February favourites 2014

Hi Beauts.

Time for my second favourites of 2014!! I'm going to have to say it....HOW FAST HAVE THE PAST TWO MONTHS GONE?! Anyway on with the products I've been loving:

* Nuxe Rêve de Meil lip balm - I bought this at pretty much the beginning of February and I've used it every day since. I have a full review coming up soon, but I will tell you that it has sorted my dry lips out big time. I use it every night before bed and every morning before I apply my make up, and it has worked wonders!

* Along came Betty 'Fix Me' - This product shall be surprise to any of you who have red my previous review post. There was no way I couldn't add this to this months favourites. This is basically a mattifying primer in stick form, and it's the best thing I've ever used. It mattifies my skin and keeps my make up in place all day long

* Sleek 'Garden of Eden' palette - I'm a massive Sleek fan, especially their blushes, so when this beauty got released I knew I had to have it. Again, I have a review drafted up, but I will say if you haven't got this then go buy it ASAP! It's a palette perfect for brown and hazel eyes, filled with gorgeous purple and green shades. I've literally used this every day!

* Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in 'Blueberry - This has been my go to nail polish this month, and it's one shall continue to reach for. I have a full review here if you want to read my thoughts on it. It's a gorgeous blue/purple shade and lasts a good few days on the nails! Such a beaut!

Well that was short but sweet wasn't it? What have you been loving this month?

Stacey x

Along Came Betty 'Fix Me'

Hi Beauts.

I'm yet to find a mattifying primer that I could add to my Holy Grail list, so I'm constantly trying out new things. If you read my 'Along came Betty' haul then you may have noticed a little product named 'Fix Me' which is a mattifying product that you apply before foundation (you can actually apply after too) 

I've used this every day for the past month and have to say, it's made it to my Holy Grail products. I love it so much I had to go back to Tesco and buy a back up! 

I haven't used anything like this before so was intrigued to see how it would hold up, and if it would effect the appearance of my foundation. 

Each morning I apply a line along my forehead, down my nose and along my chin then blend in with my fingertips. Straight after applying I noticed how soft my skin feels, it's so smooth and creates the perfect base for the rest of my make up.

The product itself ia actually pink but it applies transparent, nobody wants a pink face really do they? Originally I assumed this would keep me a little shine free throughout the day and hold my make up in place, however, I was surprised to see how matte my skin looked straight after application! My foundation definitely glides on a lot smoother each time I use this, and I'd say it looks pretty flawless too.

 The big test: does it actually keep me matte? Oh hell yes! Literally nothing I've tried before has worked as well as this little beauty, and nothing has kept my foundation looking as great all day. Setting sprays always work when I use them, but never has a primer worked so well. My foundation doesn't budge from the usual places - my forehead, nose and chin, it doesn't look cakey at all (some products tend to cake up on me with having oily skin) and the product itself is unnoticeable (some transparent face products can do that roll thing when wear them under foundation, or at least they do with me) I'm hoping this isn't being discontinued, otherwise I'm going to have to hunt each and every one down and buy them all. I absolutely love this, and of you have oily skin too this is a must try. 

What's your favourite mattifying product?

Stacey x

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry

Hi Beauts.

I seem to have a bit of an obsession with Barry M nail polish, and can't seem to stop buying more shades. I think so far, my favourite formula has to be their Gelly Hi Shine because they're so smooth to apply and look so glossy, hence the name 'Gelly Hi-Shine'. 

So far I have 3 shades in my nail polish collection but definitely want them all. One in particular that I've had my eye on for a while is 'Blueberry', it's such a gorgeous blue/purple colour and reminds me of Bluebells.

I could resist no longer and had to make a purchase before I talked myself out of adding yet another nail polish to my overflowing collection. I'm so glad I finally bought it and I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't buy it sooner. 

This is most certainly a shade that would be perfect for the spring and summer seasons, however I don't play by the rules so I wear lights and brights in winter and darks in the summer, and vice versa obviously. Rock whichever shade you like ladies!

Like I mentioned earlier, this shade reminds me of Bluebells because it's not quite blue but not quite purple either. And from swatches I've seen, I think this could be a good alternative (not so much a dupe) for Essies Bikini so teeny.

I always find Barry M nail paints to apply smoothly and always only need 2 coats to get a beautiful opaque colour, but I do think because the Gelly Hi-Shine are so glossy, they do apply a little more smoothly. The finish is what you'd expect - glossy and gelly like, and what I love is that over the days the glossiness and shine doesn't fade.

Last but not least is lasting power. I'm kind of naughty with nail polish and never wear a base or top coat, but even without both of these I still get a good 4 - 5 days wear before I notice any chipping. I do think, if I wore a base and top coat I'd probably get another day or 2. This shade shall definitely be making it to my February favourites, that's for sure!

What's your favourite shade from Barry M?

Stacey x

Nuxe Pamper Hamper Competition a Wishlist

Hi Beauts.

Today I bring to you another, yes ANOTHER wishlist. This time it's a Nuxe wishlist. I recently bought their Rêve de Miel lip balm and I'm loving it (review to follow soon) and was eyeing up some of their other products whilst in Marks and Spencer's.

They currently have a competition running on their website called the 'Pamper hamper' wishlist competition. All you have to do is create a wishlist as a blog post, tweet your list to Nuxe with the hashtag #Nuxepapmerhamper and you have the chance to win a hamper worth £250!! 

We all know I'm a list writing addict so I couldn't not give It a bash! Here are the products I selected:

1 - Micellar cleansing water with Rose petal. I've become quite a fan of micellar water lately, it's so handy to have to quickly remove the majority of your make up before doing a full cleanse. This one is for sensitive skin, which means it won't sting the eye area. And anything with the word Rose in it has me sold!

2 - Crème Fraîche de Beauté Light. Having oily skin is such a pain (although I have heard that it takes longer to get wrinkles....) Anyway, I've tried a million and one moisturisers to combat the oil and I'm still on the hunt. This one says it's light, soothes and mattifies all tick the right boxes for moi! It's light which also means it'll be perfect for the warmer months

3 - Rêve de Miel ultra-comfortable foot cream. Not everyone loves to talk about feet, as long as mine get me from A to B it's all good with me. I do suffer from a little dry skin which ain't too pretty, especially with the sandal wearing weather coming up. Because this promises to soothe and repair AND it's honey scented, it had to make it to my list.

4 - Aroma-Perfection Anti-imperfection care Along with a morning moisturiser, I need something to battle the oil as I get my 8 hours sleep. This promises to tighten pores, reduce excess oil, moisturise and it contains salicylic acid so helps keep spots at bay - always a bonus!

 5 - Travel kit. I'm a sucker for travel size products, so this is perfect. It comes with a 30ml Micellar cleansing water, 15ml Nuxellence, 10ml Huile Prodigieuse, 15ml Rêve de Miel hand and nail cream and a 30ml Nuxe body fondant shower gel. This is also great for trying out different products before buying the full size (and may just come in handy on my travels to Rome in May!)

What would you add to your wish list? Do you have any recommendations for other products I should try out?

Stacey x

Along came Betty lipstick duo - Double whammy

Hi Beauts.

One of my favourite make up items to buy is lipstick, a girl can never have too many right? When I picked up some products from the Along Came Betty range in Tesco (haul post here), I noticed this 'Double Whammy' which is a lipstick and lip gloss duo. 

There were three shades/combo's to choose from so I went for the shade Poochy, which was the more neutral/every day shade on the shelf. 

MUA released a similar product last year called Lip Booms which had a lipstick on one side and a lip gloss with chunky glitter particles on the other side. Unlike that gloss, this one is smooth, with small non chunky shimmer in it and isn't on the sticky side. It isn't overly pigmented but definitely gives a nice sheen to your lips. I'd say the shade is a wearable frosty baby pink, and when applied on top of the lipstick in the centre of the lips, gives a gorgeous shine and makes your lips a little more poutier. 

The lipstick, however, is really pigmented and is smooth to apply. The shade is a deep pink toned mauve and is so pretty, I've worn it so much. I'm even considering going back to pick up a back up!

 When I wear the lipstick alone, I'd say I get around 3 hours wear, which I think is great, and when I apply the lipstick and gloss I get about 2 hours which I'm pretty impressed with too. The lipstick isn't drying either when worn alone which I have found before with duo lip products. Although this is a little on the chunky side, it's still perfect for travelling with as it saves you chucking a lipstick and gloss in your bag.

Do you like these types of lip products too?

Stacey x

Small haul

Hi Beauts.

Over the past week or so I've picked up a few things that were on my latest wish list and thought I'd do a quick post and share them with you.

Skincare 

Asda currently have 3 for £10.00 on their Nspa products, so I bought the oil free moisturiser, melting cleansing gel and youthful eye cream. I can't wait to try them out!

After reading a ton of rave reviews of the Nuxe Riev de Miel lip balm, I decided to try it it.mige used it for the past week or so and I'm really enjoying it

Make up

As soon as Sleek released their new palette 'Garden of Eden' I knew I had to get my hands on it. It's filled with purples and greens, my favourite colours!

Barry M nail paints are my all time favourite nail polish, in particular their Gelly Hi-Shines. So I bought the shade Blueberry which I've wanted for ages

Random

I a HUGE fan of Wallace and Gromit, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. So when I spotted this in Aldi for £3.99 it when straight in my basket!

Well that's it folks. I've been trying not to buy too much lately, but couldn't resist this lot. What I've you been chucking in your shopping basket recently?

Stacey x

Along came Betty concealer

Hi Beauts.

As far as concealers go, I had my Holy Grail product - The Collection lasting perfection. However, I'm still unsure whether or not they're cruelty free so I went in search of a new one when I finished up the last few drops. 

One (I've actually found two that I like now) that I picked up is the Along Came Betty All concealed in Light/Medium. 

This is a cream concealer which contains a light shade and a medium shade, along with a translucent setting powder screwed onto the bottom, pretty nifty right? This is pretty similar to the S&G kick ass concealer, that too comes with 2 shades and a setting powder although their powder is pressed not loose. And unfortunately, I think I'm the only person that didn't get along with that one. 

This one, however, I love. I use the light shade as my under eye concealer and I mix the light and medium and apply to any redness/scars/blemishes that I have, and find that the two mixed match me perfectly.

 I'd say it has a medium coverage, and doesn't cake up when I apply more on top if needed. I can't say I'm overly keen on the powder as it can make my under eyes a little ashy, but used to set the concealer anywhere else works fine. 

I usually find when using cream based concealers (especially the S&G) that they cake up and crease under my eyes, and oxidise when I've used them on my chin. However I didn't find this happened at all with this one which surprised me big time. I really like that you get 2 shades of concealer and a setting powder, it's so useful for travelling with and it allows you to mix and match the concealer to find your perfect shade.

Needless to say, I love this and think I've found a new favourite.

Have you tried anything from the Along Came Betty range yet?

Stacey x

Marks and Spencer Limited lipstick in Blushed Pink

Hi Beauts.

Many moons ago (or months if you will) I bought a lipstick from the M&S Limited range, and because I have a ridiculous amount of lipsticks I've only just remembered that I have it. 

The shade I picked up is blushed pink which isn't exactly what I'd say the colour is. To me, it's more of an orange toned red - like a robins chest (I'm sure I've used that term before, but that's what it reminds me of) 

This is a super pigmented lipstick, literally a quick swipe across your lips and your set. It's not a creamy or dry formula, but it does glide on really smoothly without dragging. I applied this at 7 am and when I checked just before 9 am I noticed I'd lost a little colour in the centre of my lips, but still had full pigmentation around the outside. The loss of colour wasn't too noticeable, I just mushed my lips together and had an even coverage again.

 I'd say this lasted around 4 hours before I'd need to reapply, it did wear off gradually and sometimes a little unevenly, but because it wasn't drying it meant I could just rub my lips together and get an even amount of colour again. 

These lipsticks retail at £6.00 for 4.4g of product which I think is a pretty good bargain. I think I may need to pick up a few more shades, maybe lighter ones and see if they're as long lasting and pigmented too. 

So far M&S, I'm impressed.

Have you tried anything from the Marks and Spencer make up range yet?

Stacey x

Along came Betty Starlight shine highlighter in Glow

Hi Beauts.

Some girls are addicted to buying shoes and some are addicted to buying bags. Me? I'm addicted to buying highlighters, I'm like a magpie for shiny things.

If you follow me on Twitter then you may have seen my little stash of goodies I picked up from the Along came Betty range in Tesco, if not here's the haul post I did. The packaging was what attracted me to the stand at first, it's pretty similar to that of the soap and glory range - very pinup-esque.

The first thing from the whole range to catch my beady little eye was the Starlight shine highlighter in the shade Glow, which comes in a small and chubby stick form. There weren't any testers instore so I wasn't sure what it would be like, but with the word 'glow' in the title you can't really go wrong can you? As soon as I got home (and snapped pictures for my blog) I ripped this open and had to swatch it. The shade is a pretty neutral champagne - what I always go for - and definitely looked like it would give that glowy effect to the cheekbones.

 With it being in a stick form, it's so easy to apply. I just dab 3 spots above my cheekbones and blend in with my fingers. You could apply this before or after powder as it's a cream product, but I always apply after my powder so that my powder brush doesn't remove or move any of the product. However I do pat a little powder over the top just to set it. 

As I mentioned earlier, this gives a gorgeous glow to my skin without looking too shiny or sparkly. And again, as this is a neutral champagne kind of shade it's one that will suit all skintones. 

This gave me that glowy look all day long without wearing off or disappearing from my cheekbones. I applied a little more at the end of the day just to see if building it u would make it look at all cakey, and it didn't at all. It just added some extra glow

If you're a highlighter fiend like me, I'd say you need this in your collection.

This is currently still in larger Tesco stores for £1.50, I'm not sure if the range is getting discontinued or not (I hope it isn't!!) So definitely grab yours now

Stacey x

NYX matte setting spray

Hi Beauts.

I'm a huge NYX fan if you didn't already know and was so excited when Next started selling their products. One thing in particular caught ny eye and that was the matte setting spray. However none of the Next stores had it in stock whenever I went in, which made me need to get my hands on it even more. Thankfully a few weeks ago I spotted it sitting there on the shelf begging to be purchased, so I did just that. 

I've tried two other setting sprays in the past and really liked them, if you're an oily gal like me then I absolutely recommend trying one out.

As with all NYX products, the packaging is sleek and (in my opinion) pretty professional looking. The spray comes in a spray bottle and for £8.00 you get 60 mls of product. I've used this every day since I bought it and definitely noticed a difference in the longevity of my make up. I never usually have a problem with my foundation/concealer/powder caking up but it's something I always look out for when I'm trying out new face products. And this was no disappointment, I noticed no change in the appearance of my foundation etc after applying or throughout the day. 

Before I bought and tried this, I'd read a few reviews from other beauty bloggers saying that their skin was left wet and tacky for a few minutes after applying, but I didn't notice this at all. I held the bottle about 30cm away from my face, sprayed 5-6 times and it literally dried within around 30 seconds, maybe less. There was no waiting around for it to soak into my skin at all. I apply my make up at6:30 am each morning and (usually) remove it at between 6 & 7 pm that night, my foundation was still intact and my face was shine free.

If you're on the lookout for a good setting spray to keep your make up in place, I'd absolutely recommend giving this a go. I've used the Urban Decay De slick and I find this to be just as good, and for a fraction of the price.

Have you tried any of NYX setting sprays? What did you think? 

Stacey x

Nspa Deep hydrating facial oil

Hi Beauts.

Today I wanted to talk (and rave) to you all about a product I never thought I'd slap on my face, the Nspa deep hydrating facial oil. The reason I never thought I'd use it is because I have oily skin, and the thought of applying an oil to my face made me run for the hills.

I only ever use products that mattify my skin, but I was yet to find a night cream that I felt was actually doing some good. So, after a lot of research (and advice from some lovelies on twitter) I decided a facial oil was my best bet. Asda had a 2 for £8.00 on Nspa products so I thought it would be the perfect time to try out their facial oil as I was already buying their hot cloth cleanser.

I used this twice, and knew then that this was a product that I would be repurchasing again and again. The first thing I shall get out of the way is, this in no way made my skin feel or look any oilier than it was before using it. Obviously I looked like I'd dipped my face in a frying pan after applying it, joke, I just had a shiny face but there was and hasn't been any excess oil.

 I use this at night before bed as my night time 'moisturiser' and have to say, I notice a big difference in the appearance of my skin when I wake up. My skin looks more even toned and radiant, and feels so soft. I apply three drops onto the palms of my hands and pat it onto my face, bringing whatever is left down my neck. I've also noticed the scarring on my chin has started to fade gradually too!

If you're looking for a night time moisturiser, I'd say give this a go! No matter what your skin type I guarantee you'll love this stuff. I can't wait to remove my make up on an evening now!!

What are your favourite products from Nspa?

Stacey x

A weekend in Paris

Hi Beauts 

I spent my weekend strolling through Paris and have to say, I think I've found my new favourite city. I knew before I went that it would be a gorgeous place but wasn't prepared for how beautiful it was. I've always been one for city holidays as opposed to beach breaks because I like sightseeing rather than relaxing on the beach, so Paris was top of my list of destinations.        

FRIDAY 31st JANUARY 

We landed pretty early and couldn't check into our hotel, so decided to drop our bags off and headed for a spy of the Eiffel Tower. Wowza! Hello prettiness. She (yup the Eiffel Tower is a she in my eyes) is a beaut. It's amazing to see something up close after seeing so many pictures over the years, and let me tell you she is massive.

 We then crossed over the road to buy a crepe filled with Nutella and had a little look at the river Seine. Before going back to the hotel to check in and freshen up. We stayed at the Jardins d'Eiffel and weren't sure how close it would be, because every time we go away we end up miles from anything. Not this time. We were literally a 10 minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, a 2 minute walk from the supermarket and Starbucks and a 5 minute walk from a metro station. Our room was on the third floor and was very chic with floral curtains, and we were lucky enough to have a view of the Eiffel Tower. 

Refreshed, we headed out of the door down towards the Seine for a mini cruise (€15 each)  to see the sights. Paris is pretty during the day but even more so at night. Everything was lit up, and I think (other than the Eiffel Tower) my favourite had to be Notre Dame - it looked so magical. By the time the cruise finished, we were wiped as we'd been awake for over 36 hours so grabbed a tea from Starbucks, had a shower then hit the hay.

SATURDAY 1st FEBRUARY 

DisneyLand day!!!! After a breakfast of cereal, croissants and fruit it was time to head to DisneyLand. We had to change a few times on the metro but it was easy enough to get to and only took about 45 minutes in total. I felt like a kid again when we walked through the gates and spotted the castle right at the top, it's definitely a magical place for kids. Minnie Mouse ears were of course a must too!! The only thing that was a little disappointing was that you had to queue to meet the Disney characters, now I wasn't fussed because I'm 28, but for kids to have to wait 30 minutes at least is a bit of a bummer. There were plenty of gift shops and places to grab a bite to eat or drink with minimal queues, so we grabbed a burger then headed out to watch the parade. 

It was about 7 pm when we left, so we decided to head back to the hotel to change, chill for 5 minutes then go out to see the bright lights and sights of Paris. One thing we couldn't go home without doing was going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I'm not scared of heights at all, but jeeeeeez we were high up! It must have been about 10pm if not later when we got up there which meant the city looked even more breathtaking in the dark, Paris looks so small from that height. By the time we got back to the hotel, showered and packed it was after midnight so we called it a night and recharged ourselves for our last day.

SUNDAY 2nd FEBRUARY

Our flight home wasn't until 9:15 pm which meant we had literally all day to see everything we hadn't had time to see. First stop was the Arc de Triomphe, then down to the Louvre followed by (the lock bridge) and finally Notre Dame. Notre Dame is just as stunning in broad daylight as it is at night, probably my favourie thing to see after the Eiffel Tower. Everything from the outside, to the ceilings to the stain glass windows was beautiful. 

By the time we'd finished at Notre Dame it was time to get our bags fom the hotel, have one last Cafe au lait at Starbucks and say goodbye to the gorgeous city of Paris. I always get the holiday blues no matter where I go, but this time  I had them big time. I had such an amazing time taking in the buildings and the way of life, Paris is definitely a place I'd visit time and time again.

MY TIPS FOR PARIS

* A 3 day metro pass costs €48 for all zones, definitely a must if you want to see the city

* Book DisneyLand with the travel agents before you go. We only ended up paying €57    

* To get to the top of the Eiffel Tower is €15, and I highly recommend going at night

* A mini cruise down the Seine cost only €15 each and lasted around an hour

* I highly recommend the Jardins d'Eiffel if you want to stay near the Eiffel Tower   

* If you're after trying a crepe, check out the van just across the street from the Eiffel Tower. YUMMY!

* I'd say plan what you want to do and see before you get there, it saved us so much time and meant we got to do more things       

Well, that's all folks. I'm pretty sure there'll be so many more travel posts to follow - the world is your oyster as they say!

Stacey x

Lush - Grease Lightning

Hi Beauts.

If you read my haul post a wee while back then you'll know that I picked up a spot treatment from Lush called Grease lighting.

 I don't suffer all that often with spots (the last time I said that, I woke up with 3.......) but because I'm only buying cruelty free products now, I needed to replace my old spot treatment. When I saw this (I didn't read anything about it, just popped it in my basket) I thought it was going to be a liquid product as it comes in a spray style bottle. However it is in fact a clear, gel like consistency and the bottle is a pump as oppose to the spray bottle I thought it would be. 

The directions say to apply this directly to the spot as and when required, which I like as a lot of products say to apply a set amount of times throughout the day. 

I first applied this on a morning and within about 2 hours the redness had almost completely gone, and the spot seemed smaller in size. I applied it again that same night before bed and woke up to a tiny spot and no redness. Grease lighting adds a kind of film over the spot and surrounding area, and it does feel a little tight and stretched, but this didn't bother me at all. This isn't a product I would wear under make up as you can tell, even though it's transparent, that you have a something there. 

As far as spot treatments go, this is by far the best I've tried. It works so fast at fighting any blemishes, it doesn't dry out the surrounding skin which some treatments have with me in the past and it comes in a pretty nifty bottle. This beauty shall be in make make up bag for good now.

Have you tried this yet?

Stacey x