June Favourites 2013

 

Hey Beauties,

Today's post is on what products I have been enjoying throughout the month of June. I know, I know it's not over yet but the early bird catches the worm (or in this case nothing HA). Can I just point out something, is it just me or is the months flying by lately?

Throughout June I have been trying to use up products I already have and trying out new products, in doing so I have come to realise some I have been using more than others and have been really loving.

For this month I have been loving:

MAC Fix+ Spray

This product also featured in my What’s in my makeup bag post, I just can’t get enough of it. I use this everyday I put on makeup sometimes I apply it twice – before my makeup & after. I just find that this really lets your makeup sit lovely & gives a tiny glow, it also makes my makeup last for ages. It is a very popular product from a popular brand & it is obvious why. Don’t worry I will be doing a full review.

L’Oreal Nude Magique BB Blush Cream  

I am a BIG fan of the BB cream of this range from L’Oreal so when I seen this product in Boots I had to give it a go. And oh my! This is really good. At first when you squeeze some product out it is a clear gel & once applied to skin & you work it in, you can begin to see the colour. I love these products that transform into something so wonderful at your fingertips. I have been using this mostly on the days I have been wearing BB creams & tinted moisturisers instead of normal blush just for that more natural look. I really like this product so far for those fresh face days.

Seche Vite Top Coat  

If you haven’t already heard about this product you had to been living under a rock! This product is raved by bloggers, professionals and loved by all who tried it. I used to hate painting my nails & would always opted for falsies but since I tried this I have been painting my nails a LOT this month. Are you like me and find that when you paint your nails you always have something to do or no matter how hard you try they always get smudged? Well this product will be you savouir! It dries nails in seconds so you can just paint & go!

TBS Hemp Hand Cream  

I am a huge Body Shop fan & have built quite a collection. I stumbled across this product one time as it was listed in the best sellers section of the website so gave it a try. Years on & I haven’t looked back. This month I have found my hands being quite dry for some reason so I have been grabbing this & using it pretty much everyday for this month.

Colgate Max White One 

 

This is a random choice for my favourites post but I thought I would share it anyways. For a while now I have been using this toothpaste, it claims to make teeth a few shades lighter. I have been only using this toothpaste with the brush that is also part of this range & I have found that it has actually lightened my teeth. I don’t have that ‘hollywood’ smile but teeth that are now few shades lighter than I started. It is definitely worth a try.
 

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

 

I originally heard of this product after reading & watching lots of bloggers rave about it but at the time I was happy with my skin. But recently I haven’t been happy with my skin probably due to my poor/lazy skincare routine & all the junk I was eating previously. So I decided to give it a try & WOW it really does work. Not only is my skin clearing up but it is also appears to be tightening up making it look younger. I have been using this religiously & couldn’t recommend it enough!

I hope you enjoyed this post & be sure to let me know what your favourites are in the comments below!

 

Natasha xx

IMATS London 2013 TAG

Hey Beauties,

 

This weekend coming I will be attending IMATs in London. I am really excited for it, as not only is it my first IMATs but it will also be my first time in London! The countdown has well & truly begun since about 3 months ago but now that its down to days its all I can think of. I will be bringing my little 9 year old brother & making a holiday of this long weekend. We will be checking out all the amazing things of London as well as attending IMATs.

 

Just to try & share my excitement I thought I do a post dedicated to IMATs & what better way to do so than a little TAG post. I Seen this tag over on Laura's blog HERE.

 

1. Which IMATS are you attending? I will be going to IMATS in the Olympia Hall in London. Just have to try & get there via my first Tube & on time before the crowds!

2. Have you ever been to IMATS before?
No! This will be my first time and therefore I am excited & nervous for it. I only discovered IMATs last year while it was on so I have been looking to go since.

3. How are you getting there?
I will be getting on the plane to London on the Friday before and probably be getting the tube from the nearest station to our hotel.

4. Are you bringing anyone along?
My little 9 year old brother, Jack, will be coming along. I had to promise Sunday will be his day to pick stuff to do just to get him to come ha ha.

5. Is there anything else in the IMATS host city that you want to see?
 As it's my first time in London I want to try & squeeze in everything from the tourist attractions to all the great shops. Any recommendations on where is a must on our list of things to do?

6. What days will you be in the city that IMATS is in?
I'll be arriving on Friday and leaving on Monday night. I will be attending the Saturday only  as it took a lot of persuading to get someone to come!

7. Who do you want to meet?
 There are loads of bloggers & YouTubers  that I would love to meet so I will be making sure I go & say hi. Be sure to come say hi if your there. I love meeting new people! It's definitely the best part of  the IMATs experience.

8. What companies exhibits are you most excited to see?
I want to see them ALL! I will definitely stopping by MAC, Inglot, Crown brushes, MUFE, OCC & many more. I'm intrigued to see all the prosthetic makeup & body art.

9. What products are you looking for?
 I want to try out NYX products, buy my first MAC shadows, try MUFE, buy more lip tars & lots. The lists go on! I'm excited to try all the brands that are not as easily accessible in Northern Ireland.

10. How much do you plan to spend?
I haven't really set a limit as such, as I want to take advantage of the discounts, but I think I will just be taking it easy & try be sensible. Although that be hard when I'll be in a colourful daze of all things makeup!

11. What do you want to get out of IMATS?
As I said I love meeting new people so I would love to meet lots of people that I wouldn't of got a chance to before. Lots of bargains & pick up lots of tips from exhibitions & talks.

I will be updating Twitter & Facebook & Instagram on my travels and showing all the amazing things of London & IMATs.

 Will you be at IMATs this year? If so, be sure to come & say hello. My little bro isn't much of a makeup lover so I will need help in dragging him around :)!

 

And any kind London pros want to give any tips on getting about or want to be our tourist guide, it be much appreciated!

 

Natasha xx

My Top 10 Gift Ideas for Father's Day from Next

 

Hey Beauties

Leaving makeup & all things beauty aside for now, I bring you this little post.

As you may or may not know this Sunday 16^th June is Fathers Day.

Its that one day of the year we get to go all out & show our Dads our appreciation for them. It’s the day we can be a little kid again and say ‘I Love You, Daddy’ and it be OK. After all ladies they are & always will be the main man in our lives.

If you have forgotten to pick up a gift or Haven’t yet got around to it yet (like me), don’t panic because as I was browsing I came across a lot of affordable gifts on Next. Check out the site for yourself & you will find that there is a lot of available options. Just as a little guide I chose my top 10 ideas. These gifts are the perfect tokens to give on their own or maybe giving a few of them to your dad to make a bigger present.

Starting from the top left hand corner of the above image and clockwise from there you have:

1.      BlackClassic Leather Watch - £30

2.      BBQSword - £16

 

3.      NextSignature Eau De Toilette 50ml - £9

4.      BlackLeather Stitched Popper Wallet - £15

5.      BlueCamper Washbag - £18

6.      MiniGrooming Kit - £13

7.      SignatureWhite Striped Shirt - £28

alternative: Next do great shirt & tie sets at great prices like THIS

8.      GreyPhoto Frame 6 x 4” - £8

Why not create that extra special gift with by inserting a family picture or even a picture of yourself into a frame like this for your dad to have in their office or on their desk at work.

9.      IHate Work Cufflinks - £12

Not everyone likes to work & especially when the weather is as sunny as the past few days. So why not get your dad these quirky cuff links.

 Note: Warn him not to wear these to work, if he wants to keep his job!

10.  BlackSuit Carrier - £40

Every man needs to wear a suit at some stage of their life & some even wore one everyday. If you have a suit, you need a bag to carry it.

 

I hope this can guide you in choosing the perfect gift.

What are you getting your dad?

 

Natasha xx

 

Competition Reminder & Update!

Hi beauties :)

 

Just a little housekeeping kind of post.

As you may be aware I have a great competition running, where you can be in with the chance to win an Urban Decay Naked Palette & MAC lipstick. For more information check out the below image and you can click on the image for the original post.

 

Ok many of you have already entered & your entries have all been noted & counted. But after several requests & enquiries of how 'fair' the competition is I have set up a Rafflecopter widget (see the bottom of post). If you have already entered via the original post, don't worry I will still be counting your entry but if you like you could still enter via Rafflecopter for any entries you may have missed. It also allows you to get an extra entry every day by just posting a tweet each day.

I apologise for any confusion this may cause but feel free to contact me.

Due to the new widget I have changed the closing date to the 24th June. This allows for anyone who hasn't entered yet & for those who already entered gain more entries & I chose the 24th as like most of you I will be at IMATS on the Saturday & Sunday so may not get to organise the competition those days.

 

I hope you all understand & can figure this out easily. Now get entering!

Good Luck

Natasha xx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Product Review: Garnier Simply Essentials 2in1 Makeup Remover

Hey Beauties,

 

Ever tried Bioderma Sensibo H2O? Do you hate that it's hard to get your hands on in stores? Well I may have found a cheap alternative for you & even better, it is available in all supermarkets & drugstores in the UK & Ireland.

 I personally have not tried Bioderma but have found that this product claims to have all the properties that Bioderma claims to have. I will be trying bioderma & thus will do a comparison of the two soon.

This alternative I speak of is from the brand Garnier & is the Simply Essentials soothing 2in1 makeup remover. As I said this can be found almost anywhere that sells Garnier products, I got mines in Boots for like £1.50 which first attracted me to it even though it has been out for a while. There is 200ml of product and it can be found HERE for under £3.

 

 

This product claims to be suitable for removing face & eye makeup and claims to be able to even remove waterproof makeup. It has no perfume, no alcohol & claims that no rubbing is needed to remove makeup. It also claims to be suitable for sensitive skin & is dermatologically& ophthalmologically tested (What?? Me neither!).

 

 

In the bottle there is two layers of product – one clear layer with a blue layer on top. The blue liquid on top being a makeup removing oil and the clear solution being cleansing water which are enriched with plant extract & pro-vitamin B5.

 

How to use *

1.      Firstly shake the bottle well to combine both solutions.
2.      Soak cotton pad with solution
3.      Wipe area to be cleaned (gently)

Verdict *

Personally I am usually more a face wipe & cleansing lotion type of girl when it comes to removing makeup but since the hype of Bioderma I am starting to venture out into other available options.

I tried this out when I had a full face of makeup with heavy eye makeup& bold matte lip. I wanted to give this the best test possible. I soaked the pad & wiped around my face. I was surprised to see that with one wipe my ruby woo lips had come straight off when usually it bes a lot tougher. I used an extra pad for eyes alone & found it took the eye makeup off quite well but not in one swipe. For the tougher eye makeup I would suggest (like bioderma) I would hold it on the eye for at least 10 seconds or so and then wipe.

Pros : In general, this is a great product that removes makeup quite well in less cotton pads than a lotion & therefore faster to get makeup off.

Cons: This smells of rosewater which isn’t a smell I am fond off & makes me doubt the whole ‘no perfume’ claim so I don’t really think it be best for those with REALLY sensitive skin to try. Also it is really oily (because of the blue liquid) which has caused me to breakout on my cheeks.

Would I recommend? *

I would recommend this product for those with Normal to dry skin & would suggest sensitive/oily skin to steer clear. But I think products treat everyone differently so if you ever do come across it, on deal especially, do give it a try. As it broke me out on my cheeks I have only been using it for my eyes & lips as I find it is great for tough makeup. Even though it did break me out if you were to use it on your face I would suggest following up with toner (which I didn’t) to remove the excess oil. I will probably not repurchase this in a hurry and as I am only using it for my eyes& lips I don’t think I will run out anytime soon.

Have you tried this product?

Are you a big fan of these types of products?

Natasha xx