Recent purchases

Hi Beauts.

It feels like forever since I actually bought any make up. In all honesty, t probably wasn't even that long ago! I popped into town yesterday to pick a few bits I've had my eye on for a while, so thought I'd share them with you.

Superdrug

* MUA Ever after matte palette - £4.00. 

* MUA Intenses kisses in 'Sealed with a kiss - £2.00. 

* 2True Be clear 4 in 1 powder - £1.99

* Beauty UK simply define brow pencil in 'Dark brown' - £1.99

Tesco

* Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in 'Sugar apple' (2 for £6.00)

* Barry M matte nail paint in 'Espresso' (2 for £6.00)

Primark

* P.S Love 8 shade day eye shadow palette - £2.50

* P.S Love this eyeshadow and concealer brush - £1.00

NYX

* Matte finish setting spray - £8.00

Have a great Sunday Beauts

Stacey x

Empties #1

Hi Beauts.

Time (eventually) for me to post my pretty loooooong and first empties post of 2014. Grab your cuppa, this may take a while......

* Tesco Deodorant - I first picked this up because it's the only deodorant I could find that was cruelty free. After using this once I'd found a favourite (weird to have a fave deodorant I know) it smella amazing and does the job. REPURCHASE? Already have, I'm now onto my third RECOMMEND? Yes

* S&G Body spray - I'm a massive fan of S&G, mainly the scent of their products, so when I spotted this on the shelf I couldn't resist. However, I was disappointed. It doesn't smell like the sweet candy scent that most of their other products smell of, it has more of a vanilla scent to it. REPURCHASE? No. RECOMMEND? Yes if you like vanilla scented products, No if you want the sweet S&G scent

* Nspa body spray in Raspberry -A while back I won an nspa gift set on twitter and this body spray was part of that set. I loved this because it was so easy to chuck in my bag and spritz whenever I felt the need. I loved the smell too, so refreshing and it'd be perfect for summer. I do prefer the liquid type body sprays to the aerosols too as I feel you get more bang for your buck. REPURCHASE? Yes. RECOMMEND? Yes

* Superdrug shampoo & Conditioner - Again, these were the first products I found which are against animal testing. And to be honest, I'm not one for fancy hair products anyway, as long as they clean my hair, I'm good to go. Theae did just that. They didn't leave my hair extra shiny or smooth, but they left it clean. REPURCHASE? Yes, however I've just picked up some from Tesco which I want to try out. RECOMMEND? Yes

* Batiste tropical dry shampoo - Always an essential and always a repurchase. This is something I use if I haven't had time to wash my hair, and it smells amazing. REPURCHASE? Absolutely RECOMMEND? Absolutely

* Nspa shower gel - Another product in the Nspa gift set I won, and another body spray I love coco butter so knew I'd like this. The formula was like that of gelly, the scent was amazing, lathered brilliantly and left my skin so soft. It made a great bubble bath too! REPURCHASE? Yes RECOMMEND? Yes

* Nspa scrub - Last goodie from nspa, this time their shower scrub. I very rarely use scrubs if I'm honest, but when I do I like them to do three things: Smell nice, have enough but not too much, particles and leave my skin feeling soft. This one did all three. REPURCHASE? Yes RECOMMEND? Yes

* MUA extreme felt liner - I've used this pretty much since the first day it was released and I still love it. It's very black, opaque and waterproof. It's also really easy to use because the tip is quite flexible. REPURCHASE? Yes RECOMMEND? Absolutely

* e.l.f waterproof eyeliner pen - I'd ran out of my MUA liner whilst in NYC so picked this up to see if I'd like it. And like it I did. Like the MUA liner, this was highly pigmented, waterproof and easy to use. This on had a slightly finer and firmer tip which I found made it easier to create a thinner line and wing. REPURCHASE? Definitely RECOMMEND? Yes

* Barry M flawless matte finish foundation - I bought this when I decided to stop using products that were tested on animals, and this was the only foundation I could find that was matte. I usually go for full coverage to hide my freckles and scarring on my chin, however this one was more of a light to medium but could be built up to full. I actually really enjoyed using it and found it to feel quite lightweight on my skin which I like. (Full review to follow soon) REPURCHASE? Yes. RECOMMEND? Yes 

* Along came Betty Fix Me - My new all time favourite product ever. This was a god send! It was basically a mattifying primer in stick form. I'd apply this to my T-zone and blend in with my fingers. It kept my skin matte throughout the day, my make up didn't budge all day and I just can't rave about it enough. REPURCHASE? I already have 2 back ups. RECOMMEND? ABSOLUTELY!!

Phew that was a lot of empties!! Let's see what I can use up next.

Stacey x

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 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

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

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

January favourites 2014

Hi Beauts.

Time for my very first favourites for 2014! How weird is that? Let's just hope this year doesn't go quite so fast, I have lots of fun planned and I don't want it to fly by!

Most of these products are new to me, but are things I've been using and loving literally the whole month.

Skincare:

* Nspa hot cloth cleanser - I use this as my second cleanse and just find that it leaves my skin feeling so soft, looking fresh and the biggy it doesn't break me out

* Lush Grease Lightning - This is, in my opinion, the best spot treatment on the market. Literally hours after applying this to a spot, the size had reduced and the redness had pretty much disappeared  

* Nspa Deep hydrating facial oil - I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to use an oil as I have oily skin, but a lot of you lovelies told me to give one a try. This has no become my nighttime 'moisturiser' and I love using it. Each morning, my skin feels SO soft and looks pretty damn flawless, I've also noticed that my scaring on my chin is starting to fade too

Make up:

NYX matte finishing spray - I've tried a couple of setting sprays before and loved using them, so knew if had to try this one too. It's fab!! It definitely keeps my make up on all day and keeps my face looking 100% matte

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer - This was a Christmas present from my sister and something that I've had my eye on forever. It's the perfect neutral champagne highlighter

Along came Betty Starlight shine highlighter in 'Glow' - Yup another highlighter! This is a cream one and it is stunning. Again it's a neutral champagne shade, and I think it gives the perfect glow

Along came Betty All concealed concealer kit in Light/Medium - I absolutely love this concealer, and now don't think I could be without it. It's full coverage, lasts all day and doesn't cake up at all. I tend to mix the light and medium shades to match my skin for any scars or blemishes I want to hide

Along came Betty Double whammy in 'Poochy' - Another product from the Along came Betty range. This is a lipstick and lipgloss duo, and the shade is right up my street. It's a pinky mauve kind of colour and looks absolutely gorgeous.

(Lots of reviews on the above products coming soon)

Which products have made it to your favourites this month? 

Stacey x

Along Came Betty haul

Hi Beauts.

If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen the little stash of Along Came Betty goodies I bought. I wanted to do a little haul post and show you what I picked up, because I've been using them pretty much all week, and I LOVE them. If you have a a Tesco near you, definitly check them out.

Every item was only.....£1.50 each!! How crazy is that?!

* All concealed concealer kit in Light/Medium

* Fix me quick mattifying stick

* Starlight Shine highlighter in Glow

* Br-wow brow kit in Fair/Brown

* Wow lashes mascara in Black

* Double whammy lipstick and lipgloss duo in Poochy

Have you bought anything from the Along Came Betty range before?

Have Tumblr? Come say Hi

Stacey x

Brands that are against animal testing

Hi Beauts. 

You probably all already know by now, that I've stopped buying products that have been tested on animals. It's something that's actually hit me pretty hard after seeing a picture online (by accident) and it's something that I feel really strongly about.

I've made it my mission to find out as many brands as I can that don't actually use animal testing, and wanted to post a list of the brands I've found. A couple of lovely girls actually sent me links to online lists, so I shall link those too at the end.

Not everyone has the same opinions on animal testing, and that's fine. I'm not going to bang on about it in every post I write, but I just wanted to give my two cents in this post. Anywhoo, for those that are interested here is said list I have compiled: (I've tried to link as many as I could)

A

Ardell

Along came Betty (Sold at Tesco)

B

Burt's Bees

B. Skincare and make up

Barry M

Balm Balm

Butter London

Beauty UK

Balance Me

Bourjois 

Batiste

Balmi

Baylis and Harding

C

Ciate

Carmex

China glaze

CoverFX

D

Deborah Lippmann

Dermalogica 

E

E.O.S

elf

Essence (Can be found in some Wilkinsons stores)

Eyeko

Eco Tools

F

Fake Bake

FashionistA

Famous Cosmetics

G

Gosh

H

Hard Candy

I

I love.......

Illamasqua 

Inglot

J

Jergens

John Frieda

Josie Maran Cosmetics

K

Kat Von D

L

Lush

L.A Colors

Lime Crime

Liz Earle

Lee Stafford

Lavera

L.A Girl

Look Beauty

M

Miners

Marks and Spencer (Own Brand)

MUA

Molton Brown

Melvita

Models Own

Model Co

Murad

Milani

Mavala

N

NSPA

NYX

Nars

Nails inc

Nubar

Next (Own brand)

Neals Yard

O

O.C.C

Orly

Organic Surge

P

Paul Mitchell

Physicians Formula

Prestige

Pixi

Q

R

REN

S

Superdrug (Own branded products)

Stila

Sugarpill

Soap and Glory

Sainsburys (Own branded products)

Sally Hansen

Soft Lips

Sleek

T

Too Faced

2 True

The Balm

Tesco (Own branded products)

Tarte

The Body Shop 

U

Urban Decay

V

Vivo (Stocked in larger Tesco stores)

W

Wet and Wild

X

Y

Z

Zoya

* The Body Shop and Urban Decay are both owned by L'oreal, however both brands are PETA/Leaping Bunny approved

If you know of any other brands I've missed out, please feel feel to leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to add them in. 

For more brands, PETA has an endless list of others too.

Another great site with a more extensive list is HERE and HERE

Hope this is helpful to some of you.

Stacey x

Sleek vintage romance palette

Hi Beauts.

So, a little while back I tweeted 'Beauty at Tesco' and asked if they stocked the new Sleek vintage romance palette because I couldn't find it ANYWHERE and needed to get my little mitts on it. I thought that they'd get back to me and say either yes they did have it, or no they didn't.

However they were super nice and asked if I'd like them to send it out to me! How nice was that?!! Obviously I ever so gratefully said yes please (I may have squealed a little, but shhhh) 

This is perfect for the Autumn and winter with those berry and burgundy shades. I love that there's a variety of colours too which allows you to create a nice subtle day look, or a dark intense evening look.

There are colours to suit everyone in this palette, and the thing I love is, the berry shades are pretty neutral. So if you're cool toned like I am you can still pull off the colours :)

There's one matte shade 'propose in Prague' which can be used as a transition shade, 3 glitter shadows 'Honeymoon in Hollywood' (the least glittery) 'Forever in Florence' and 'Love in London' Even though these shades are glittery in the pan, I don't find that the glitter transfers to my lid.

Each shadow is extremely pigmented and blendable, what you get in the pan is exactly what transfers to the lid. I've use these with and without a primer and found they worked great- pigmented and didn't crease at all.

Here are some looks I've worn using the palette:

* Meet in Madrid all over the lid

* Sleek contour kit in Light in crease as a transition shade

* A Vow in Venice in outer V and into crease

Same as above, but I added Forever in Florence in the outer V and crease to darken the look

* Meet in Venice all over lid

* Propose in Prague in the crease 

* Romance in Rome in the outer third and into crease

I've used the eyeshadow palette every day since I received it and I'm in complete love with it! It's my first Sleek eyeshadow palette and I shall definitely be buying more, the quality is amazing!

(*Sent for review)

Where to buy:

Tesco stores

Sleek

Previous Sleek blush post - Here

What are your favourite palettes? Any recommendations?

Stacey x