NARS Audacious in Olivia.

The new Audacious lipstick range has 40 amazing shades, each named after a girls name. When I found out they had one called Olivia, I obviously had to have it (to be honest I wouldn't even have cared what colour it was, I would've bought it regardless - great marketing, NARS!).

Luckily, I love the shade. Olivia is a medium-dark red which gives you a stunning statement red lip. The formula is so creamy and it glides on easily. The colours are also highly pigmented and dry to a matte finish, without drying out the lips. The colour wears off around the middle when you eat, so you will need to touch up in those areas. I also recommend wearing a lip liner underneath if you go for a really bold colour, just to make it last a little longer.

Let's not forget about the fancy new packaging - it is all black which makes it look premium, and it's magnetic so the lid just clicks into place. Love it!

Chanel Chance.

My favourite perfume at the moment.

I had smelt this perfume a while ago and really loved it, but it is quite expensive. So when I saw it in the duty-free at the airport before I went to Hong Kong, I had to pick it up because it's slightly cheaper.

I am so in love with the fragrance - it's sweet but fresh and sophisticated at the same time. After 8 hours in work, I can still smell it on the wrist which is a plus. One spray in the morning is enough to last the whole day, so be careful you don't over-do it.

Also, how pretty is the packaging? I just love everything about it.

Maybelline 24 hour Colour Tattoo.

The famous 24 hour Colour Tattoos by Maybelline. I put off buying these for a while because I have all three NAKED palettes so I convinced myself that I didn't need anymore eyeshadows. However, it was 3 for 2 at my local drugstore and I couldn't resist.

They have a nice selection of colours that includes wearable colours and bold colours. I love neutrals so opted to getting these two colours - On and On Bronze and Pink Gold. Both colours have a really nice shimmer but the bronze colour is my favourite - perfect for everyday, whilst the pink is great for spring and summer.

The formula is smooth, making it really easy to blend and work with. I use my fingers to pat it on but you could also use a synthetic brush. This product would be great for people who are busy and in a rush because you can literally pick a colour, put it on your lids and you're good to go. The staying power is also amazing - once it's set, it doesn't budge. As it's so creamy, it doesn't even need a base to apply well; and in my experience, after 8 hours, it's still crease-free.

I love how they're also so affordable, but the glass pots are heavy and sturdy, making it feel like a much more expensive product. If I had to rate these - 10/10!

Urban Decay De-Slick Mattifying Powder.

This product has been out for a while but I have always used the bareMinerals Mineral Veil finishing powder as it claims to absorb oils as well as give your face a flawless finish. However, I found that my T-zone still gets really shiny throughout the day so I went on search for another finishing powder to control my oil. I came across this Urban Decay De-Slick Mattifying power and I'm a big fan of Urban Decay products so I thought I'd give it a try.

I must say, this powder has reached holy grail status for me. I may still have to blot once or twice throughout the day and can still see a little amount of shine on my nose after working 8 hours, but it's a lot less compared to when I don't use this product.

The powder looks white in the pan, but it goes on translucent and it's so finely milled that you can't tell that you have it on and it adds no extra coverage to the skin.

The packaging is really cute and sturdy. It also comes with a mirror and sponge but I just use a fluffy face brush to apply it.

I'm so happy I found this!

VO5 give me moisture.

I dyed my hair a chocolate brown colour nearly 3 years ago now but I've left it to grow out so I can have my natural hair colour back. But as a result, the bottom half of my hair which is still dyed is quite dry, particularly the ends that are also wispy. So whilst I was in the discount shop where I work, I saw these and thought I'd give them a try. A little goes a long way with these in that the shampoo and conditioner are both quite thick in consistency and the shampoo lathers up really well so you find that you don't actually need to put that much product in your hand.

I have to say I am really enjoying these. They smell fresh and the important thing is that they do what they say - they give me moisture. My hair feels softer and looks healthier! So big thumbs up from me.

MAC Viva Glam V.

All the money made from any of the Viva Glam lipsticks gets paid to the MAC Aids Fund - so you don't have to feel guilty about spending the £'s!

Viva Glam V is a gorgeous neutral pink with shimmer in it. It suits any skin tone and is perfect for any everyday look. As it's a lustre lipstick, it gives a wet-look finish making the lips look soft, moist and juicy.

Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balms: Coquette & Demure.

I think it's just a phase, but I have been so addicted to buying lip products lately. I loved the Revlon Matte Balms so much that I wanted to try out the Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balms. The packaging is the same jumbo crayon style as the Matte Balms, but the outside colour is metallic and shiny.

Similar to the Matte Balms, the formula is creamy and glides on like a dream. However, the lacquer colours come out more sheer on the lips and have a shimmer due to silver micro-glitter particles in the product. One thing to mention is that I found that if you eat off the lacquer, the glitter stays on your lips; something I'm not a fan of but I just topped the lips up with more colour.

Again, there are 10 lacquer shades altogether, but I only picked up 2!

Coquette is a cool-toned hot pink which is perfect for spring.

Demure is a nudey pink, and the forgiving colour makes application stress-free.

All in all, I love these so a big thumbs up from me!

Revlon Highlighting Palette - Bronze Glow.

Revlon Highlighting Palette in Bronze Glow - £8.99

For the spring and summer, I'm all about bronzed, glowing skin. Living in the UK, we don't get that much sun; and even if we do, it's still pretty chilly! However, I have found the perfect palette that gives a gorgeous bronzy glow for that sun-kissed look.

The Revlon Highlighting Palette comes in two colours: Bronze Glow and Rose Glow. The palettes consist of five strips of complimentary colours that you blend together to get a beautiful colour to enhance your complexion. I picked up the palette in Bronze Glow and I am in love!

It looks quite sparkly in the pan but when you apply it, it's non-glittery and gives the perfect amount of shimmer. I sweep my brush over the whole palette and apply it on the top of the cheekbones over a little blusher for a bronzy glow. You can dust the product lightly or build it up for a more intense colour.

Another thing I love is that this palette is more than just a highlighting palette, it's also an eye shadow palette. I love warm tones for my eyes and with these colours, you can create an everyday neutral look. Who doesn't love a multi-functional product??

I would say this is a dupe for the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks but less glittery. For only £8.99, they are a fraction of the price and definitely worth it!

Models Own HyperGel: Coral Glaze.

Models Own HyperGel in Coral Glaze - £5.00

I am loving this Models Own HyperGel polish in Coral Glaze! The colour is so pretty and perfect for spring.

I applied two layers for a more intense colour and although it's not necessary, I also put a top coat on just to prevent chips and preserve the shine. I love the thick consistency that gives it the gel-like effect, and there's no need for the hassle of a UV light. I added a touch of glitter on my accent nail as well using Pure Ice varnish in Don't You Wish.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms: Standout & Elusive.

Top: Standout | Bottom: Elusive

Whilst browsing the make-up aisles at Boots I came across these Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms. There are 10 colours altogether but I only picked up 2 as they were pretty low in stock. However, I am tempted to go in search for more because I am loving these!

The formula is super creamy and goes on really easily. As it is a matte, it stays on for a long time but suprisingly, there is no drying out. They come out really pigmented and the colours have great lasting power. When you apply it, there is a mint scent (which I personally like), but it does go away fairly quickly after application.

The Matte Balms come in jumbo pencil form with bases that twist to reveal more product so there is no need to sharpen them. The packaging is made of matte plastic and the colour of it is actually true to the colour of the balm inside - helpful when trying to pick a colour at a glance.

Standout is a neutral red that is really flattering when worn. It gives the perfect red lip!

Elusive is a really nice pink colour - not too bright or dark, just the right amount of pink and great for an everyday look.

I love the consistency, texture and opaque coverage of these lip products. Also, they're so handy to use on the go!

Mini drugstore beauty haul.

Boots still have their 3 for 2 offers going on at the moment and I tried so hard not to buy anything, but couldn't help myself (as usual!).

 

Maybelline Chromatics Khol Eyeliners in Purple Light & Turquoise Vibe | Revlon Highlighting Palette in Bronze Glow | Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters in 050 Berry Smoothie & 095 Créme Brulee | Maybelline Sculpting Brow Mascara in Dark Brown | Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

 

Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara.

Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara - £8.99

Push-up brush for upper lashes

Sculpting mini-brush for lower lashes

I bought this Maybelline Big Eyes mascara a couple of weeks ago and I've been wearing it everyday since. I am obsessed! The mascara is double-ended, consisting of a push-up brush for your top lashes and a sculpting mini-brush for your lower lashes.

The thing I love the most is the sculpting mini-brush. I feel that not enough brands have mascaras with a brush designed for lower lashes and I don't know why. When I use normal mascara brushes to do my lower lashes, the brush is so big I get mascara under my eyes (is that just me? lol). It's so much easier now and the brush saves me from ruining the foundation I just put on.

I did find that the mascara did clump a little, so it helps to scrape the brush on the sides before applying it. You can then apply more layers and build it up if you need to.

But overall, I love this!

MAC Lipstick: Jubilee.

MAC lipstick in Jubilee - RRP £15.00

This is actually my first ever MAC lipstick! Debenhams had a new season sale that included 10% off beauty and fragrance, which I obviously took advantage of. To get the most wear out of the lipstick, I wanted a colour that isn't anything too bold so that it could go with my everyday make-up. I've heard a lot of good things about the colour Jubilee and I can see why. It's a browny nude with hints of peach and pink and it's just so easy to wear. As it is a lustre finish, it's really sheer and looks quite glossy. I also feel that you can wear this for a night out or special occasion with dark eye make-up as the lipstick looks sophisticated but sexy at the same time.

MAC do so many lipstick shades and I can see myself getting addicted. Ahh!

What are your favourite shades?

Models Own HyperGel: Naked Glow.

Models Own HyperGel in Naked Glow - £5.00

I love nude nails and this Models Own HyperGel in Naked Glow is such a nice, beige colour. As it says, the polish has a gel effect and the formulation is quite thick when you apply it. Although it says you only need one coat, I found that I needed at least two to make the colour more intense, but I guess it depends on how much polish you have on the brush when you apply it.

The polish is really shiny though and I found that I didn't need to apply a topcoat; however, I think a topcoat would help preserve the shine and lasting power as I had it on for two days and noticed the shine had somewhat faded and there were small chips on the third day.

I also have the colour Coral Glaze, which is a really pretty, as you can guess, coral pink colour which would be perfect for Spring!

Has anyone else tried these? What do you think?

Mini drugstore beauty haul.

Whilst shopping at the weekend, I popped into Boots and Superdrug where they had various 3 for 2 offers on beauty and make-up; obviously I couldn't resist buying a few things!

Models Own HyperGel Polish in Coral Glaze & Naked Glow | Real Techniques Blush Brush | Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser | Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara | Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in #15

NARS Orgasm Blush.

 

Looking through my make-up drawer, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this product because to be honest, I forgot I had bought it haha. I'm pretty sure everyone has heard about the NARS Orgasm blush as it's their most famous blush. I put off buying it for a long time because I refused to believe the hype and NARS is quite an expensive brand. However, last summer I went to New York City for a holiday and omg..I found heaven when I stepped into Sephora! I was in such a happy mood that I just wanted to buy everything. So, along with many other goodies, I bought the blush for around $30, which is about £18 - slightly cheaper than buying it in shops in the UK.

The blush is a beautiful peachy pink shade with a shimmer. The colour looks quite bright and I wasn't sure if it would suit me, but having tried it I can say that it's really flattering and I think it would suit all skin types. As with most blushes, you can add more product or use less to get the right amount of colour on your skin. I love the packaging as well - it's rubbery, compact and looks really sleek.

You can buy it for £21.50 from ASOS here. However, they sometimes have sales so it might be worth waiting for them.

Real Techniques haul.

I recently purchased a couple of Real Techniques make-up brushes and I'm so excited! I've heard so many good things about these brushes and wanted to buy them ages ago, but convinced myself that I didn't need them. However, I caved in. As I have so many eye brushes, I opted to just getting a couple of face brushes - the Expert Face Brush and the Foundation Brush. Not only are the bristles super soft, they are 100% synthetic as well so they won't grab your product and cause it to get lost inside the brush - it will sit nicely on top and you can distrubute it evenly. I love the feel of the handles and they make the brushes really nice to hold. The bottom is also flat so that you can stand them upright if you want to.

The Expert Face Brush bristles are short, dense and tapered so you can easily blend and get a flawless, high definition look.

The Foundation Brush is angled and quite narrow, meaning it can get into all the nooks and crannies of the face like around the nose and eyes.

I love the look and feel of these brushes and for the quality, at £8.99 each they're a steal compared to other brushes out there!

Valentine's Day.

After a busy weekend, I can finally write about Valentine's Day! For my outfit, I wore my Daphne Dress that I got from All Saints in December when there was a sale - it was originally £128 but I bought it for £51.20 (bargain!). I also wore black heeled Chelsea boots, gold accessories, and a gold Chanel bag.

My boyfriend also booked a table for dinner at a restaurant called The Clove Hitch, on Hope Street. It was a nice surprise as he didn't tell me where we were going until I guessed when we drove closer haha. It's the second time we've been, but the food is really good :)

Champagne, bread, olives & cheese | Pork belly & seared scallop | 16oz Chateaubriand (to share) | Duck egg custard tart

After dinner, we went to watch the film '12 Years A Slave'. Although some parts of it were hard to watch and I came out the cinema having just cried my eyes out, it was an amazing film and it's no surprise it won a Bafta for Best Film.

I also got a gift from my boyfriend - a mini Clinique set that includes a Chubby Stick in Grandest Grape, a small nail polish in Hot Date and a cute little zip bag which I think will be handy to put my make-up essentials in when I'm on the go. It also came with a sample of the Clinique superprimer :)

Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day!

xx

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish.

I first started using Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish a few years back, before I started university. But as I never really had problems with my skin back then, I stopped using the product after finishing a bottle as it wasn't the cheapest of cleansers. However, whilst suffering a period of bad acne near the end of 2012, I decided to go back to using the Cleanse & Polish as I know the muslin cloth that it comes with is great for gentle exfoliating to get rid of dirt and unclog pores. Now, my skin has improved a lot and - without jinxing myself - I don't break out very often.

I can't say anything bad about this product. It has a sort of fresh herbal scent, it removes make-up really well and it leaves my face feeling super clean and soft! I use it every day, along with the toner and it's been doing wonders for my skin. For Christmas, I got 2 more big bottles :) The important thing is that it works, and I recommend it to anyone.

Buy the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Kit here.

Time to get fit!

Let's be honest, it's pretty hard to eat whatever and how much you want whilst still staying fit, healthy and have a hot bod.

I try my best to workout when I can, mostly doing HIIT (high intensity interval training) routines and toning up at home. My current job is shift based so it's difficult for me to maintain a routine as my hours are different every week. However, I am determined to lose 8lbs by the summer of this year. I think it's really helpful to set targets and goals as it gives you something to focus on.

To get me going, I've recently bought some new gear and I am awaiting my Insanity fitness DVD!

Shock Absorber sports bras - Cheshire Oaks - £21.70 each | Nike Pro shorts - Sports Direct - £16.99

Maxitone 12kg Dumbbell Set - Argos - £29.99

As David So would say, let's get it let's go!

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Recent buys.

So it's February and sales are ending. I never go shopping on Boxing Day as it's way too crowded and stressful so I normally wait for the January sales. I wasn't very impressed with the sales this year but nevertheless, I did pick up some bits recently, most of which were a pretty good bargain.

Top - Zara - £12.99 | Shorts - Forever 21 - £3.49 | Jumper - Zara - £7.99 |
T-shirt - Mango - £4.99 | Jeans - Warehouse - £12

Left - Warehouse - £5 | Right - Forever 21 - £3.15

I think wearing nail varnish all the time is taking it's toll on my nails. Recently, they have been very dry and weak, meaning they chip within a day of painting them. So I decided to buy a Nails Inc. treatment to get them strong again!

I also went to Cheshire Oaks outlet where they have a cosmetic store and saw the MAC Fluidline Eye-Liner Gel for £10.50 (while the RRP is £15). I read good reviews about it and bought it in the colour Blacktrack. I'm looking forward to trying it out!

Nails Inc. A&E treatment - £12 | MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack - £10.50