October Favourites

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Yep, it's that time again! I'm not usually one for Halloween, but I'm off to a Halloween party tonight so I'm feeling it this year! Anyway, the last day of the month also means it's monthly favourites tiiime! Here's what I've been loving throughout October...

THE BODY SHOP FROSTED PLUM SHOWER GEL* | link
Part of their new Christmas collection. Not sure if it's officially launched yet but honestly, it's not one to miss. It's such a warm, christmassy scent that lingers on the skin for hours afterwards. I've used nothing else since getting this earlier in the month. 

No7 YOUTHFUL REPLENISHING FACIAL OIL* | link
If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know how much of a massive fan of facial oils I am. The latest one to my skincare stash is this one from No7, which I received as a gift when I went to their Middlesbrough event at the beginning of the month. It's one of the best ones I've used and I've truly noticed a difference in my skin since using it.

GARNIER MIRACLE SLEEPING CREAM | link
The sole reason I bought the Latest In Beauty Glamour Power List Box, and I'm so glad I did. I've been putting this on every night at bed time and just absolutely love it. It's a thick, bouncy texture, and it aims to regenerate and hydrate your skin while you sleep, leaving you with plumper, firmer looking skin in the morning. I've definitely noticed a difference and I wouldn't be without it at bedtime now.

SEVENTEEN SKIN WOW 3 WAY HIGHLIGHTER* | link
I've mentioned this before a few times, but I've been loving this, not as a highlighter but as an overall glow giver. I've been mixing a tiny bit in with my foundation and it turns any foundation into a more glowy one without looking like a shiny glitterball. Love it!

No7 POP & GLOW BLUSH STICK in WATERMELON* | link
Another gift I received at the No7 Blogger's event. I actually had one of these in the shade Classic Rose, which I ended up giving to my Mam as I rarely used it, but since getting this one it's reignited my love for blush sticks. This shade is especially nice for Autumn as it's a deep pink and gives a lovely healthy glow to the cheeks. 

MAC BRAVE LIPSTICK | link
Ahhhh Brave. Pretty much the perfect Autumn everyday nude shade. So easy to just slap on and the satin formula means it's fairly long lasting but not as drying as matte. 

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Shop My Stash #1 - Mascara

I was clearing through my makeup and having a good tidy up last week and thought I'd start a series of 'Shop My Stash' posts. I figured doing this will help me to actually see how much makeup I have and stop me from buying any more, at least until I finish some of what I already have. After I realised I currently have 9, yes NINE mascaras on the go, I thought I'd start with that. Mascaras are certainly a weakness of mine, and I've got some pretty good ones in my stash at the moment that I need to rotate and use before they all dry out!  

Esteé Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara in Extreme Black | £24.00 | link

- massive brush, adds volume but not as much length.

L'Oreal Paris False Lash Superstar Mascara in Black | £10.99 | link

- gives amazing length. Love the fact it has a primer end.

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara in Black | £7.99| link

- got the waterproof version for holiday. Don't really like the brush (too flexible) and as I don't use waterproof mascaras very often I've struggled to get through this.

Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara in Very Black | £7.99 | link

- also got this for holiday. It's a lot better than The Falsies. Gives a natural look, great for daytime.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara in Black | Magazine Sample - £19.50 Full Size | link

- just amazing. Gives fantastic length and curl.

Benefit They're Real Mascara in Black | £19.50 | link

- didn't like the travel size of this, but the full size is much better. Great brush.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Volume Flash Mascara* in Black | Limited Edition Crystal | link

- won in a Rimmel competition. Haven't used it yet, but I'll keep the packaging forever. So pretty.

SEVENTEEN Falsifeye HD Mascara* in Black | £6.99 | link
- one of my all time favourite mascaras. It's got everything.

Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara in Black | £15.50 | link
- not worth the price in my opinion. It gives a nice curl but doesn't do much else.

I'd say my favourites of the bunch are SEVENTEEN's Falsifeye HD and Benefit's Roller Lash (really want the full size so think I'll treat myself once I've got through some of these).

What's your favourite mascara?

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Lush Ultrabland Cleanser

A couple of weeks ago I popped into Lush and had a little mini haul and picked up the cleanser that everyone seems to talk about. 

Lush Ultrabland is a simple, gentle, emulsifying cleanser that feels like a cream/balm hybrid. Lush say...

Based on an ancient Greek formula for cold cream, Ultrabland is beautifully simple and very effective. Made with almond oil, rose water, beeswax and honey, this cleanser removes all traces of dirt and makeup, without stripping away your skin’s natural defences. Smooth over the face, any dirt will cling to the cream and you can remove it with a warm damp cloth or cotton wool.

Like many emulsifying cleansers, you apply a dollop of cleanser to dry skin, massage gently to remove any makeup or impurities and then add a bit of water to turn it into a milky consistency and rinse away. I prefer to use a flannel to remove this as I feel it leaves a bit of a film if you just try and rinse it away with your hands. 

I've gotta be honest, I was a little disappointed in this product. I can certainly see where it gets it's name from. I feel like it's just a bit too simple for me. Don't get me wrong, it's kept my skin nice and clear and I haven't had any issues since using it, but it didn't really blow me away either. I found it didn't remove my eye makeup as well as oil cleansers and it has a bit of a strange smell. I think for £11.95 for 100g I was expecting a little bit more, but given that it only has 10 ingredients in, I can see why those with sensitive skin love this. 

Have you tried this cleanser?

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Joules Design a Welly Competition

If there's one thing I love in this world, it's wrapping me and the babies up warm and heading out with my camera on a blustery Autumn day. There's nothing better than seeing George crunch through those leaves and look for conkers. Big chunky scarves, thick socks and boots/wellies are a must, especially if you're going on a muddy walk. 

If you're with me on this, you'll wanna check out this out...

Joules have just launched a competition to design some Joules wellies of your very own! The winning design will go on sale at joules.com, and the winner will also receive a Luxury Break worth £5000 (3 nights in a golden oak treehouse cabin plus lots more).

10 runners up will also receive a £250 gift card to spend at Joules!

All proceeds from the sale of the limited edition winning welly will be donated to charity partners via CHARITABLY JOULES.

To enter, simply enter your design here

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MAC Lipstick Collection

My absolute favourite type of post to read (& write) are MAC lipstick posts, and I'm thrilled to finally have enough to be able to write a 'collection' post. I currently have 8 in my collection, and I know to many of you that might seem like a tiny amount, but considering I only got my first one last summer, I don't think I've done too badly. I have 4 cremesheens, 1 satin, 1 lustre, 1 frost & 1 amplified. 

Creme Cup - Cremesheen

Soft, blue toned pink

The lipstick that made me fall in love with MAC. Creme Cup was my very first MAC lipstick. I'd always wondered what all the fuss was about, until I tried this and I became hooked. 

Peach Blossom - Cremesheen

Warm, peach toned pink

Speed Dial - Cremesheen

Blue toned mid pink | slight, very subtle shimmer

Brave - Satin

Brown toned pink nude

Syrup - Lustre

Plum toned mauvey pink

Costa Chic - Frost

Bright, orange toned coral | slight shimmer

Saigon Summer - Cremesheen + Pearl

Frosted, bright orange

Girl About Town - Amplified Creme

Vibrant, deep fuchsia

Next on my list... Crosswires.

I'd love to see your MAC lipstick collections, or any you think I need in my collection.

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The £2 Berry Lip

The leaves are falling, the evenings are getting darker and there's some seriously massive pumpkins on sale in the supermarkets... Autumn's in full swing! Autumn wouldn't be Autumn without a berry lip, and I've found a fabulous combo for just £2. Bargain or what? If you're a regular reader of my blog you're probably thinking oh gawd is she banging on about those essence lip liners again? But honestly they're amazing - they definitely don't behave like a £1 lip liner should! The Essence Lip Liner in the shade 15 Honey Berry is perfect for the colder months. It's a deep, purple toned berry shade which leaves a satin finish (not quite Matte). It looks great alone, but for me I like to team it with MUA's Lipstick in Shade 2 - at £1, these lipsticks have received such great reviews. A glossier version of the lip liner, it's pratically the same in terms of colour, and it's highly pigmented and so creamy, which leaves a lovely glossy finish. Obviously, because it's so moisturising and creamy, it needs a lip liner if you need any form of lasting power - which makes this combo perfect! 

What do you think of this bargain combo?

Essence Lip Liner in Honey Berry | link

MUA Lipstick in Shade 2 | link

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The Body Shop: NEW IN

I was very kindly invited along to The Body Shop Middlesbrough on Thursday to see the lovely Clare and check out some of their newest products. Seriously TBS... you're ON FIRE at the minute! Literally launch after launch of awesome products. I was so excited to see what they had in store, so I thought I'd let you in on what's new....

Oils of Life | link

This range was actually released on 1st September, so no doubt you've seen it, but how beautiful? The packaging is so luxurious and it all smells incredible. The whole range is based around the infusion of 3 precious oils from around the world; Black Cumin Seed Oil from Egypt, Camellia Seed Oil from China and Rosehip Seed Oil from Chile. I love anything with oil as I have dry skin so I know this range is right up my street. Got my eye on that facial oil first and foremost!

Spa Of The World | link

Have you ever seen a more sexual looking body care range? The idea behind this range is to bring the luxurious feel of a spa into your own bathroom. The range includes a bath milk, massage oils, body clays, body scrubs and body creams. Again, it all smells amazing. You can even buy a matching gift box and create your own gifts - perfect for Christmas. The Japanese Camellia Cream is literally the nicest cream I've ever touched. It's almost like a mousse it's so whipped and it left the back of my hand feeling like I was wearing a velvet glove. Yes pleaseeee!

Fresh Nude Foundation | link

Shade Adjusting Drops | link

Having just launched, I think this is gonna be something we're gonna hear a lot about. I was very kindly gifted a Fresh Nude Foundation* from the ladies at the Middlesbrough store, so expect a full review very soon. Although I will say it's been compared to a certain naked foundation from Urban Decay. 

Now the shade adjusting drops I know will be a huge hit. You know the most annoying thing in the world, when your favourite foundation suddenly becomes too dark or too light for your skintone? Say you've been on holiday or something? Well the shade adjusting drops can adjust the shade to suit any foundation you're currently using. How amazing? I definitely need to get my hands on these PRONTO!

CHRISTMAAAAAAS! 

Now, their Christmas goodies haven't launched online or in store yet, but I'm sure it won't be long. The Body Shop always bring it when it comes to their Christmas launches. They're back with another Advent Calendar again this year, and the gift sets are an absolute dream! I got to take home a Frosted Plum Shower Gel* and oh my gawwwwd it smells delicious. It's one of those shower gels that lingers on the skin the next morning and just makes you feel all warm and wintery. Love it! Can't wait to see them all on the shelves in store soon.

Thanks so much to Clare and the team at The Body Shop Middlesbrough for giving me a sneaky peak of the newest launches. Keep your eyes peeled for the foundation review from me very soon.

@thebodyshopuk

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Halloween Wishlist

Not gonna lie, I'm not even a massive fan of Halloween, but when some of my favourite brands bring out Halloween themed products I just have to get involved. Call me weak! Here's a few Halloweeny products I've got my eye on this year...

Yankee Candle Candy Corn Medium Jar | £16.97 | link

OPI Let's Get Wicked Nail Polish Collection | £4.95 sale | link

Lush Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar | £3.65 | link

Yankee Candle Witches Brew Medium Jar | £18.99 | link

Eylure Halloween Carnival Lashes | £6.99 | link

Essie Wicked Nail Polish | £7.99 | link

Lush Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb | £3.95 | link

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Latest In Beauty Glamour Beauty Power List 2015

I bloody ruddy LOVE a beauty box, especially the Latest In Beauty & Glamour Collabs, they're always amazing - and the most recent box is possibly the best yet. The boxes are always jam packed with great products, but it's the value for money that always makes it impossible to resist. Costing £18.99, The Glamour Beauty Power List 2015 Box contains 8 products and is worth a whopping £92,87. Yes, I know! Let me show you what's inside...

Philip Kingsley Geranium & Neroli Elasticizer (Travel Size 40ml)

Kiko Velvet Touch Blush Stick (Full Size - Shades Vary)

Nails Inc Nailkale Superfood Base Coat (Full Size 14ml)

Eyeko Mascara (Blue or Black 4ml)

Rimmel 60 Seconds Supershine Rita Ora Nail Polish (Full Size 8ml - Shades Vary)

Vita Liberata Self Tanning Night Moisture Mask (Sample Size 10ml)

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick (Full Size - Shades Vary)

Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream (Full Size 50ml)

I'm over the moon with this box and it's contents as I was actually gonna go out and buy the Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream anyway, and that costs £12.99 on it's own, so for an extra £6 I've managed to grab all these extras. Bonus!

Latest in Beauty are currently offering a free DHC Deep Cleansing Oil with the code GLAMDHC | link - wish I'd waited to order mine to get this!

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A Little Lush Haul

Ahhh Lush! How do you do it? I literally cannot walk past one of your stores without your charming scents and rainbow themed aesthetics dragging me inside for a closer look sniff. I popped into Lush Middlesbrough on Friday and had a good old perve on their new Christmas goodies. Yes, I wanted it all but I managed to resist and come away with just 3 items. I'd been wanting to get my hands on some Lush skincare for a while, and I kept hearing a lot of good things about the Ultrabland Cleanser (£11.95 - 100g) so I decided to give that a go. I always tend to go for balmy, oily type cleansers that will remove my makeup whilst leaving my skin soft and supple, so this one looks right up my street. Look out for a full review after I've given it a good trial. Obviously I had to get a couple of bath-related products, so I went for The Experimenter Bath Bomb (£3.95), which I think was brought out in the Summer when they opened their new flagship on Oxford Street, and the Bah Humbug Bubble Bar (£3.65), which of course is new for Christmas. 

Really looking forward to using these 3. Next on my list: Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb & Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar!

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