Currently Loving | October Favourites

I'm going to be a typical blogger and highlight how fast this month has gone. Seriously where has October gone? Christmas is creeping up on us and I couldn't be more excited. Myself and Pastel Blasts Beauty have decided to share with you some of the things we've been loving this month, click here to take you straight to her blog and see what she's been loving during the month of October.

I think i'll start with makeup today, both are actually Rimmel products- just putting it out there that this isn't sponsored, haha! I picked up both these products on a deal in Boots, probably something like 2 for £10 which is a bargain! 

I had heard lots about the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation and I saw that it had been reformulated, claiming to have a pore blurring effect. This sounded perfect for me as I have quite large open pores around my nose so I was hoping this would minimise the appearance of them. It definitely does! This foundation is also very light and natural so is ideal for everyday wear. I also found it's super easy to blend so is perfect for when i'm in a rush in the mornings.

The next product that I've been loving is the Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107. So many beauty bloggers rave about this so I thought i'd give it a go. I expected it to be a darker berry shade, however I find it's more pink on my lips. I have recently been really enjoying wearing it though as it lasts a good while on my lips with liner. I also feel this would be perfect for those experimenting with darker lip options, this is very wearable so give it a whirl!

Next up is nails, i'm sure you will have seen this nail varnish on my blog before. It's the Rimmel Lycra Pro Nail Varnish in Hypnotise- the perfect shade for Autumn/Winter! I love wearing this on my nails, you can see my review here. Whenever I take this off, almost every time I want to put it back on! I think this would look pretty with a glitter on top and would look especially great during the Christmas/Party Season.

Now onto skincare. My first product is something I've rediscovered this month, it's the Soap and Glory Hot Cloth Pore Cleanser. I used to love this and I think I stopped using it as I was coming to the end of the tube. Recently I heard that this was a good dupe of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish which is something I've been wanting to try for a while, I decided i'd pick this up and give it another try. First of all, I love the calming scent which works well with a hot muslin cloth, it's relaxing and feels like a real treat at the end of the day. This has been repackaged and renamed but I will be going back to pick this up, it is now called The Ultimelt Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser.

The second product in skincare is the Garnier Fresh Essentials Moisturiser. I decided to try this as it was on offer on Feel Unique and it looks very similar to another Garnier moisturiser that I love. I think I may have already mentioned this in a previous post but I can't decide which I love more. They're both super hydrating and light on the skin, however I think this may sink in a little quicker. If you're looking for a new moisturiser to keep your skin soft and hydrated during the colder months, i'd definitely recommend this! It's roughly around £2 to £3 and I believe you can pick it up in supermarkets like Tesco and Asda.

For fashion, it had to be these pointed boots from Dorothy Perkins. These have been my go-to everyday as they're comfortable and look great. I'm quite short and so are my legs so I feel like the point elongates them, is that a thing? Haha! I've worn these so much already and there is hardly any signs of wear so I can tell these are going to last me a good while, yay!

Does a series count as a lifestyle favourite? My brother recently got Amazon Prime so I've sneakily been using his account to watch Parks and Recreation, he probably knows but we'll pretend he doesn't- haha! I had heard lots about this series, saying it's a must watch- it is! Amy Poehler is hilarious as Leslie, I love her!

I don't want to attempt to describe it as quite frankly I don't want to ruin it, but i'm sure a quick Google search will entice you! I'm gutted as only three series are on Amazon Prime at the moment, lets hope they add more!

Last but certainly not least, YouTubers! Seeing as it's been Vlogtober, there have been quite a lot of daily vlogs to watch. There have been a couple that have stood out to me, Diary Of A Spendaholic and Lily Melrose. Both very different, but I love so go check them out. In terms of general videos, I've been loving Laura Black(she's hilarious and absolutely stunning!) and Gem Lo Valentine(She is also beautiful and I love her style!) If you'd like to check them out then click on each of their names to take you straight to their channels!

And that's a wrap of what I've been loving this October. Be sure to check out Pastel Blasts Beauty and see what she's been loving this month too!

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LOVING?

♥   ♥   ♥

How I Clean My Brushes | Two Simple Ways!

A little while a go I shared with you guys a handful of my favourite face and eye brushes to apply my makeup with. In order to get a good application it is important that your brushes are clean otherwise your makeup wont blend well and you'll be left with lasts weeks product on your face which is especially not good.

Makeup brushes harbour bacteria so you don't want to be putting that on your face otherwise it'll lead to breakouts or even infections. There isn't an amount of time set in stone on when you should clean your brushes, in an ideal world we would after every use but that's just not possible for most. So for this post, I thought i'd share with you a couple of ways I clean mine.

As I said, I for one do not have enough time to wash my brushes on a daily basis. However, if I find my brushes aren't blending my makeup as they usually would and I don't have enough time to wash and wait a long time for them to dry, I will do a spot clean. This consists of my makeup remover and a cotton pad, it's pretty simple.

I'll simply take the Garnier Micellar Water and put a bit on a cotton pad that I've split in half. I'll use one half for cleaning and the other half to dry. I tend to swirl my brush around on the cotton pad until the majority of the makeup has come off, next I'll take the dry cotton pad and do the same to dry the brush. I'll do this the night before or an hour or so before so that they can dry properly.

Now for the deep clean. I've heard lots of people say that they hate cleaning their brushes but personally I don't mind, I actually quite enjoy it. I used to just take a little baby shampoo on my palm and dampen the brush under the tap and swirl until the water runs clear. 

However, when reading a blog I saw that they were using a silicone oven mitt, I know it seems a little odd at first. They said they got the idea as they're a similar, cheaper alternative to the Sigma Brush Cleaner. The bristles get in between the little ridges on the mitt that actually clean them really well, I was so impressed at how clean my brushes looked and how soft they felt once I had tried it.

I will do the same process as I mentioned earlier, just with the mitt. First I will take some baby shampoo on the mitt, I will then dampen the brush under the tap and swirl on the glove til the water runs clear. To rid the brush of shampoo I will rinse it under the luke warm tap then either pop it bristles facing downwards in a brush stand or lay them to dry on a towel over night. Though, its better to stand the brushes with bristles facing downwards as the water will run away and prevent the glue from dissolving.

For sponges, its a little different. I must admit my sponge is on its way out, its starting to crack a bit and is really stained. I tend to do the same process for brushes but instead I use this Body Shop Tea Tree Cleanser as Tea Tree kills bacteria, therefore I know although my sponge is stained, I am hopefully killing the bacteria. I will the leave it to dry on the towel with the rest of my brushes.

And there you have it, a couple of simple ways to cleanse your brushes. Nothing too hard, time consuming or expensive! I'd love to know whether you have any techniques or tricks on how you clean yours, let me know!

HOW DO YOU CLEAN YOUR BRUSHES?

♥   ♥   ♥

10 Things I'd Tell My Teenage Self About Beauty | Skincare, Makeup and Hair.

Today I've been reminiscing on my awful beauty habits as a teenager and thought it'd make a good/cringe/funny blog post, hopefully some of you can relate and that I wasn't that bad... we'll see I guess.

1. Going to sleep with makeup on.
This makes me quiver just thinking about it- i'm sure somebody told me that leaving your makeup on overnight can age your face by seven days. I'm not too sure how true that is but I still continued to out of sheer laziness. I was actually reading online and found this article- 'A recent survey reveals a third of us sleep with our slap on, twice weekly. So for a month, Anna applied makeup as normal- but never took it off! By the end, experts said her skin had aged by a decade.' This absolutely horror-ed me, thank goodness I snapped out of that in my mid teens.

2. Makeup wipes do not remove all traces of makeup.
I did use makeup wipes for some years and I must admit at the time I didn't realise how bad they could be for use on a daily basis. However, they're very convenient for travelling!

3. Cleansing, Toning and Moisturising was meant to be done twice a day, not just when you're pampering yourself.

This is another one that makes me cringe, why did I think a sweep of a makeup wipe would be ok? I had very oily skin, I'm not surprised but I thought moisturising would make it worse.

4. Powder on dry skin.
Another stage I went through was extremely dry skin. When I couldn't be bothered to apply foundation before school, powder was my go-to. Let me tell you, powder on extremely dry skin is a complete no no. It clinged and looked orange, lovely...

5. Clumped mascara.
To be fair, this was a trend in high school- spidery lashes.
It did not suit you Aim.

6. Neither did bright purple mascara...
This was one I received with one of those teenage magazines, Bliss I think- that was my favourite. I thought I was quirky, but really I was very uncool.

7. Put the black kohl eye liner down.
Because who wants to look like Shirley Carter from Eastenders? Me apparently! 

8. Do not over pluck your eyebrows

OR try trimming them yourself because you think the hairs are too long. Hello one and a half eyebrows...

9. Dark hair does not suit you.

Especially the red and purple toned browns- no, no, no. You probably resembled a vampire deemed as you're so pale.

10. Use that heat protector!
I used to think heat protector would make my hair greasy, it's not that bad but singed red/purple hair is!

Please tell me you can relate to some of these...
Also let me know in the comments some of the bad beauty habits you had as a teenager or when you were younger- i'd love to hear as i'm sure there are probably a lot more I could relate to.

♥   ♥   ♥

High-End Beauty Wishlist | Five Most Wanted Products!

First of all i'd like to apologise for my lack of blogging recently, things have got pretty hectic while coming to the end of my course at college. I'm still not finished but my work load should calm down as I've just got one more portfolio to hand in as a first submission. I've also been applying for full-time jobs for when I qualify and although it's time consuming and pretty frightening, i'm excited to start working full-time to hopefully be able to buy some of these products to come..

1. Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

I was so excited to try this mascara as I had read lots of reviews saying it was amazing for lengthening and giving your lashes a lift that will stay all day long, which was just what I needed. I picked up the Elle magazine as it was exclusive, free with the magazine before it was available to buy full-sized. You can my thoughts on it here, (hint: I love it, which is why is why it's on my wish list to buy). I'm still not out of the sample so I can tell the full-size will last ages so £19.50 will be well spent.

2. Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Moisturiser
I received this in an Origins Sample Set that I bought in the January Sales, you can see my thoughts on some of Origins best-selling products here.
 I didn't have a night specific moisturiser before this and I can honestly see the difference this has made to my skin. Through the winter and during the change in seasons I get some dry patches on my skin which I can't seem to shift with my usual moisturiser and exfoliator so this has become an essential in my night-time routine and I couldn't be without it now as it disperses across the face easily, sinks in quickly and gives your skin the hydration it needs. I've got the smallest amount left in my sample and again it has lasted me ages so this will be a good investment at £34.50 for 50ml.

3. Liz Earl Cleanse and Polish
I feel as though everyone and their dog has tried this, except me. I've had my eye on this for ages and i'm still not too sure why I haven't picked it up already. I love using hot cloth cleansers as I really like how they feel on my face and I find it relaxing. This is supposed to work for most skin types so will be perfect for my moody skin, it's supposed to be gentle yet remove all traces of makeup which is great as nobody likes to be too harsh on their skin. Once I've finished my current cream cleanser i'll definitely look at picking this up, priced at £15.50 for a starter kit. I'm sure you'll see a review if I love it. 

4. MAC Lipstick in Fast Play
Yes, i'm still yet to try a MAC lipstick. I just haven't got the budget to spend £15.50 on a lipstick but i'm hoping i'll be able to part with my money soon. There are so many lipsticks from MAC i'd like to try but after plenty of narrowing down I've decided Fast Play should be my first purchase as it's not quite your typical brown/nude and looks very wearable which is what you'd like if you were spending £15.50 on a lipstick. 

5. The Balm NUDE'tude Eyeshadow Palette
I love a good nude/neutrals palette and I know everyone loves the Urban Decay Naked palettes, though I feel I could live without them as I've discovered and tried the affordable alternatives which I love (click here if you'd like to find out more). This palette features a range of browns, bronzes, pinks and a few others, but what I particularly like about these is how highly pigmented they are when swatched and the diverse range of looks you could create. I've also never tried anything from The Balm so I may have to very soon, this is priced at around £30 depending on where you shop.

And that's it for my five most wanted high-end products.
What high-end products would you like? 
I'm sure there's lots you're all lusting for just like me, so let me know in the comments below!

♥   ♥   ♥

Empties | Quick Product Reviews

Hello!

After rounding up a few finished products, I thought i'd give you an empties post! There isn't too much here as I don't tend to use up products that quickly and I wouldn't want this post to be too lengthy or boring by including unnecessary products! Without further ado I'll start here..

Garnier Moisture Match in Shine Be Gone.

I love this moisturiser, it has got to be my favourite! It's a perfect texture for me and locks in the hydration for 24 hours and my skin feels feather-like- i'm not kidding! I don't necessarily think this leaves my skin mattified but I do not look like a grease-ball once used so I can't complain! I purchased the one with SPF in for protection over the warmer months and I could not wait to repurchase this again, although the SPF one wasn't bad.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water.

Another Garnier product, I've discovered that my skin really gets on with Garnier so i'll definitely continue to try their products. This was no exception, I was so impressed with how well this dissolved my makeup and left my skin feeling clear of makeup and cleansed, although you can use this without washing the product off I still follow it up with a cleanser of which you'll see in this empties post. Overall, I can't fault it and it's very affordable! 

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer.

Do I need to say anymore? A concealer that is constantly raved about and I can see why! This covers pretty much all of my blemishes and dark under eyes! This is perfect for blemishes and although it covers dark circles it does tend to crease a little after a long while. I'm yet to find the perfect concealer for under eyes though so this is doing the job for now and I'll repurchase again and again!

Soap and Glory Scub of your Life.

Before I had the full-size of this and then a mini, I didn't really use body scrubs- oops! But i'll definitely be repurchasing this as it made my skin so smooth ready for moisturising and it smells great! I've seen there is a scrub which is lime scented, I may have to give that one a go too!

Garnier PureActive Foam Wash.

I'm sure you've seen this mentioned here on my blog before but if not you can see a review here. This is a great wash for the morning as it has quite a strong scent so definitely wakes you up! I find this is great for when I have more blemishes as it gives such a deep cleanse and it seems to reduce the redness and get rid of them quicker. This is another product i'll be buying again!

Lush Tea Tree Toner Water. (For some reason the picture didn't transport, but it can be seen above or below)

After having a few more blemishes I decided to opt for this to not only refresh my face but as it contains Tea Tree will act as an anti-bacterial, keeping my skin refreshed and cleansed at the same time. I really enjoyed using this product, especially during the warmer months as you get a little sweaty, disgusting I know but it happens to us all! My only bug bare with this is that as it is natural it doesn't last a very long time so i'm glad I purchased the smaller bottle of this, although I think i'll repurchase this when I next pop into Lush!

That's all of my empties done and dusted! I love seeing empties post as it gives an insight of whether somebody actually enjoyed using the product and to see whether they'd actually repurchase it, so I hope you liked this post! Let me know if you'd like to see my next batch of empties and i'll be sure to save them up for a post!

Until next time,

Amy X

July Favourites

Hello!
I honestly cannot believe how fast July has gone by, I feel like I say this each month but July has come by and gone in a flash! I didn't even get around to doing my June monthly favourites, but here I am back with with things I've been loving this July, as the title states!

The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser- £8.50 here.

First up is The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser(hoping this hasn't been mentioned in a favourites before). I purchased the smaller sized bottle of this to try it out before I spent £8.50 on the larger bottle and then find out I don't actually like it. I'm glad I did although after a few uses I realised I loved it, it's so gentle and makes my skin feel so clean and soft! I've also experienced less breakouts as a result of using just 2 cleansers, one in the morning and this in the night after removing my makeup! I've also tried the moisturiser from the same range and really like that too, so I think i'm definitely going to try more!

L'Oreal True Match and Rimmel Lasting Finish- here and here.

I had a Rimmel foundation sitting in my makeup storage that I haven't used in a while as I'm not too keen on the foundation on it's own- it's the shade up from what i'd usually get too. I thought rather than not waste it i'd mix a little with my current L'Oreal True Match foundation for the summer, believe it or not I do get a little colour on my face rather than being the palest of pales. The L'Oreal True Match offers a satin to matte finish but mixed with the Rimmel 25 hour foundation offers a dewy finish which I love in the summer, without looking oily! I love the colour and finish it gives on my skin so will definitely continue to use this combination throughout the summer!

Tea Tree Water (Toner Water)- £3.95 for 100ml here.

Eu Natural!

The last beauty related item i've been loving this month is the Lush Tea Tree Toner Water, again I purchased this in the smaller bottle to see if I liked it, i'm so pleased as the bottle isn't even that small- I think it's the perfect size to use within the use-by-date. I bought this as my skin can be quite oily so I thought i'd give this ago to combat the oils and keep my skin clean throughout the day and after cleansing. Tea Tree has anti-bacterial properties so is perfect to keep your skin at it's cleanest and prevent spots, i'd definitely give this a go if you have oily skin- it's also super refreshing in the warmer months!

The sandals I've been wearing, they're well worn in from H&M about 2 years ago.

Mentioning the warmer months there, Wales is actually experiencing 'Summer'. This is rare as normally we get the odd few days then the weathers back to its usual self, grey and dreary! The weather has been so nice recently, it's actually warm enough to go without a jacket and wear sandals..although that's not a favourite of mine, people with their feet out- not the prettiest sight! I've loved being out in the garden in the Sun to get my daily dose of Vitamin D, like we all should be! I hope the weather sticks around especially when I'm off on my travels to the South of England.

You may of seen me mention a few times that my sisters moving out, and that she has now! Although that's not what I've been enjoying but I have been enjoying shopping with her. We've been quite often recently and although I do like shopping on my own, I don't mind accompanying her when she wants to do some shopping. After all, who would say no to shopping? Not me! Keep an eye out, you'll see a haul here very soon!

Lemon Ice Tea in the sun.

Last but not least, I've been loving drinking Lemon Ice Tea- so refreshing in the summer! I only actually tried it a month or 2 ago but I actually love it! I'm so glad I ventured out to try something new as I don't do that often. I do enjoy the Lipton Ice Tea(only the lemon flavour) when i'm out and about, but my Mum also buys a big bottle from I think it's Lidl as she spotted it in there when buying our fruit!

That's it for this months favourites, what have you been enjoying this month? Let me know!

Amy X

My thoughts: Garnier

Hello!
Recently I've noticed a brand creeping in to my skincare routine and that of course is Garnier, as you can tell from the title of this post. I didn't really have an opinion on Garnier skincare as I had never really tried any of their products but my sister had bought the Moisture Match moisturiser in Shine Be Gone and I took a fancy to it, and I've gathered more products from there.

At the time I was experiencing super oily skin and I wasn't handling it well, I washed my face as much as I could and skipped moisturising as I thought it would make my skin more oily. Wrong! I can't even begin with how much I suffered by doing this, I had increasingly oily skin from cleansing as often as I could- simply as my skin was overworking to restore the oils I was taking from it. Also from not moisturising as often as I should I had a combination of oil and dry patches, not the best look! Anyway moving swiftly on..

Garnier Moisture Match- Superdrug thought it would be great to security wrap the right one- why?!
That's why its taped and ugly.

Shine Be Gone(left, yes I cut the tube to get the very last out(you'll see this in an empties post)
Protect and Glow(right)

I purchased the Garnier Moisture Match moisturiser in Shine Be Gone as I had tested it while my sister was using it. Needless to say it gave my skin the moisture it needed which lasts for 24 hours but also eliminated the amount of shine. I love this moisturiser and actually cut the tube in half to use the reminants until I went to purchase a new one. As the weather is getting warmer and the sun is actually out, I opted for the Protect and Glow version which has SPF 20 in to protect me from the rays! The consistency is a little different but the mosituriser is oil-free so it's perfect for my skin type! I'm not loving it as much as the Shine Be Gone version but I like it, I am going to repurchase my original when i'm next in Boots.

Garnier PureActive foaming facial wash
I've actually now ran out of this, so have a picture this facial wash featured in.

Another Garnier product I've loved using is a product you may of seen on my blog previously, is the PureActive foaming facial wash. I'm not going to go into depth on this product but I love using this when I need a deep cleanse and usually to wake me up in the morning. You can see more of my thoughts on this product here.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water- (a trickle left in the bottom)

I just realised, this is the 4th product i'm going to talk about and the last. I suppose you could say this is not enough to say I love the brand but I do really like it and would like to try much more!
Last but not least is the Garnier(obviously) Micellar Cleansing Water, which I was so eager to try! I heard good things about the L'Oreal one although apparently it's harsh on the eyes, so I held back and Garnier brought out a very similar idea! I loved the thought of this being effectively like a makeup wipe but better for your skin, I was all up for that and I love it! After ditching the makeup wipes and using this I've noticed such an improvement in my skin, I've noticed less spots and healthier looking skin! I'm on the last dreads of the bottle and I can't wait to go and purchase another so i'm not without it! I'd definitely recommend as an alternative to makeup removing wipes!

Of course I'd recommend all these products if you feel like you're having similar problems to what I had, they're definitely worth a try as they're so affordable too(bonus!) I'm always having a look at Garnier products to see what new I can add to my 'collection'. I'd especially like to try the 5 Second Perfect Blur primer as I'm on the hunt for an affordable primer to conceal my pores that I like(or don't like more like) to call craters in my face. I'd love to know if any of you have tried it and what you thought. Also if you could recommend any Garnier products?

That's all for now, thank you for making it to the end of this post(if you did)..

Until next time,

Amy X

Ditching the makeup wipes!

Hello!
What this post is about is quite obvious from the title. I saw something very similar to what i'm going to write about today on MakeupSavvy.co.uk, this of which I was inspired by. Lets avoid my ramblings and get straight into it!

A while back I found myself stuck in a rut of coming home and being too lazy to do the full cleansing routine, so I thought i'd get away with the quick makeup wipe to the face to remove my makeup. I clearly took a while to realise what this was doing to my skin, I was wondering why my skin felt and looked so rough. I was breaking out quite a lot, my skin always looked so dull and I was experiencing quite an oily T-zone, quite? Well a really oily T-zone. Then of course it came to me, its the wipes! Now i'm definitely not an expert, but I can conclude it definitely was the wipes as I've changed how I remove and care for my skin. I'm not experiencing the same problems as before also in hindsight it was pretty obvious as I wasn't using a decent brand of makeup wipes.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water- £4.99 Boots

I knew I had to change my ways if I wanted to hopefully resolve the skin problems I was having and I saw something that I instantly thought- that's what I need! It was the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, pictured here. To me this was an alternative to a makeup wipe that was definitely less harsh on the skin, I thought it was even better that you don't actually have to wash it off. I was sold and was quick to buy it, this product is always on offer and is really reasonably priced anyway. I've been using this product for nearly 3 months now and I can honestly say I love it.
The product is easy to control when putting onto cotton pads so you won't waste any product. 
To remove your makeup you simply just sweep the cotton pad across your face and makeup is very quickly dissolved, it's also really kind to eyes which is a bonus as i'm often sensitive to products used around the eye.
Usually the 3rd cotton pad is coming back clean so it really is quick and easy!
If i'm being super lazy I wont wash the product off which is OK to do, but when i'm being extra good to my skin I use the Vitamin E Cream Cleanser from The Body Shop pictured below, just to ensure I've removed every trace of makeup and to ensure no product is clogged in my pores. 

Vitamin E Cream Cleanser 60ml(testing)- £3.00

I have honestly noticed such a difference after using both these products, especially the Garnier Micellar Cleansing solution. I'm having much less break outs, my skin feels a lot less rough and quite smooth actually, it's also helped combat the oily T-zone that I was having quite a lot of problems with.

I've actually also got rid of the makeup wipes that I was using, I only have a small pack on hand to remove any makeup spillages or foundation stains from my fingertips and the back of my hands between applying makeup.

What do you think about makeup wipes? and Have you tried the Garnier Micellar Cleansing water, if so what do you think of it?

Now that's a wrap up on today's post! If you got this far, brownie points to you and comment below if you have any replies to the questions asked.
I hope you have enjoyed this post and i'll see you next time!

Amy X

A few beauty buys!

Hello!

So i'm aware the last post that went up was written before and was a tad out of date by a few days when it was finally posted, but this one won't be! Today I'm going to share with you a few beauty purchases that I've accumulated recently, as many bloggers explain 'these were collected over a few [insert length of time here]', and these very much were but I can't remember exactly when these few items were bought. So i'm gunna get right into it and try and present this is some kind of order.

Vitamin E Cream Cleanser- The Body Shop

First i'll start with skincare, now I only bought one item of skincare this time- it's the Vitamin E Cream Cleanser from The Body Shop. As you can see I purchased the smaller version of 60ml at £3.00, to try it out before I purchased the full size. I love the Vitamin E range from The Body Shop, it seems like just what my skin needs! I've tried both the moisturiser and eye cream, so definitely wanted to get my hands on the cleanser as I'm trying to get into a solid routine to sort my skin out. I'm hoping to give a more in-depth review on this in the near future and perhaps this may feature in my 'skincare routine' once I get it sorted.

L'Oreal True Match Foundation in shade N1 'Ivory'- Boots

Next i'll move onto makeup as the following 3 items are. First up here is the L'Oreal True Match foundation, I have this in shade Ivory which I do believe is a very good match for my skin tone. I've wanted to try this for a while now as I've seen many people rave about it, I felt like my previous foundation just wasn't doing it for me anymore so bit the bullet and got myself matched. I felt so pleased with myself, I told her that I thought I was shade Ivory but I wanted to be sure, so she went ahead and matched me- I was shade Ivory after all. I really like this foundation so far, but she used a primer before hand and I much preferred how it looked then, so I think I better get down and purchase a decent primer too!

MUA Lipstick in Shade 14 'Bare'- Superdrug

I purchased 2 lipsticks, one MUA and the other Maybelline. First I picked up the MUA lipstick in shade 14 'Bare'. This is just a really lovely nude in my opinion and I think it really suits my skin tone, 'Caitlynslifex' on YouTube recommended this and I loved the look of it, so for £1 I couldn't leave it.

Maybelline Color Sensational Popsticks- Tesco Direct

'Cherry Pop'

The second one I picked up, well I didn't actually pick up-

I ordered it from Tesco Direct, strange place huh? I can't remember which exactly but a blog I follow on bloglovin suggested looking at the offers on Tesco Direct in the makeup section, I saw she purchased this Maybelline Popstick in 'Cherry Pop' and I loved the look of it, and at £1.80(usually priced at around £7) again I could not leave it!

L'Oreal Prefernece Wild Ombre Kit in shade 'No. 1'- Boots

Last but certainly not least is this L'Oreal Preference Wild Ombre Dip Dye Hair Kit in shade No. 1. This dye is for light brown to dark brown so I'm pretty sure this will work on my hair as mine is more of a dark blonde to light brown currently. I didn't really purchase this to follow the trend of 'ombre/dip dyed' hair, I'm wanting to go lighter as before I was a mousy brown with lighter tones, so this will be a starting point for me. I'm planning to do from the middle of the ear down blonde, and then depending on the outcome will go from there, I don't really have a specific aim but I know I just want to end with a lightish ashy blonde colour as I originally was. I'll keep you updated once I pluck up the courage to go for it!

So that concludes this post of my recent beauty buys. I'm hoping to be blogging a lot more often then I have been the past few months, so keep your eyes peeled for reviews, wishlists and lifestyle posts to come very soon! Hope you've enjoyed this post, why not comment below some recent purchases of your own? I'd love to hear as I'm always on the look out for new things, the shopaholic in me screams.

Until next time,

Amy X

Garnier PureActive Deep Clean Foam wash

Hello you lovely people! Today I have some free time on my hands so I'm writing this post as my blog has been neglected recently(It always is, oops)! This post is going to be fairly quick as i'm not too sure how much I can say about just one daily facial wash. Anyway lets get straight into it!

So I have been using the Garnier PureActive Deep Clean Foam wash for about 3-4 months now, so I thought now was the time to give an honest review on a product that I love a lot!
I originally purchased this with an order I made from Superdrug, it was on offer and the reviews were pretty good, so I thought- why not? I was so excited to try it as my skin was just all over the place at the point, I couldn't wait to use it as soon as it arrived!
My initial thoughts of it was- the packaging is pretty simple and easy for every day use, with a handy pump. I was quick to whip off the lid and give it a whiff and it smelt really clean and fresh which I love!

This product is for oily skin- prone to imperfections, now I must admit this doesn't describe my skin type exactly but I definitely have an oily t-zone and quite a few imperfections during that time of the month. This product claims to unclog pores and protect against the appearance of imperfections, and to purify by removing impurities and tightening the pores- and these are statements I definitely cannot argue with!

To apply this product I usually splash my face with warm water to start and next pump one full pump onto my hand. Using my finger tips I just massage the gel-like formula all over my face, definitely avoiding the eyes. Do not get this wash in your eyes, although it is not meant for your eyes, it really does sting! I apply more water to my face massaging the wash into my skin to foam it up a little more before using a wet flannel to take the product off.

I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin using the Garnier wash, my skin feels a little tight after using it which I love as it feels like the product is working- is that just me or? My skin appears to look and feel cleaner and definitely less oily! Also I have noticed the reduction of imperfections during that time of the month making me feel a lot better about myself. I honestly don't think I can fault this product, I absolutely love it! The price is extremely affordable and is everything I look for in a daily facial wash. 

I will definitely repurchase this!

So if you feel like you have a similar skin type to mine, or just have oily skin in general. I'd definitely check this product out and give it a try. Here's where you can get it- Superdrug and feelunique.com 

I hope this has helped if you are looking for a new daily wash that works amazingly at such an affordable price. Comment below if you have tried it and your thoughts!

Talk soon, Amy! X

Recent Favourites

As its currently a Sunday, I thought i'd catch up on some blogging! I have completely neglected my blog recently but I am slowly but surely getting back into it, I have already written one review which is waiting to go up, so hopefully I can catch up today and perhaps schedule some posts. Anyway i'll stop blabbing and get on with what today's post is going to be about, my recent favourites as you can tell from the title! I decided not to do a monthly favourites as I have been using some of these products longer than a month!
I wrote this blog post a few weeks ago, I haven't had time to take photos as when I do have time the lighting isn't great, so apologies for these photos not being my own, credit to Google images.

I am going to try and be quick at explaining why these products are my favourites but that doesn't tend to happen a lot as I have so much to say about things! First of all is the Garnier Pure Foam Wash, this is a product I was excited to try as I had read nothing but good things about it and Garnier definitely didn't disappoint! I love this wash for every day use, it smells fresh, makes my skin feel at its cleanest and definitely helps with my oily T-zone. I say this as usually facial washes tend to make my skin 'too clean' and provokes it to produce more oils, but this wash definitely keeps the oils under control! I'm not going to say much about this as there already is or will be very soon a full review on this product!

My next favourite is the Rimmel London Stay Matte liquid mousse foundation. First of all I must say, I was confused as to what a 'liquid mousse' foundation looked and felt like and the only way I can describe it is a very light mousse. Awful description I know, it comes out like a blob of mousse then when I apply it using the Real Techniques Buffing brush it covers just like a liquid would. Now don't be fooled by this foundation being 'light', it gives absolutely amazing coverage! I love how light it feels on my skin and how it looks, covering all my imperfections and helping to control the oils- it definitely stays matte!

Another favourite of mine is quite unusual for me! It's the MUA Matte Lipstick in Wild Berry. I absolutely love dark vampy lipsticks, especially purples! I just never ever had the confidence to wear one, but as I follow MUA on instagram and saw how incredible it looks on the lip, for a £1 I just couldn't leave it! I wasn't fooled when I saw the colour in the bullet being so dark almost black, as I had seen how it looks on, but if you do see this lipstick in Superdrug definitely swatch it! It comes out very pigmented but sheer, but it is definitely buildable, usually 2 coats is enough for me! I love how the lipstick looks and for a pound you cant go wrong- I've definitely got my wear out of it this Autumn/Winter, I will continue to wear it until it becomes too Spring, haha!

I've also been loving the Skintruth Lavender and Chamomile soothing cleanser, this is from a 3 step kit but I only particularly like the cleanser. Now I hate Lavender but this cleanser really isn't that bad, I can't really smell the lavender when applying. This is just a slightly more expensive alternative to treat my skin a little usually once or twice a week, I only do not use this so often as this is a Salon brand so it's not quite as easy to get hold of- my sister is a qualified beauty therapist though, so that's the only reason I have it! This is as it states, very soothing and cleansing as it leaves my skin feeling lovely and makes me feel better about my self all round- that's quite cheesy but, I guess it really is soothing! If you happen to see this in a salon near you or would like to try it, I definitely wouldn't hesitate! I love it!

Last but not least beauty related product, its the Beyonce Heat perfume. I never thought I would be saying this as Beyonce is not a person who particularly interests me- but this perfume is amazing! I was looking for a cheaper alternative to my Giorgio Armani Si perfume, for every day use- as Si isn't quite as affordable! I'm not saying this perfume is a similar scent to Si but I saw a lot of people had it, so I thought it must be good! I finally went into town and gave this a whiff in Boots and I loved it instantly! I cannot explain the scent but its slightly sweet and spicy at the same time, perfect and affordable for every day wear! It's so affordable, I purchased the 100ml size for under £15!

My final favourite isn't beauty related, it's something I got for my Birthday. If you don't already know, I kind of have a thing for Olly Murs, like a big thing. I've seen him live 4 times and met him twice, once a competition I won to go to his book signing and the second time- me and my friend waited outside in the cold from 10 til around 4pm. Then after went to see him live! My most recent to date 'thing' is that I won a competition with Heart FM to ask him a question and got to say anything I wanted to him- I asked him to follow me on twitter ofc! He did on Boxing Day and it was the most amazing thing, I listened to him answer my other question and just cried. Probably very sad I know! So to highlight my thing for Olly, my parents got me this signed picture of him framed which is going to sit on my wall very happily!

I hope that wasn't too long and that you're still here! If you are then thank you so much! That's all for today's favourites post- what would you like to see? Please comment below your feedback and if you have tried any of these products and let me know what you think of them! If you have anything you'd like me to post then feel free to comment below and i'll try my best!

Talk soon my lovelies! X