US haul (NYX, NYC, Sephora by OPI, Milani)

A couple of weeks ago I emailed Lindsay from Pretty as Peaches to see whether she'd be interested in doing a US/UK swap as there were a few things that I wanted that aren't available here in the UK that I'd been after for a while! Lindsay didn't want anything from the UK at that time but kindly offered to still pick up the stuff I wanted and post it to me (I just paypal-ed the money to her). My package arrived super quick and everything was in one piece (probably due to Lindsay's careful packing!).

Read on to see what I got!

The goodies!

L-R: India and Tea Rose, NYC Blushable Creme Stick blushes in Plaza Pink and Big Apple Blush

India is a peachy corally nude which reminds me of OCC's Grandma liptar (I like India more though!). Tea Rose is a deep rose pink colour, I love it! Both lipsticks are nicely pigmented, especially Tea Rose - it's super creamy.

Not sure how I managed it but the lipsticks and blushers match - it wasn't planned haha. Plaza Pink is a peachy coral pink and Big Apple Blush is a rosy pink. Both are quite pigmented but when applied to cheeks and sheered out they aren't too OTT. They feel creamy at first but when blended feel more powdery. They quickly give my cheeks a healthy glow, however they do need to be reapplied after a few hours. If you wanted a more long lasting result you could use these as a base for powder blushers.

I asked Lindsay to pick up a few polishes for me...

 Milani 3D Holographic polish - Hi-Res

L-R: OPI Sephora - Do I Know You?, Metro Chic, Rock His World

Do I Know You? - I saw this on the Sephora site and expected more of a dusky pink colour, this is kind of brown-er than I expected but I like it! The Sephora by OPI formulas are very thin so you can either apply three thin coats or do what I did and apply one thin coat then a thicker second coat.

Metro Chic - Of course I had to ask for this one! Heard so much about it and it lives up my expectations, a very dusty purple-ish grey, gorgeous.

Rock His World - This is described as a deep cranberry on the Sephora site, it's darker on nails than on their swatch but I do like it. It'll be perfect for A/W - berry colours are in.

 L-R: OPI Kennebunk Port, Sephora by OPI Rock His World, Kennebunk Port, Rock His World

Lindsay also kindly included this sample of Smashbox's Photo Op under eye brightener. I haven't tried it yet but I've read reviews saying it's great as a highlighter too.

L-R: Smashbox Photo Op applied heavily, sheered out

So, what do you think of what I got? Let me know!
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NOTD: Purple leopard print

I've been wanting to do this for ages! It didn't turn out perfect (smudges and the Konad not transferring to my nails properly), I haven't used Konad in ages so I'm a bit rusty, but I still like the overall effect.

Please ignore the bits around my nails that need to be cleaned up - they'll come off in the shower tomorrow!

I used: Seche ridge filling base coat, two coats of OPI Done Out In Deco, Konad black special polish with the M57 plate, OPI Parlez-vous OPI? applied in dots with a kirby grip (I don't have any dotting tools!).

I think next time I'll try the Gem Fatale liquid eyeliner method for a cleaner look!

Hope all the UK ladies are enjoying your bank holiday weekend so far!

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Revlon A/W10 nail polishes - review and swatches

Revlon has released these two new matte/suede polishes for A/W, I won them in a Facebook competition last week and of course I wanted to share them with you!

Ruby Ribbon is a deep red burgundy with tiny purple shimmers in the bottle. It went on quite well, just a normal two coater. Since you can't wear a top coat with matte polishes (it'd ruin the matte effect) they tend to chip quite quickly but I never wear polishes for more than 2-3 days anyway.

Emerald City is an emerald green (of course!) with silver micro shimmers in the bottle, however it has the same 'flat in normal light, shimmery in artificial light' effect as Ruby Ribbon. This was also a two coater.

So what do you think? I think they'd be great for a Christmas themed manicure!

Revlon polishes are £6.29 each in Boots (currently on offer 2 for £8!).
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MAC Fabulous Felines collection details - September 2010

I really recommend reading Temptalia's interview with MAC's Creative Director and Product Developer here - it explains their reasoning behind the collection and gives a bit of info on the products.

Fabulous Felines is split into three parts: Burmese Beauty, Leopard Luxe and Palace Pedigreed. Each part consists of an eyeshadow quad, two pigments, three Superslick liquid eye liners, four lipsticks, three lipglasses, a lipliner, a blush and various short handled brushes. Yep, it's huge. I advise you to visit Temptalia and check it all out.
I first made my wish list when the product names and descriptions were released a few months ago, but since seeing swatches (Specktra, Karla Sugar and Temptalia) and reading a few reviews it's changed a lot!

Burmese Beauty

Description from MAC: "A rich teak-olive colour collection for lips, cheeks and eyes that celebrates the well-cared-for, and exalts in her high-borne right to be spoiled."

At first I wanted the quad from this collection but when I thought about it I realised I don't need it - I have Club which is a dupe for Burmese Beauty eyeshadow (which is a lustre anyway - crap payoff!), I don't want another dark brown matte as I've just bought Espresso (which is fulfilling all my dark brown matte needs atm), and I don't want to pay £29.50 for a peach and a gold eyeshadow which are similar to what I already have (similar colours are Shroom, Urban Decay Half Baked, Club and Espresso if you want a 'dupe' quad)! 

Leopard Luxe

Description from MAC: "Looks for lips, cheeks and eyes in a tawny, exotic creme-golden colour palette that betrays both sensual vulnerability and spectacular power."

I originally wanted the quad from this part too but after seeing swatches I've decided it's just too warm and yellow/orangey for me, I won't be able to pull it off! Similar (and more wearable) colours in MAC's permanant range are Soft Brown, Espresso or Brun, Goldmine and Satin Taupe.

I was also planning on getting the black liquid eyeliner but I'm just going to re-purchase my much loved Estee Lauder Doublewear liquid liner which died earlier this year (it sealed itself shut and I couldn't get it to open!), so sorry, no must haves from Leopard Luxe!

Palace Pedigreed

Description from MAC: "A collection of regal blues, plush greys and polished silver for lips, cheeks and eyes as haughty as its finely-favoured feline inspiration - the emerald-eyed, sable-riche Russian Blue."

For this part of the collection I was quite interested in a light blue toned pink called Of Royalty, until I realised I have lots of other lipsticks in this colour and MAC won't ever stop making extremely similar colours. The Palace Pedigreed Quad contains three satin purple-y colours and a matte blue-grey colour. Temptalia recommended this product for cooler skin tones.

Have you got your eye on anything from this collection? Let me know!

(First image from chicprofile.com, all other images from Temptalia)

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FOTD - neutral eyes and Creme Cup lips

Just a simple neutral FOTD. I'm trying to perfect natural looking but polished (and quick!) day time makeup for when I go into school in a few weeks (I'm a trainee teacher!).

Face:

Maybelline Liquid Mineral Foundation in Ivory

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Porcelain (under eyes, on chin and blemishes)

MAC MSF Natural in Light/Medium

MAC Rhapsody in Two mineralize blush

Set with Fix+

  

Eyes:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

MAC All That Glitters all over the lid and slightly above the crease

MAC Espresso in the outer V and slightly into the crease

MAC Below Ground Greasepaint Stick along the top lash line

Benefit Eye Bright in the lower waterline

YSL Faux Cils mascara

MAC brow pencil in Lingering

No7 clear brow gel

Lips:

MAC Creme Cup lipstick

What do you think? I'd love to hear your opinions!

I now have a Formspring so please feel free to leave comments, requests or general random questions for me there!

You can also tweet me, I'm @beautylovenotes :)

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Models Own haul with swatches

As you probably know Models Own is currently celebrating 10,000 likes on it's Facebook page with a 50% off code for customers (the code is FACEBOOK50 it expires midnight Friday 27th August). I've tried Models Own before and thought it was alright so I decided to order a couple of polishes.

The minimum order is £20, which with 50% off is £10 - you get 4 polishes and free delivery for this price so it's definitely a bargain if you find colours you like!

I chose Emerald City, Top Turquoise, Nude Beige and Purple Grey, which has been compared to Chanel's sell out Paradoxal. I really love everything I bought, I find Models Own polishes to be good quality, they go on well and last the usual amount of time (nothing makes it past 2 days on me, OPI, Barry M, Essie, but that's ok, variety is the spice of life!).

Emerald City: I'm in love with this colour. I meant to order this last time but for some reason I didn't. I couldn't quite capture it but it's a true emerald green (my favourite colour). I can't stop staring at my nails, I love how the glitter catches the light! It feels a bit gritty but a coat of Seche Vite over the top sorts it out and makes them even shiny-er :)

Top Turquoise: I keep seeing gorgeous girls wearing this colour on people's Tumblrs and I decided I need it in my life. Really cute colour that makes me happy!

Nude Beige: Another nude polish! I'm really starting to like these. Nude Beige feels very sophisticated and will go with everything.

Purple Grey: It doesn't have the micro-shimmer that Paradoxal is infamous for but the colour is still beautiful and perfect for A/W. The Swatchaholic (I don't know her name!) created a very similar effect to Paradoxal using a CND topcoat, check it out!

Have you hauled from Models Own? Tell me what you got or link me to your post, I'm nosy!

I also wanted to include this swatch of a comparison between MAC's Angel and Creme Cup lipsticks for Lindsay! My Mum has Angel and let me borrow it for this comparison :)

Angel is a slightly deeper pink whereas Creme Cup is lighter and more of a baby pink. They're both gorgeous!

Thanks for reading!
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Four MAC Togetherness eye looks

1. I think this one is quite wearable for daytime, if you're not confident with with winged liner you could just end it at the outer corner of your eye.
Light lilac on lid, grey in outer corner/crease, violet as winged liner and along bottom lash line, YSL Faux Cils mascara.

2. This would make a nice evening/night out look. I don't really wear black liner along my waterline because it makes my eyes look small but I think it adds a nice edge!
Light lilac to highlight brow bone, violet on lid and along bottom lashline, grey in outer corner/crease, MAC Slick Black Greasepaint Stick in waterline and as winged liner, YSL Faux Cils mascara.

3. I wasn't sure what I was doing here, I went with the flow and it turned out a bit Gaga!
Light lilac on lid and to highlight brow bone, grey just above crease, violet as winged liner from bottom lash line, YSL Faux Cils mascara.

4. I decided to combine Togetherness with a MAC permanent eyeshadow - Satellite Dreams.
Light lilac to highlight brow bone, MAC Satellite Dreams on lid, violet in outer corner/crease, grey to define lower lash line, YSL Faux Cils mascara.

Hopefully this has inspired you, sometimes I get stuck in a rut for eye makeup so it's nice to experiment a bit! Which is your favourite look?
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Products I don't like!

I like to keep my blog positive by sharing products I love but this post is going to be a bit different - it's all about products I haven't liked, regret buying or wouldn't recommend.

Clinique 3 Step System - I got these samples from Clinique's 3 Things Before 30 website when they were giving away 10,000 sets. I know some people swear by Clinique so I thought I'd give it a go. I got a set in 2 - dry/combination and 3 - oily as I wasn't sure which set would be more suited to me.

I thought the facial wash for 2 - dry/combination was ok but nothing special (definitely not better than Cleanse and Polish!), the toner was horrific and I'll never be using it again. Considering it's intended for dry skin (and mine's not that dry, I dread to think what this feels like on dry skin) it's quite harsh and actually stings. You can smell the alcohol in it and I prefer Liz Earle's more gentle toner. I found the moisturiser in this set to be too rich, it felt like it took forever to sink in. I might use it in the winter as a night cream though.

The set for oily skin (3), was even worse for me. The facial wash was nothing special again, the toner was even stronger than set 2, I think it might have even brought me out in spots (and I hardly ever get spots!). The gel moisturiser was too light and didn't feel like it was doing anything - I had to add another moisturiser on top to make my skin feel normal.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this skincare regime! I would say something milder like Liz Earle or Simple would be more ideal for most people.

The Body Shop Creamy Cocoa Butter Body Wash - I actually do like the formulation of this product, it's really creamy and lathers up nicely, the bit I don't like is the smell, or rather the lack of one! I was imagining a gorgeous Palmer's Cocoa Butter-esque smell when I opened it but either the smell is super subtle and I'm missing it or it's just not there. Either way, I wish they'd make it smell a bit stronger!

I like The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel, it smells gorgeous, just a shame the Cocoa Butter one is a let down in comparison. I'll definitely buy another shower gel from them in the future, just something else! I've got my eye on the Fuzzy Peach, Vanilla and Pink Grapefruit ones.


Revlon Colorstay foundation - I definitely got swept up in the hype for this one. I find it too heavy and I think it just highlights the pores around my nose. It sets way too quickly and I can't figure out which brush to use with it (the 187 has become a bit streaky and I don't like the way Colorstay stains it anyway). Estee Lauder Doublewear Light is much better as a heavier coverage foundation on me.

My skin isn't too bad so I don't need anything really thick or mask-like, I just prefer something a bit more substantial when I'm going on a night out so I know my makeup won't have rubbed or sweated off by the end of the night. I'm going to try using this up by mixing it in with my Doublewear Light when I do my night out makeup. The Colorstay is actually a better match to my skintone so it does improve the DWL slightly.

I have the Revlon Colorstay Powder too and I think it's great. It makes your skin feel really silky and it's a good, cheap handbag powder for daytime (I'm too scared to take my MAC MSFN with me in case it shatters!).

ELF Kabuki - I wanted this for buffing in powder but unfortunately it's really scratchy and unusable, I should have spent a few extra pounds for a Studio kabuki!

MAC Lipstain Markers - I was so excited when I found out about these but they turned out to be too good to be true. On me, they don't last very long and the point of a lip stain (to me at least) is that you apply it and it 'stains' your lips for ages. Also, they tend to highlight imperfections such as dry skin on your lips. I do want to try and use these up though, so I'm going to carry them in my handbag makeup bag for re-applying on the go, I could also use them as a base for lipglosses and lipsticks (which would hide any dry bits on my lips hopefully).

Lush hauls - I'm more of a shower person really, I only tend to have a bath once a month (usually on a hungover Sunday!) so loads of bath bombs in one go is a bit silly of me. The above haul was from January and I still have quite a few of the things shown left. I think I'll be buying just 1 or 2 things at a time in the future! I wish Lush did more shower gels! I really like Flying Fox and I'd love a Rockstar scented shower gel!

So, what do you reckon? Do you agree or disagree with my dislikes? Let me know your thoughts, comment below!
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MAC and Bobbi Brown buys with swatches (and Topshop makeup A/W10 info)

I've been after MAC's Togetherness eyeshadow trio from the In The Groove collection for months, for some reason when it came out I just didn't get it - I think I had Stereo Rose goggles on!
I've seen loads of gorgeous EOTD's with it (see Lindsay's here and here, and Christine/Temptalia's here) which convinced me not to forget about it. I checked at my local MAC store but they'd sold out, luckily it was still available online!

MAC Togetherness mineralize eyeshadow trio

As you can see the trio includes a light lilac, a violet and a greyish silver. This MES trio is different from the ones MAC has released in the past, I haven't had one before but I've heard they were too glittery and un-pigmented. I'm happy to say this product is satiny smooth and very pigmented. They can even be used wet for a more full on effect (I'm so looking forward to using the middle colour wet as a liner!).

Whilst I was ordering this MES I thought I might aswell get a few eyeshadows too...! I chose Bronze (to compliment my green eyes) and Espresso (a matte dark brown for daytime looks). I'm really happy with my choices and as well as swatching them for you I've done a comparison with shadows I already had.

Top L-R: Bronze and All That Glitters (not that similar but a lot of people seem to have ATG!)

Bottom L-R: Espresso and Cork

L-R: All That Glitters, Bronze, Espresso, Cork

Bronze is just gorgeous and buttery, and although Espresso is a bit harder to work with (being a Matte) it's worth it for the beautiful tiny gold sparkles :)

Also from MAC, but not from the website, I got Creme Cup lipstick which I've seen on tonnes of blogs! I Back to MAC'd for it (swapped 6 empty products for a free lipstick) so that made me happy! I've swatched this in the store before and I wasn't sure about it because it seemed a bit too warm toned, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about, it was just the stores lighting and Creme Cup is actually blue toned (cool) which suits me more.

L-R: MAC Creme Cup (Cremesheen), MAC Please Me (Matte)

L-R: Creme Cup, Please Me, Viva Glam Gaga

Whilst I was in MAC I also picked up one of these:

Fabulous Felines collection Burmese Beauty leaflet

I wish they'd had the Leopard Luxe and Palace Pedigreed ones too! This collection is coming out on the 2nd September in the UK!

I visited a Bobbi Brown counter and picked up one of their Creamy Concealers. I was in a rush (my friends were waiting for me) but the guy insisted on sitting me down and colour matching me and making sure I knew how to apply everything to get the best result which I thought was great (even though I knew exactly what he was going to say before he said it and even finished a couple of his sentences haha). I ended up with Porcelain which is the lightest shade in the Bobbi Brown range. Review to come!

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Porcelain

I also had a look round Topshop (didn't buy anything but saw some gorgeous things for when my student loan comes through.... camel coloured trench with leopard print lining anyone!!) and picked up this Topshop makeup AW/10 postcard:

The gorgeous Yinka at Vex in the City has some more info (and pics!) of this collection on her blog, check it out!

See anything you like? Thanks for reading!

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Recent nail polish buys and swatches (Nicole by OPI and Stargazer)

I've been going a bit mad for nail polish lately, I bought a few on the highstreet (shown in this post) and have more coming from Ebay, Models Own and in a package from Lindsay!

L-R: Nicole by OPI City Pretty Rose, Star Gazer 501, Star Gazer 502

First of all I decided I wanted to try out the Nicole by OPI range that has recently become available on the Boots website. It was £6.95 so it wasn't cheap but it is 3 free (no DBP, Toluene or Formaldehyde) and seemed promising! I checked out a couple of swatches through Google, I hadn't heard of this brand before so I wasn't sure which colour to go for.

I chose City Pretty Rose which I hoped would be a nice soft rose pink, however it turned out to be more of a Girl About Town/Barbie pink! I do like the colour but it's more of a summer one so I'm not sure I'll get much use out of it now (since it's practically winter already!).
It's quite a lot thinner than normal OPI polishes and although you could get away with two coats it's probably better with three. Overall, I do like the polish but I won't be rushing to buy any more at that price unless it's a colour I love and have to have (or I can find them cheap on Ebay!).

Next up is Stargazer. I'd forgotten about this brand, I just remember them selling crazy eyeshadow and eyeliner colours years ago in Quiggins (Liverpool, now replaced with a new shopping centre). Anyway, I saw that Lily had gotten a polish from the exclusive New Look range in 504. I went shopping and promptly forgot which colour she had and ended up picking up 501 and 502. I want to go back for 504 too! They're only £2.50 each, bargain!

501 (they don't have names!) looks like a milky chocolate colour in the bottle but on nails it's a sophisticated nude. I don't have another colour like this and I love it! The formulation is quite thin and it needed three coats to become opaque but I don't mind because I like the colour so much.

I'm not sure about this colour. It's kind of a barely there sheer pink colour (boring!). It took three coats to become sort-of opaque - you can still see the whites of the tips of my nails. I wish I'd got 504 instead, it looks lovely on Lily's pics!

Keep your eyes peeled for more nail polish posts coming soon!

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FOTD and reviews: Tigi, Chanel, MAC, 17 and Illamasqua

Hi ladies! I just wanted to share a few reviews of recently acquired products, hopefully there's something for everyone:

Tigi Catwalk Your Highness Root Boost Spray and Thickening Gel Creme - I've been through about 4 cans of the Root Boost spray in the past but I didn't repurchase because I couldn't find it any cheaper than last time until now (cheapskate!). I ended up getting two cans because I love this stuff! It's been repackaged but I really like the new look! It comes out like really small dots of foam and spray it into my roots (duh!) for an extra bit of volume. It doesn't make my hair sticky or stiff but plumps it up nicely! I used it for the first time in ages on Saturday and I'd forgotten how great it is, it's definitely one of my favourite hair products!

I decided to order the Thickening Gel Creme along with my 2 cans of Root Boost since it's in the same line and I guess is meant to be complimentary. It's a runny lotion consistency and I used 2 pumps of this through the length of my hair to thicken it up a bit. My hair is already quite thick but this product did a great job of making it even thicker! It kind of gives the managability of day old hair to freshly washed hair (I wash mine every day, yes I know it's bad but I can't stand greasy flat roots!). You can feel this product in your hair a little bit which may be a downside for some, but personally I didn't mind since it's not sticky or anything, it just makes your hair not as silky - I hope you know what I mean!

I'd recommend both of these products to ladies on a mission to get bigger and thicker hair! The cheapest place online I could find these was Escentual, which I'd never ordered from before, but I went for it and everything went smoothly - my order arrived well packaged and on time! The prices I paid were: Root Boost - £5.90 (RRP £10.50), Thickening Gel - £5.35 (RRP £9.50).

Chanel UV Essential SPF 50 - This is my first Chanel purchase! I wanted some SPF that I can wear under makeup and since this product has rave reviews on Makeup Alley I thought I'd splash out. Sunscreen is the only product that will stop the sun from ageing you. I'm approaching my mid 20's now and my facial collagen production is starting to slow - I don't want the sun accelerating that process!
This is a runny thin lotion that has the classic suncream smell which I love, it reminds me of holidays! I've been using this after moisturiser and before foundation, it sinks in after about 10 mins and doesn't leave my skin greasy.
I must admit I was surprised at how small it was when I first opened it but it is 30ml (the same size as most foundation bottles) and you only need a small amount for your whole face and neck. It costs £34 which is quite a lot considering there are lots of other brands providing SPF 50 for your face for half the price (Nivea, La Roche-Posay, No7). I will use this product up but unless I've fallen in love with it by the time it's empty I'll probably go for something cheaper next time.

MAC Fix+ - I'd heard so much about this product and of course I ended up giving in to the hype! I wanted it to help 'set' my makeup and to stop my powder (MAC MSFN) from getting clumpy during the day. Fix+ can also be used to 'refresh' your makeup later in the day or simply as a cooling facial mist. I've read that some people use it to foil pigments for a more intense look/to use them as eyeliners which I'm excited to try.

I recommend using this after foundation, concealer, powder and blusher but before any eye or lip products. I spray 2-3 sprays from as far away as my arm will go - spraying it close can result in blobs of water on your face which will ruin your makeup! I then use my hairdryer on a slow, cool setting to dry the Fix+, hopefully resulting in a flawless look!
I'm quite liking this product so far although I think it's probably something I could live without, I just didn't want to feel like I was missing out on a Holy Grail product!

17 Wild Curls mascara - I won this in a Twitter competition and it arrived yesterday. I love the leopard print packaging and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it has that 'click' closure that more expensive mascaras have. It claims to have an innovative brush but I think it's pretty standard, it's not exactly Phenomen'Eyes! It also says it'll curl your lashes for up to 10 hours and give 6x more volume. I think the length and volume it gives are great for day time but you wouldn't see me giving up YSL Faux Cils or Diorshow for Wild Curls for nights out. I always curl my lashes anyway because I have small eyes and it really helps to open them up, so the whole thing about it curling my lashes is a bit redundant. It feels ok on, it's not too crispy or clumpy, so overall, I'd say this mascara is good for daytime but it isn't anything groundbreaking! You can see me wearing it in my FOTD below.

I bought Illamasqua's Unrequited blush from Debenhams last week and I really like it! It looks a bit scary in the pan but on me it's a lovely not too OTT colour. It's very pigmented so you only need a tiny bit so I can see this lasting a while (which is good because it's more expensive than MAC!). You can see me wearing it in my FOTD below.

Face:

Maybelline Liquid Mineral Foundation in Ivory

MAC Select Coverup Concealer in NW20 (under eyes, chin, nose, blemishes)

MAC MSF Natural in Light/Medium

Illamasqua Unrequited blusher

Set with Fix+

MAC By Candlelight MSF as cheek highlight

Lips:

Rimmel Stay Glossy lipgloss in 140 Always Lovely

Eyes:

Benefit Eyebright pencil in lower waterline

Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Zero to tightline (upper waterline)

MAC pearlglide pencil in Undercurrent as liner with Birds and Berries shadow to set it

17 Wild Curls mascara (2 coats)

MAC Lingering brow pencil

No7 brow gel

What do you think of my purchases? Anything you already own or have I turned you on or off a product?


Disclaimer: I purchased all of these items except for the 17 mascara which I won in a competition. I always give my honest opinion! Usually I research stuff a lot before I buy which is why I'm usually quite happy with my purchases.

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My gym wardrobe

I know some people won't be that interested in this post but hopefully it'll help people who are planning on joining the gym soon or who just fancy a gander at what I've been wearing!

I really like Stella McCartney's designs for Adidas but I decided to wait until I lose a bit of weight before splashing out so I've just got basics for now. I've just picked stuff which is easy to mix and match so I don't really have to put much thought into what I want to wear to the gym. My boyfriend laughs at me and says I look like I'm going to a celebrity fashion gym but why would I want to look frumpy, especially when I'm going to be sweaty too!

My basics:

Sports bra - essential! Once you stretch the ligaments in your chest your boobs will be droopy forever so make sure you are always wearing a supportive bra. I have a Lonsdale one and a Nike (Indy Strappy Reversible sports bra) one.

Vests - I have ASOS's longline ones in black, grey and blue. They're quite fitted on me so if you like looser stuff you might like ASOS's cotton vests. The longline ones are long enough to cover my bum which is good!

Pants - I had some trouble finding short leg length gym pants but I now have two pairs that I'm happy with. I have some cheapy ones from M&S and more expensive (but worth it) ones from Nike (they're the Dri-FIT Be True French Terry pants), both in plain black. The waistband on the M&S ones is a bit tight compared to the Nike ones but I wanted two pairs of pants so I can wear one while the other is in the wash.

Jacket/top - I got a black zip up hoodie from H&M for £14.99 that I wear to warm up in and a black oversized t shirt from H&M for £7.99 to wear over my vests for warming up when it's too hot to wear the hoodie.

Last but not least, my trainers are by Nike but aren't the exact ones I've linked to (although they do look very similar). I think I got mine from Sports Direct or JJB a while ago, they were the only ones I liked and actually fitted me since my feet are apparently tiny - UK 3 - and they don't sell women's trainers that small on the high street and I didn't fancy ordering online then.

Green Monster smoothie picture from Iowa Girl Eats

I had my first Green Monster yesterday inspired by Victoria and Gemma, it was surprisingly lovely :) Sorry I didn't take a picture of mine, I forgot!

I used:
2 cups of spinach, microwaved for 20 secs each then ran under cold water (if you microwave it for any longer it'll just wilt into nothing!)
4-5 ice cubes
6-8 frozen chunks of mango
1 banana
1/2 cup of raspberry yoghurt (I wanted to get rid of it since it was going off!)
1/2 cup of semi skimmed milk

That made about a pint and a half of smoothie. I had a pint and gave the rest to my boyfriend who wasn't very keen at first ('Eww it's green...') but ended up drinking it all when I told him it tasted of banana milkshake and how good it is for you! I think in the future I'll use more spinach and fat-free yoghurt or rice/soy/almond milk (which do you recommend?).

Thanks for reading!
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Update and recent buys (MAC, Illamasqua, TK Maxx, Ebay and Holland & Barrett!)

Hi ladies, I feel a bit naughty, my last post was almost a week ago, whoops! This post might be a bit long sorry!

This week I joined the gym and have started to go a couple of nights a week with a friend, on the days I'm not going the gym with her I'll go round to my Mum's and use her treadmill. I did about 40 mins of treadmill, bike and cross trainer at the gym on Tuesday and 40 mins of power walking on a slight incline on my Mum's treadmill yesterday. I'm having a day off today because I feel really tired, I think that's thanks to my upstairs neighbour waking me up early this morning blasting his music, the joys of living in a flat!

Continuing with the health theme I've ordered a smoothie maker from the Debenhams sale so soon I'll be jumping on the green monster bandwagon! Annoyingly I missed the delivery by 20 minutes today, I was waiting around for ages at my Mum's for it to arrive (there's no point getting stuff delivered to the flat since our intercom doesn't work) and as soon as I got back to my flat and checked online it said someone had been, sods law!

If you have a smoothie maker please tell me what your favourites are! I have a huge book of smoothie recipes but it's a bit overwhelming and I'm not sure where to start, thanks!

I also decided to sort myself out vitamins and supplements wise. I'm vegetarian so I often miss out on iron and omega 3 which can leave me feeling tired and forgetful. After a root around Holland & Barrett I got some new multivitamins, Co Enzyme Q10, 5 HTP and cod liver oil. I got a tablet organiser from Boots (pensioner style haha) so I don't forget to take them!

Co Enzyme Q10 is really good for your heart and helps you make the most of the energy in your food.
5 HTP is a mood elevator (it helps boost your serotonin levels) and helps to reduce carbohydrate cravings, enhance sleep and generally reduce stress and anxiety.
Cod liver oil is a natural source of vitamins A and D and is also a rich source of Omega 3 and other important fatty acids. This supplement is good for your joints, heart, hair, skin and nails and is also supposed to be good for brain health.

Now, on to more fun stuff!
I ordered some nail art stuff from ebay since I'm always jealous when I read blog posts with jazzy nails! I ordered fimo canes (from timtimng - I know everyone doesn't like these!), gems and half pearls (from e.metro). They took about a week to arrive which I thought was really good! I've seen people pick up the gems from their local Poundland but sadly mine didn't have any when I last checked.

A quick NOTD using some of the gems and pearls:

Potentially overkill with the glitter too but I felt like messing around a bit!

Barry M Pure Turquoise with OPI Absolutely Alice and a lot of Seche Vite

As most of you will know Illamasqua's been offering 25% off when you trade in your old makeup and the Debenhams website has matched the discount. It was supposed to be just for last weekend but the offers been extended so hurry! There's usually a free delivery code floating around online so have a look before you order! I ordered Unrequited powder blusher which was/is £12. It's my first Illamasqua product and I'm really impressed! The colour and payoff is amazing, it'll definitely be in a FOTD soon!

 Illamasqua Unrequited with MAC Dollymix and Pink Swoon
Swatches top to bottom:  Pink Swoon, Unrequited and Dollymix

I love freebies and I'm so pleased with all of these free samples Debenhams sent with my blusher:

I paid a visit to MAC on Tuesday (my student loan from 09/10 finally came through day!) and got some old and new basics!

Fix+, Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Light/medium, Brow pencil in Lingering, 188 and 109 brushes

The Fix+ and brushes have been on my wishlist for ages and the MSFN and brow pencil are repurchases.

I haven't really had a chance to try any of it yet but I'm going out on Saturday night and everything will be used then! I'm planning on using the 188 to apply highlighter - I did try it with the Illamasqua blush but I find that it's too small. I'll probably use the 109 for buffing out blusher or applying liquid foundation.

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