisture cream £9/50ml
Now as far as i can work out (and i may be being completely simple and stupid and its just this brand has passed me by) biosilk is to America what treseme is in the UK? salon quality used outside salons? I would have been impressed if it hadn't been in a wee horrible plastic bottle that looks like eye drops. Maybe it will prove me wrong and work a wonder as reviews seem to be quite good as long as you only use a tiny amount.

Now you may not have thought it from my rant at the top but this Body Shop Vitamin E cream is actually my favourite product in this box. My mum buys it all the time and when i steal some from her its lovely and rich and smells amazing. I can only use at night as its a tad to rich for my oily skin. I really love this cream, i just don't think it should be included in a box or supposedly luxury products.


Do you all think im an old grump because you liked the box? haha Did anyone get the other products to try?

Lorna
xxx

Tuesday 18 September 2012

That day i went a tad mental in TK Maxx ...and the big reveal!!!!!

So i went for a wee look around TK Maxx yesterday and just ended up seeing so much i wanted but i justified getting it all because of the amazing savings buying it from there.


Monu instant radiance Beauty Balm  50ml
Doll Face beauty spot pure and firm mask with sea kelp and kaolin clay
Nip + Fab Multi-fix oil 100ml
Argan Magic restorative hair mask 8oz


I have been hearing so much about Monu products recently that ive been deperate to try but the price has really been putting me off.  This Beauty Balm should cost £27.95 but the tkmaxx price was £12.99 and while thats still costly i could stretch to it. And am i glad i did, you betcha :) I might say a bit more about this later as i have only tried it the once but it spreads really far so only needs a tiny bit. It also makes skin feel so smooth and soft.


  This is possibley what i was most excited to find! Doll face oriducts are not something i thought i could ever afford so when i saw this (it was the only one) and it was in my skin type i was over the moon. It a mask as well and i have been looking for a new one. Its RRP is £37.50 which i think is obsene for a 57g pot. but i got it for ... £9.99. How awesome is that!!!! I tried this last night and ohhhhh my, its amazing im in love :) I'm going to do a full post on it once ive used it a bit more.


 I wanted to try this after reading a lot of blogs about it. It has sounded like a wonder product. But its been a bit pricy for something i didn't know if id like. This was RRP12.50 tkmaxx price £4.99 so i went for it. Got to say its alright but i think i prefer bio-oil. I'll give it a bit longer with the botd though.

This is just because i needed a new hair mask and i saw the words Argan oil haha :p it was £4.99.


So do you want to know the big secret. Well here it is... Im engaged!!!!! My boyfriend Marcus asked me on Friday :D We've been together 5 years and i am sooo happy. He picked this ring himself and i think hes done very well because its stunning! 

Sunday 16 September 2012

Fragrance Direct Haul ... and a BIG SECRET. :D

 So my mini shopping spree from fragrance direct has finally arrived after having be sent to the post office because i missed my postman by 5 minuets haha.
I was a bit upset that by the time i got a chance to check out the Essie polishes there was not too many left. And i made a massive mistake in my Sally Hansen polishes.


As you can see the mistake i made was when i clicked the wrong button and bought 'Grass Slipper' by accident haha. i meant to get a kind of blue shade but hey ho maybe ill find a use for grass green.




 The Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure were only £1.49 each. I got these in 'Grass Slipper' and 'Angel Wings'. Angel wings is a truly beautiful shade. It looks great on its own and as a shimmery top coat.


 These Essie polishes were only £1.99 each. I got them in 'Brooch the subject (773)' and 'Vanity Fairest (9). Both lovely colours that give you good colour in one to two coats. Vanity fairest comes with the new larger brush and brooch the subject still has the old one. I definitely prefer the new style brushes.

L-R. Sally Hansen 'Grass Slipper', Sally Hansen 'Angel Wings', Essie 'Brooch the Subject', Essie 'Vanity Fairest'.

Yesterday i got a set of acrylic french nails done so this is the only way i can get you the swatches. My camera is still dead to sorry for the terrible pic, grass slipper is actually much more grassy in colour and the pale shades are much brighter and have more depth of colour to them.


I'm not going to say much about this because i think the photo below says it all. I got this on a whim to try it as it was reduced from £9.99 to £3.50 and i don't know what i should do with it as it just clumps and is all horrible and yucky. I don't know if it just doesn't work with my skin type or what but its just not working for me. 

  This was only with a tiny bit as well. Wont be using this.


Last but not least is this SachaJuan SPF Conditioner. I have been SO excited to try this brand, especially this conditioner. Having read such great reviews about it i just needed to have a go and seeing it reduced from £20 to £6.99? I couldn't help myself from getting it, not tried it yet though.



So that's the end of this blog, sorry it was a bit rushed but ill be explaining why VERY soon in its own blog but ill give you a few hints.
Hint 1- Its the reason i got my nails done all nice
Hint 2 - I totally can concentrate on anything else
Hint 3 - If your very observant you may already know:p
...Maybe ill be a total bitch and not tell you until i get 5 followers:p haha j/k (woo i went all text speak there:p)

Love Lorna
xxx