RELAUNCH :)

HELLOOOOOOOOOO! :')

I've been a little bit all over the place with blogging haven't I? :( I used to blog so religiously but due to internet issues I had to stop and I hated that you know? Of course things changed; everything changed! But now a year on I've got an okay job where I've been for 2 years and I'm living with my boyfriend of just over a year and everything is going quite swimmingly really. I've started a new life in Preston; I'm originally from Bolton which is only half an hour drive away but I still miss my home town so so much and I'd love to live there again. It's kinda weird living in a new, strange city but I've finally found my feet (and Preston is fairly small for a city which is weirdly reassuring!)

Do you know how hard it is to blog on an iPad? :/ IMPOSSIBLE I SWEAR.

Anyway I've missed blogging and last time I felt like I was forcing something that wasn't really there so I gave up but today I just woke up and decided that I want to do it again. I used to love it so much!

So I'm back for good and I promise it's the last time I'll say that :) 2 years on and I'm a much more different person with different views and tastes and I want to bring that to my blog! Watch this space :) x x

Review: No7 'Match Made' Concealer

I'm so sorry if I appear to be distant but I work full-time and tend to work lots of days in a row before having a day off - but now I am super excited to have 3 days off together (which is such a rare occurrence for me) so I'm planning days out and blog posts galore! I've lots of summer-themed posts planned from outfit ideas to hauls to make-up tutorials so keep your eyes peeled.

 

 

 

Personally, I always wear a concealer which is a shade lighter than my skin tone because I feel like it hides any blemishes and dark circles better and of course, I wear my foundation over it so it doesn't affect my overall skin tone. So the shade I use for this concealer is 'Cool Ivory' and I team this with No7's 'Stay Perfect' Foundation in 'Cool Vanilla.'

 

I absolutely love love love this concealer and it has definitely been a repeat-buy for me. I just haven't found any other product which can compare to this! I apply under the eyes, around the nose and on any other blemishes or dark bits around my face and blend it in with my foundation to leave me with a flawless coverage which lasts all day. I don't feel the need to carry it around with me because I just don't need to; it will last all day despite weather or conditions. This product retails at £7.50 which is a bargain for the way your skin looks afterwards - definitely a celebrity-style product at an affordable price.



Review: Soap & Glory 'Peaches And Clean' Cleanser

I have discovered a new cleanser which I am absolutely in love with and yep... it's by my favourite brand ever - Soap & Glory!

 

The 'Peaches & Clean' cleanser is a 3 in 1 product featuring lots of fancy sounding words: one of these is oxyginseng™ technology which improves circulation by speeding up oxygen to fight aging and re-energise skin. It also contains peach and gojuice™ which are rich in antioxidants and vitamins A&C (I guess this is where the name came from!) Finally, quillaja bark which is a Chilean soap bark tree-derived natural cleansing agent. So yeah - pretty fancy but let's get on to my thoughts...

 

 

At first touch, the cleanser has a soft and creamy consistency and is super easy to apply; just squirt on to your fingertips and massage into the face. Then simply just wash it off! I tend to use this product in the shower after exfoliating using Soap & Glory's 'Daily Youth' face wash to give a smooth, even and squeaky clean finish. I'm a sucker for lovely smelling products and as you can probably tell by the name, Peaches & Clean has a light peach scent - not overpowering, but it's there. I love how my skin feels after use; my face feels incredibly soft. It just seems different to other cleansing products out there because (like all Soap & Glory products) it's affordable yet amazing, comparing to designer products with a hefty price tag. This product retails at just £8 for 200ml - such a bargain!

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(Image: soapandglory.com)

Primark Haul

I hadn't been shopping in Primark for months and months so I went a little crazy when I went in there. I can only show you some of my buys as I did buy lots of underwear too but I'm not going to put that on my blog! I absolutely love Primark because they sell practically everything fashion-wise and I know that I will always find something there. There is always something different and so much choice yet its completely unique to other high street stores.

 

 

I picked up a lovely white shirt with navy blue thick blue lines and a collar; I am mad about collars and loved how multi-purpose it is: I could wear it to work with a formal skirt or trousers, casually over a pair of leggings and ankle boots or even on a night out with a pair of skinny jeans/jeggings and heels - love it! I also purchased a vertical black and white striped shirt; the material is very thin and see through so I tend to wear a nude vest underneath. You can wear this shirt buttoned the top or unbuttoned, with a plain top underneath and the sleeves rolled 3/4 up. I also bought a lovely set of bracelets; I'm really into chunky jewelry at the moment and these compliment the striped shirt well. Also, the pumps - these are completely new for me; I never wear shoes like these but I love how unbelievably comfy they are and go with so many of my outifts (as I wear lots of navy for some reason.)



Review: Collection Waterproof 'Fast Stroke' Eyeliner

Where do I start with this?

 

 

I have been a religious user of the non-waterproof version of this product so had incredibly high hopes for this. I went to Boots to pick up another one of these but they had run out so I thought "why not try the waterproof one instead? I'm sure it'll be just as good..." It's the complete opposite to its sister product, which almost every girl has in her make-up bag.

 

The application is dull and requires a good few strokes to get going. It isn't very precise and I felt as though the end of the product was dry, so produced a grey-ish, faded line instead of a define, thick black line. It may be waterproof but it is certainly not smudge-proof or flake-proof; I found that within minutes of applying, the eyeliner had started to fade away and when trying to neaten up, would just smudge or fade even more. I was so surprised at this though because Collection's other eyeliner is amazing - especially for just £2.99! Within a few hours of wear, the eyeliner had near enough vanished completely.

 

Not only would this be terrible for day-to-day use, but it's poor quality of colour and short-lasting capabilities means it'd be almost pointless trying to make flicks either.

 

So the moral of the story is: stick to what you know, if it isn't broke - don't fix it, blah blah blah! But yep, I wouldn't recommend this product and I am going straight back to the non-waterproof version of this product! (below)

 

 



I'M BACK... FOR GOOD! :)

I've missed blogging so much and trust me, I never wanted to go anywhere in the first place. Let me explain where I've been: as you will probably know, I moved out around this time last year to the middle of the Lancashire countryside, not far from Preston. Sadly, we never got a permanent internet solution sorted which was frustrating so I literally just couldn't blog - it was heartbreaking because I loved filling my spare time trying new products and letting you know what I think, whilst reading your blogs and meeting new people.

 

Anyway - so much has changed in a year! I'm now living back with my parents in Bolton. I split up with my fiancé; we'd been together for 6 years but feelings changed and lots of other things were different but we're still good friends and speak all the time. It does suck moving back in with your parents; you kind of feel like you've taken a step back in life, but it is just temporary until I get back on my feet. So yep, that explains why I now have internet access again. I work full-time but I want to dedicate as much of my spare time as possible to blogging to make up for lost time.

 

It's good to be back! xxxxx

Review: Ted Baker 'Butterfly Wings' Body Scrub

Ted Baker is a new brand to me; I've always wanted to try out their products but never really have. I won this particular product in a beauty hamper competition alongside lots of other things but this was the product that stood out the most for me.

 

It smells absolutely amazing - I believe that was the factor that drew me to it. The scent is almost like a floral perfume and you can smell it on the skin for a whole day after use! To use, scoop a small amount into your wet fingertips and rub over your body in the shower and repeat use twice a week.

 

The consistency of this body scrub is relatively thick and beaded and can best be compared to icing sugar. Yum! I genuinely don't think I have ever come across a product which leaves the skin so silky soft. I definitely don't feel the need to moisturise afterwards; though the packaging on the product does recommend using the Ted Baker Body Lotion afterwards - but they're really isn't any need. The Ted Baker Body Scrub is absolutely one of a kind; the scent is beautiful and the finished result of soft, silky, moisturised skin is amazing. Luxury product for an affordable price - my favourite kind of product!

The Ted Baker 'Butterfly Wings' Body Scrub retails at £6.50 for 300ml at Boots.