Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Champagne Toast & Vampire Kiss

Tanya Burr Lip Gloss: Champagne Toast* & Vampire Kiss*. £6.99 each

I finally got my hands on some of the most talked about lip glosses of the moment! If you didn't already know, Tanya Burr (who is a famous blogger/youtuber) has teamed up with eye candy and recently released a range of lip glosses and nail polishes and they are absolutely beautiful. There are 10 nail polishes and 12 lip glosses to choose from. I've got 2 lip glosses to show you today, and I am already eyeing up more shades, not to mention the nail polishes that seem to be screaming my name!! 

These have to be the nicest smelling lip glosses I've ever tried. I can't decide what the actual smell is, but to me it just smells like fruity sweets. Aka GORGE!!

Champagne Toast*, it's got to be said, is the perfect nude. It's a natural peachy-nude with tiny flecks of silver shimmer running through it. Even though it's shimmer, it's not glittery, it just adds a nice, subtle sheen. It looks a lot darker in the tube but once swatched you can see it's much lighter. It can be worn on it's own, where it coats the lips in a subtle nude gloss, or it can be worn over nude lipsticks to give extra shine.  

Vampire Kiss*, is the shade that took Tanya the longest to perfect, as she wanted the red to be just right. I must admit I normally shy away from red lips as they are a little bit daunting, but I tried this and I just absolutely love it. I think I've finally found a red that's gonna make me that little bit braver. It really is the perfect red and think it will be my go-to evening shade as it's super pigmented and opaque. It's not too gothic looking but not in-your-face bright, either. This is a cream based formula as opposed to shimmer, and it feels so comfortable on the lips and isn't awful and gloopy like some lip glosses are.

Tanya Burr lip glosses can be found online at Feel Unique and Superdrug, along with selected Superdrug stores across the UK. Well done Tanya!! xx

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara | Review

I'm not normally too fussy when it comes to mascaras as luckily my lashes are fairly long and adapt to mascaras quite well, providing the formula isn't pure clumpsville of course. However, when I find an extra special mascara that really makes my lashes pop, I can't keep quiet about it! This is one of those mascaras...

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara is infused with Ceramide Triple Complex and Keravis, to help lengthen, define and revitalise lashes.  I'm not sure about whether it helps lashes grow over time as I haven't been using it long enough to notice. It's actually designed to be used as a kind of basecoat before your regular mascara, but to be honest it can also be used as a mascara on it's own, depending on the results you want. The picture below shows my top lashes after just one coat of this mascara, and just LOOK at the results it gives.

Top lashes with just one coat!
(Sorry for the rabbit in the headlights look! lol)

I absolutely love this mascara and the dreamy way it applies! It glides onto the lashes with ease and doesn't pull or drag. I've found that it does smudge a little bit more than the usual mascara when it's first applied so a little bit of extra care is needed (I imagine the dreaded middle-of-application sneeze would be an absolute disaster, lol). The wand itself is quite long and thin which I find really helps when taking extra care. I've tried using this and then immediately using a volumising mascara with a thicker wand on top and it really gives a dense, dramatic look to my lashes, so I think I'll be saving that for an evening look. I urge you all to try this mascara if you're looking for something to lengthen as this really makes a difference, and it's super gentle, too. 

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara is priced at £21 at most major retailers, however I got mine on Groupon for £9, and after a quick search on the wonder that is Google, it seems it can be found on many other websites for a fraction of the RRP. Not sure why.

For example, it's £6.99 on Fragrance Direct and just £6.75 with free delivery on Amazon. BARGAIN!

Have you tried this wonderful product?

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. £9

After using various top coats in my time (including Barry M's All in One and Essie's Good To Go), none of them fulfilled my quest to find the perfect topcoat. Being a Mum means I usually have to do my mani in a hurry, and constantly washing up bottles etc. means that my nail polish ends up chipping after a day or two. While Good to Go is an excellent fast drying top coat and adds a lovely sheen, it still doesn't manage to keep my nails from chipping after one or two days. I'd actually almost accepted the fact that my nails just didn't like to hold polish, until I started reading reviews. Almost everyone had mentioned Seche Vite and how amazing it is. When I was browsing Boots not long back, I noticed this little beauty right at the bottom of the nail care shelf on it's own - yep I know what you're thinking... it was fate! I popped it into my basket and off I went!

While most top coats just sit on top of the nail polish to protect it, Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat is designed to penetrate down to the base coat to create a single, solid coat over the nail. Well, aside from giving me the shiniest nails I've ever had, my nails lasted a whole 4 days without chipping! That is an absolute record for me and I am nothing other than CHUFFED if I'm honest! The one downfall to this top coat is that it doesn't smell the best and that smell does linger around for the first day or so. Am I bothered about that? Not so much! All in all, I highly recommend this product, as I highly doubt you will find anything else as good!

Seche Vite retails at £9, however you can get it from this ebay seller for £5.95 with free delivery! That will be my next stop when this one runs out!

Have you tried anything to rival Seche Vite? If so, let me know!

LUSH King of Skin Body Butter | Review

LUSH King of Skin Body Butter. £5.50/75g

Yes, LUSH do sell products other than bath bombs! I'd actually popped into LUSH last month to pick up a couple of new bath bombs as a treat, when I remembered Tanya Burr had been raving about King of Skin, so I decided to give it a whirl - and I wasn't disappointed!

Being quite lazy when it comes to moisturising after every bath/shower, this product is right up my street. It's literally a body butter in solid form, that you just massage over wet skin in the shower, and with a quick rinse you're good to go! With it's blend of bananas, butters, oatmilk and avocados, the smell is to die for (to the point where it makes me hungry lol). I'm not exaggerating when I say this.. my skin has never felt so soft and smooth! It's better than any body scrub/body butter combo I've ever tried and I will definitely be repurchasing! The only thing I will say is that it doesn't last very long. Maybe 10 uses at the most, and at £5.50 a pop it's not the cheapest product out there. I actually miss it though, so I need to get a new one asap! ha!

Have you tried King of Skin?

Beauty Lab Relax Neuropeptide Serum

Beauty Lab Relax Neuropeptide Serum*. £45

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not getting any younger (27 this year, boohoo). With age, comes those pesky fine lines. Obviously at my age I don't have any wrinkles per se, but I am beginning to notice some fine 'laughter lines' around my eyes, which I fear will only get worse if I don't start to really look after them now! When I was offered the chance to try this new serum from Beauty Lab I jumped at the chance.

Marketed as 'botox in a bottle', Beauty Lab Relax Neuropeptide Serum* is designed to relax the skin and reduce facial expressions, resulting in softer fine lines and wrinkles (without the need for needles, woop).

Key Ingredients

• Heptapeptide 8 - stimulates collagen and designed to interfere with a chemical reaction that guides muscle movement. (reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by 50-60%).
• Acai - an antioxidant
• Collagen R1 - a protein with anti-ageing/firming properties.
• Liposome Ace - maintains strength and tone of the skin.

The formula isn't like your typical serum, it's more of a light cream which absorbs seamlessly into the skin. I've been using this every night for around 3 weeks now and I can definitely see a difference, (also, I keep noticing it's been moved so I suspect the hubby has been sneaking it too, lol) . It's not a drastic difference, as like I said, I don't have deep wrinkles. I apply this after cleansing and toning, and when I massage it in around those fine line areas, I instantly notice that my skin feels a lot more relaxed. I was amazed the first time I used it and was practising my facial expressions in the mirror! This is definitely the first product of it's kind I have ever tried, as instant results are usually a thing of dreams! 

Beauty Lab Relax Neuropeptide Serum is available at Harvey Nichols for £45.

Spring Picks: Nails

Spring nails are everywhere at the moment, so obviously I needed to dedicate a post to my current favourite spring nail polishes. Most of them are polishes I owned from previous years, with a couple of new ones thrown in for good measure!

First up is the perfect nude in one of the most popular formulas of the moment; Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Lychee. This is the kind of nude that I think will suit most, if not all skin tones as it's not too yellow, nor too pink. Everyone needs a nude in their collection - although I must admit I do struggle slightly with the application of this one in particular. I really need to practise my application tekkers! Next up is a new purchase from Rita Ora's recent collaboration with Rimmel in the 60 seconds formula. Rimmel 60 Seconds in Lose Your Lingerie is a very pale, pastel pink with a slight shimmer running through it. I find it does need a good 3 coats (and lots of practice) to reach the opacity I like, but once finished it is simply stunning and predict it will look even better with a tan!

Spring wouldn't be Spring without a couple of true pink shades. The first (which looks slightly orange on the first picture, but trust me it's not), is my favourite pink nail polish of all time; Rimmel 60 Seconds in Rose Libertine. For me, it's the most perfect pink, as it's slightly muted but wonderfully feminine at the same time. It's one of those polishes that, once applied, I can't stop looking at my nails. The silky formula and fat brush make it super easy to apply and it dries to an ultra shiny finish. Next up is a standard bright pink in the form of Mavala's Vegas Pink. Everyone loves a bright pop of colour now and again, and I really love the Mavala Creme formulas.

Up next are two beautiful lilacs. The first is Barry M's Gelly Nail Paint in Prickly Pear - a stunning lilac that really stands out on the nail! The next is a paler, more pastel version; Topshop's Palma Violet. They are very similar shades, with the Topshop one being that little bit paler and more subtle, but I wanted to include them both as Topshop have a fabulous range of nail polish with a lovely formula. Definitely ones to check out!

Last, but certainly not least is another one from the fabulous Rimmel 60 Seconds range. Breakfast in Bed, another from the Rita Ora collaboration, is a beautiful pale minty greeny blue (lol) - a shade I have no doubt will do well, especially at this time of year.

L to R: Lychee, Lose Your Lingerie, Rose Libertine, Vegas Pink, Prickly Pear, Palma Violet & Breakfast in Bed.

What are your nail polish picks for spring?

Revlon Lip Butters in Strawberry Shortcake & Tutti Frutti

Revlon's Colorburst Lip Butters have been raved about time and time again in beauty blogs over the past couple of years. Their creamy, lip-balm-esque formulas make them a dream for those who struggle to find a lipstick that won't dry their lips, but still want something more pigmented than a tinted lip balm. With an extensive shade range of over 20 shades, there really is one for everyone. I currently own two shades, which of course are the two I'm sharing with you today.

080 Strawberry Shortcake is a cool-toned, candy pink which I find easily wearable on a day to day basis. My lips are naturally quite pigmented (which is annoying when it comes to wearing lighter lippies), so this might look even cooler on less pigmented lips, but on me it leaves a lovely cool pink sheen which I can build to a more opaque finish if I need to. 015 Tutti Frutti is a true, bright orange in the bullet, which is probably either scary or exciting - depending on what you're looking for. However, when applied, it becomes more of a muted, orangey-coral shade. Again, this might show brighter on less pigmented lips, and I must admit I was a little disappointed in how it turned out. Don't get me wrong, I do still like it and will wear it regularly in the summer when I'm a bit more tanned, but I was expecting more from this shade.

Along with the amazingly hydrating formula, the packaging is something I really adore about this range. The outer casing has a cute, quilted effect which looks so pretty on display, and I love the fact that they are all colour coded. I need to get my hands on a few more of these cuties; I've got my eye on 075 Lollipop.

Revlon Lip Butters are available at your usual highstreet stores and retail at £7.99.

What are your favourite shades in the range?

Spring Picks: Cream Blush

The clocks going forward at the weekend means it's officially Spring tiiiiime! Yessss! Spring is such a special time of the year. The birds are chirpy, the flowers are beginning to bloom and the whole human race seems that little bit friendlier/happier. What's not to love? Florals and pastels have once again burst onto the scene, and the highstreet/drugstore has exploded with new releases for the season. If you're a regular reader of mine then I'm sure you'll know that I'm a massive fan of cream blush, so I thought it was about time I dedicated a whole post to them in time for the new season.  I've put together my 4 best picks from the highstreet;

Maxfactor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink. £6.99
Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Pinched. £7.99
Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush in 04 Sweet Cherry. £7.99
No7 Pop & Glow Cream Blush Stick in Classic Rose. £9.95

First up is a firm favourite of mine and a much talked about product on beauty blogs, Maxfactor's Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink is the perfect universal pink shade that will suit most skin tones. The creamiest of the 4, this blush leaves the dewiest finish, is easy to apply with fingers or a stippling brush and stays put for most of the day. The newest addition to my collection (a Mother's Day pressie), is Revlon's Photoready Cream Blush in Pinched. This is a shade I don't usually tend to opt for, and I'm not really sure why, as it's such a lovely shade that gives a healthy, natural glow. Formula wise, this is a bit more sheer than the Maxfactor one, but is still buildable and dries to a semi-matte finish. Great for those who don't want too much of a dewy look. Next up is my oldest and well loved Bourjois Cream Blush in 04 Sweet Cherry. A lovely, deep browny-pink, I'd say this is the most universal out of the 4 that Bourjois have to offer. Now this blush feels completely different to the previous 2 I mentioned. This has much more of a velvety texture, which makes blending an absolute dream - it literally melts in and leaves the most beautiful glow. Last, but most certainly not least, is a new release from No7; their Pop & Glow Blush Stick in Classic Rose. I posted a rave review last week (here). Classic Rose is a beautiful deep pink, which makes it the perfect season transitional shade. The extremely impressive colour payoff of this stick means that a little goes a very long way. It's definitely the easiest and creamiest of the 4, and it literally feels like powder to touch once blended. Stunning.

Are you a fan of cream blushers? What are your favourites?

March Favourites 2014

Has March really been and gone? It honestly seems 2 minutes since I was typing up my February Favourites and speaking of my love for March as it means we can finally wave goodbye to Winter. Here we are in April, and there's been a few new purchases I've been reaching for this past month...

LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFACLAR DUO

I can't really complain too much about my skin as, luckily, I don't get that many problematic blemishes. However, I do get the odd hormonal blemish and redness around my nose and I have found this to be a miracle worker in clearing up any naughty areas in an extremely speedy manner. I apply a thin layer of this all over my face at night time before moisturising when I feel my skin needs a little bit of extra help. La Roche-Posay have recently brought out a newer version (the Effaclar Duo +), which I will be keen to try when this runs out. I think I might actually make a cheeky order as Escentual.com are currently offering 1/3 off La Roche-Posay!!

LUSH! KING OF SKIN

My skin has never felt softer. Honestly! This is the most moisturising product I have ever tried. It's basically a body butter in a solid form, that you rub all over your wet skin in the shower and VOILA! The only thing I will say is that for the price (£5.50) it doesn't last that long (as you can see, mine hasn't got much life left). But it's sooo worth it - even just for the smell.

RIMMEL MATCH PERFECTION FOUNDATION in SOFT BEIGE

My new fave!!! This foundation and my face are an absolute match made in heaven! I can't describe how much I love it! It's just a perfect 'my skin but better' foundation with a slightly dewy finish, which is what I look for in a foundation. I am planning a full review very soon so keep a look out.

No7 POP & GLOW CREAM BLUSH STICK in CLASSIC ROSE

I'm a sucker for a cream blush, and this one hasn't left my face since I purchased it at the beginning of March. I did a full review here, so I won't say too much more.. other than, if you're after an easy 'pop into your handbag' blush then let this be the one.

MUA BRONZED PERFECTION BRONZER

For £3 I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I do. It leaves a lovely bronzed glow, whether I want to contour or just give myself a bit of colour and it doesn't look too orange or dirty, just the perfect bronzer. Impressed with the colour payoff too.

INVISIBOBBLES

Right, whoever invented these cuties honestly needs a medal (and a big kiss from me). I very often wear my hair up on 2nd day hair as it just doesn't behave very well and is slightly oily, but I always seem to get headaches when I've had my hair up for too long. The Invisibobble is designed to hold as tight as a regular hair bobble, but without leaving behind a mahoosive kink, a nasty headache and pesky split ends. I can vouch for that. The no-kink thing is amazing. Don't understand how they do it!! The magical little things! 

What have you been reaching for this month?