Estee Lauder Double Wear Mascara

Usually I do not spend a huge amount of money on mascara as I have found a couple that I really enjoy using from High Street brands, the L’Oreal Voluminous is one that I purchase time and time again. So when I got this Estee Lauder Double Wear Mascara for Christmas I was quite chuffed and eager to give it a go!

The mascara is described as a ‘Zero-smudge lengthening mascara’, so does it lives up to its claims? Yes and Yes.

The wand has soft bristles which I much prefer to the plastic ones and it glides through your lashes easily lengthening them as it goes.  I do have to apply several coats of this to get a look that I like but my lashes look great, no clumps, no smudges just lovely and and long.

 

With Mascara & Without Mascara

Now usually I do like a volumising mascara and this one does not do that, however, I cannot complain as it is not described as volumising. The look this mascara gives is more of a naturally lengthened lash rather than the big fluttery lashes that I usually go for.

So really I guess it depends on your personal makeup style. If like me you prefer big bold lashes then maybe this one isn’t for you but if prefer the more subtle, natural look then this is a great mascara to go for.

What mascaras have you tried recently?

Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipstick - 'Pink Vibrations'

Pre-warning this post is a bright one! A while back I was browsing Direct Cosmetics and found this Elizabeth Arden lipstick at an insanely cheap price. The shade is 49 ‘Pink Vibrations’ and it is the most beautiful, vibrant pink.

I love a bright lip, it is quite often my go-to look on a night out and this beauty is great for that.

A lipstick needs to tick all the right boxes, not only does the colour need to be right but the formula is just as important. This is really creamy and gorgeous. It glides onto your lips perfectly and it stays put! The colour stays lovely and bright even after several hours and several cups of tea or cocktails!

I think this shade may have been discontinued but you can still find it on places like Amazon and eBay.

For me there are certain shades of lipstick that you need to have at least one of and a beautiful bright pink is one of them, this one from Elizabeth Arden is perfect. If you do manage to find this one online trust me you will not be disappointed!

What is your ‘go-to’ bright pink?

Michael Kors Mini Selma

I had been on the look out for a new bag for ages. With bags I am extremely picky, I am not even exaggerating when I say I think I must have tried on at least 30. There was always some issue, too big, too small, no zip, wrong straps. I had an image in my head and I just could not find one that matched!

A couple of months in to my search for the perfect bag I was on the Metro in Paris and that’s when I saw her, the Michael Kors Mini Selma. She was perfect, just the right size, shape, straps, zip…..everything!

After browsing online I found this tan shade which I thought was the perfect colour as it that would go with just about everything.  I wanted to choose something neutral as the bag was quite expensive at £140 and I thought this way I could get the most out of it.

Now this bag may be too small for some people but it is exactly what I was looking for. I had been carrying around a massive bag 24/7 and it was starting to hurt my back so I wanted something small to use mostly in evenings and weekends.

I can fit everything I need in there for the day. A small purse, keys, mirror, lip balm, phone and mini hair brush.

The quality of the leather is amazing. It is incredibly soft but despite if being soft the bag is really well structured and holds its shape.  I love the Michael Kors detailing on the zip and buckles, it really does set it off.

This bag really is a beaut and it was exactly what I was looking for, there is only one problem, now I’ve had my first Michael Kors I want even more!

What do you think about Michael Kors bags?

Holy Grail Hair Care From Batiste

Dry shampoo is a staple in my beauty collection and this particular one from Batiste has been my weapon of choice for some time now after seeing Miss Budget Beauty rave about it so much.

The Batiste coconut and exotic tropical shampoo is designed to revitalise your hair and remove excess oil. All of this is true but I don’t just use this little gem for making my hair look nice when quite frankly it looks yuck but I also use it when I am styling my hair to give it extra volume and oomph!

Now I have dark hair so I know what you are thinking, what about the white powdery stuff? I would be lying if I said this did not happen with this dry shampoo. But if you use this correctly it won’t happen. By correctly I mean shake the can first and after you have sprayed it in your hair give it a bit of a shake and a brush. If you do this you will be fine and your hair will look fabulous!

 As I said before I do use this for styling as it gives my hair a bit more texture but it actually does work really well in the way it is supposed to be used, as a dry shampoo. Some mornings when I really just cannot be bothered to wash my hair I use a quick burst of this and no one would tell!  Any excess oil disappears and I am left with hair that looks and smells fresh.

So if you are looking for a new dry shampoo or if like me you have quite flat hair and need something to give extra volume and bounce on a night out, give this a try!

What dry shampoo would you recommend?

If I was a Rich Girl....

 

Just a quick post today but I thought I would share a few of the things I am lusting after that are on the higher end of the price scale. Oh to win the lottery!

Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30

Christian Louboutin Shoes

Louis Vuitton Key Holder

Classic Chanel Bag

Victor & Rolfe Flowerbomb Perfume

Mini Convertible

What's would you buy if money was no option?

Love Yourself This Valentines Day*

Valentines Day is all about love and showing those people who are most close to you exactly how much they mean to you. So we can show everyone else the love but how often can we honestly say we look in the mirror and think about what we love about ourselves?

 I can roll off a list of all the things I love about my nearest and dearest but when you think about it personally it is actually quite difficult!

To mark the day of love PebbleGrey* wanted us to look in the mirror and think of reasons why we love ourselves, what makes us smile and what makes you….you!

Since Valentines Day is on the 14^th of February I thought I would try and think of 14 things I love about being me…so here goes nothing!

1.       I’m quite an emotional person – This can be seen as good and bad but I want to focus on the good! Being emotional means that I find it easy to relate to people and can put myself in other people’s shoes.

 

2.       Hard working- I try my best in everything I do whether it be at home or at work and I think this is a trait that shines though in my personality.

 

3.       Determined – If I want something or want to achieve something I will do everything in my power to get it!

 

4.       I quite like my eyes – My eyes are not really all one colour which I think makes them a bit different and unique which if I’m honest I kind of like!

 

5.       I’m caring – I think I am a very caring and considerate person.

 

6.       I’m super friendly! – I think this probably comes from working in customer service. I tend to be really friendly and chatty with most people!

 

7.       I’m a learner – I love learning new things and am always trying to broaden my knowledge. Keeps the old brain active!

 

8.       I’m a saver – I have always saved money for things I really would like rather than just throwing money around. This has enabled me to have things I really cherish rather than just lots of random stuff!

 

9.       My lips – I think I probably would like lips which were a bit fuller but we cannot all be Angelina Jolie! In all my lips are quite nice, nothing that a bit of lippy cannot sort!

 

10.   My eyelashes – Again with the right mascara I really love my eye lashes!

 

11.   Small feet – This may be strange but I quite like I have smallish feet at a size 5. It means I can get nearly all the shoes I want and at a reasonable price!

 

12.   I form friendships easily – Going back to being friendly. When I form friendships they tend to be a close bond and I think that is quite a nice trait.

 

13.   Soft skin – My skin is soft, most of the time with a little help form a good moisturiser! But I like it!

 

14.   I’m an every cloud kinda girl! – For everything bad I try to think of a positive to outweigh the negative, it just makes for a happy Kirsty!

If you do one of these lists leave your links below, I would love to have a read!
 

*PR sample

eBay Finds Under £5 - "The Disney Edition" #2

I am always on eBay looking for a bargain and if its under a fiver then its even better in my book! Today I decided to go with a Disney theme as every one loves Disney right?!

 

Disney Pumpkin Carriage Necklace 99p Free P&P

 

 

Disney Princess Lip Smackers  £2.99 plus £1.00 P&P

 Disney Sticky Notes £2.50 Free P&P

 Disney Mickey Mouse Earrings £1.29 plus 89p P&P

 

Disney Frozen Multi Colour Pen 99p Free P&P

 

Have you found any bargains on eBay recently?

 

 

Blog Button Swap: GirlUpNorth

 

I really enjoy blogging. I enjoy writing and also being part of the blogging community. Everyone that  I have spoken to has been really lovely and I think it’s important that we all help each other to be the best that we can be. So when the ever so lovely Jade from GirlUpNorth.co.uk tweeted about a blog button swap I jumped at the chance.

You can see Jade's blog button in the right hand side bar.

I have followed Jades blog for a while now and enjoy reading it as she covers so many things and she comes across as being a really genuine person in her posts. She also takes really great photos, one of her most recent restaurant posts made me so hungry after looking at the photos!

So if you like reading blogs that are based around variety then you should definitely give GirlUpNorth a read. Whether its beauty, food/drink or lifestyle Jade’s posts are always informative and personal which I think is really important when you are reading a blog.

 

 If you would like to do a blog button swap next month just drop me an e-mail or a tweet!

Waking My Skin Up With Origins Ginzing

Before Christmas I treated myself to the Origins Superstar gift set. The set contained miniatures of the best selling Origins products.  Included in this was the Ginzing Energy Boosting moisturiser and Refreshing eye cream. I have wanted to try these for a while and if I’m honest they were one of the main reasons why I wanted to buy this set.

If you have not heard of the Ginzing range before basically it is a range that is designed to be used in the morning to give your skin a bit of a pick me up to really get you ready for the day.

 

The eye cream claims to brighten and depuff and I have to say it does not disappoint. I do not suffer majorly with dark circles but unfortunately they do exist! The eye cream really helps to combat this. When you dab it on to your skin you can see it contains small golden particles which act as a highlight to brighten the area. 

Now onto the Energy boosting moisturiser, this stuff smells amazing! It is really lightweight and sinks into your skin quickly which I like as it means you can apply your makeup soon after without it feeling layered. A little goes a long way and my skin does look like it’s perked up.  It smells like oranges, really zesty and just so yummy!

For a full sized moisturiser (50ml) and eye cream (15ml) the price is around £23 and I do think they are worth it, they are also available in gift sets quite a lot of the time!

If you cannot tell I really enjoy using these products both on their own and as a morning fighting duo so when my miniatures run out they are definitely something that I would consider purchasing.

What products do you use to get your skin ready for the day?

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Gloss

I have always like Bourjois products, I adore their eye shadow pots and their Volume Clubbing mascara was my go-to mascara when I was in my late teens. In recent years though I seem to have drifted away from Bourjois so I decided to delve back in when I saw this Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Gloss.

 

The shade I chose was 09 Happy Nude Year. This is one of the matte finishes and in the tube is looks like a dusky pink nude which was exactly what I was looking for!

The gloss has a really creamy texture and is extremely pigmented even when you first apply it to your lips.  I am glad Bourjois have gone for quite a sturdy sponge applicator as I think precision is key with this one.

I hate to say it but the colour of this one is just not what I was expecting. For some reason, it might just be my lip colour but this seems to dry on my lips as more of a coral shade than a dusky pink. I have seen swatches on other people and it looks so different!

If you are a fan of the matte finish I think you will like this. It is extremely matte and does last on your lips for a really long time without cracking or making your lips looks dry. I have worn this for 5 hours and the colour has still been visible.

You can pick this up for around £9.00 which is the average price for drug store lip glosses. I really wanted to like this and I do but as I said the colour was just not what I expected. So if you know of any nice dusky pink glosses please let me know! If you are looking for a coral shade matte then this would be perfect.

What Bourjois products would you recommend?

Primark Haul

At the weekend I decided to do a little bit of shopping! The main purpose was to get some new clothes as I am starting a new job this week which is office based. I have always had work uniform so thought this was the perfect excuse to buy a few bits and pieces!

The first thing I picked up really was not for work but I could not resist this Disney jumper and the fact that it was on the sale rail and was only £7 made it even more appealing. It is so comfy and soft, I love it!

This was also on the sale rail for £5!

              

So these are the tops I picked up for work. I thought they looked quite smart but would also be comfortable. The blouses were also a bargain as they were also in the sale from £6 to £3.90!

Last but not least I picked up a few pairs of pumps. I really like Primark for their shoes they are always stylish, comfy and affordable.

Have you picked up any bargains from Primark recently?

 



 

 

 

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder

I had wanted to try the Honey Bronzing Powder from the Body Shop for quite some time so a while back when the Body Shop released one of their infamous 50% off codes I thought that would be the perfect time!

There are 4 shades available, I went for the second lightest which is 02 Fair Matte. I have quite pale skin so I wanted something that would not be too dark but at the same time would still give me a bit of a glow and this is the perfect shade for that.

 I use this both in the day time and in the evening for contouring and just to make me look generally a bit less washed out! As the bronzer is completely matt there are no glitter or gold particles which does make it suitable for every day wear.

I am thinking about picking up another one in the next shade darker for days when I have got a bit of fake tan on as I think it would work well.  A pale girl like me has to love the old fake tan.

Another point to mention, I know you are not supposed to judge a book by its packaging but how cute is the honey comb design! Love it!

This bronzer has now become a staple piece in the every day makeup routine and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Yes I would pay full price at £13 for it but really I do not think there is any need to when the Body Shop always have some sort of deal or money off code floating around!

Have you tried anything from the Body Shop Honey range?