Summer Beauty Buys

The sun has finally graced us with its presence this week and that meant I had a desperate urge to inject my beauty collection with bright colours and fresh fragrances. Summer is definitely my favourite time of the year and when the sun shines it makes everything more beautiful, makes me feel happier and generally makes life that little bit better.

The first thing I bought was Essie's new summer collection, 3 wonderfully bright shades which I absolutely love.

The first shade is 'Ruffles and Feathers' which is a vivid teal colour, the second is a gorgeous hot raspberry pink called 'Haute in the Heat' and the final shade is 'Roarrrange' which is a bright bold orange.

Next in my basket went this No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Delicate Pink. I bought this as I had a money off coupon for No7 and I realised apart from my Clinique Chubby Stick I haven't tried any of the other lip crayon varieties on the market. I haven't used it yet so I can't comment on the product but the colour is a just quite a basic, everyday pink colour.

I have heard so many good things about the L'Oreal Colour Riche eye shadows that I finally caved and made the purchase, I did want to try the bronze and brown shades but I have so many similar shades already that instead I tried this shimmery, champagne nude. I think it will look lovely all over the lid for just a simple subtle summer make up look and also look great as a base for a bit more of a smokey look.

Finally I took a little trip to the Soap and Glory counter and picked up the body wash in Orangeasm, words cannot describe how good this smells - when you are next in Boots go and take a sniff. I love the Soap and Glory body washes but have never seen this flavour before, I think it is a relatively new launch. I can't wait to use this in the mornings, the fresh scent is the perfect way to start your day!

Have you bought anything recently to help give you a summer boost? Drop a comment below- we love to read all of your comments! 

Empties #1

Welcome to my first 'Empties' post! I can't decide whether I like the concept of this empties post or not, on the one hand it gives that immense satisfaction that I have actually finished a whole product before I have got bored of it, however; on the other hand it means I have to make that all important decision on if I splash out on a repurchase or not. Anyway, here are all the products I have used up in the past month or so and if I would repurchase or not...

1. Nude Oil Cleanser

I have loved using this cleanser, it is the first oil cleanser I ever tried and I have been a convert ever since. It dissolves all. traces of make-up effortlessly and leaves my skin feeling super soft and smooth without any tightness or dry patches. (TIP: do not travel with this product! Mine finished much before it should have, whilst traveling recently I had a rather large leakage situation and it caused one very disastrous mess!)
Repurchase? Although I do love this, I have recently found a cheaper alternative which I think I like even better (The Body Shop Camomile Oil) so probably not - I think I will do I review on the near future of some of the Body Shop's skincare range as I have been completely loving it recently.


2. Bioderma Micelle Solution

The cult beauty blogger classic: Bioderma Micelle water most people have probably heard of by now, it is a solution gentle enough for sensitive skin buy powerful enough to remove the most stubborn.
Repurchase? At this particular moment, probably not, it is amazing at removing stubborn eye make up but nothing the oil cleanser mentioned above can't deal with, I sometimes find it a little drying to my skin and can leave my feeling a bit flaky and tight.


3. Soap and Glory Hand Food

I love love love love this hand cream! It smells amazing and leaves hands feeling incredibly moisturised and soft without leaving hands with a greasy residue. This size is also perfect to carry around in your handbag!
Repurchase? Yes of course! It is written down on my shopping list for tomorrow.


4. Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream

This is hands down my all-time-favourite moisturiser, and with this product it really shows that you pay for what you get. It instantly hydrates skin and leaves skin incredibly smooth. I also have quite sensitive skin and it really soothes and calms down any sensitivity.
Repurchase? 100% yes, as soon as I can bring myself to part with the £50.


5. Eucerin Dry Skin Relief Face Cream

This is the cream I go for when money is a little tight and the £50 for the moisturiser above is a little steep. It is a really really good cream and leaves my skin hydrated and comfortable.
Repurchase? Yes, this is also on my shopping list for tomorrow!


6. Yankee Candle Soft Blanket

There is nothing nicer that coming home from a long day at uni and lighting a gorgeous smelling candle and just relaxing. This one smells really warm and comforting; definitely one of my favorite from Yankee.
Repurchase? I would definitely buy Yankee Candle again, but I do like to mix my fragrances up a bit. I have recently bought one in the scent 'Lake Sunset' which is much more summery and fruity. I will probably repurchase when autumn and winter come back around as it is a bit more of a warm and cozy scent.


7. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Lastly, my Nars concealer has finally run out :( . My shade is Vanilla and is a complete bitch to get hold of, I have been saving the very last bit for ages now but fianlly finished it off a couple of days ago, for more information about the product you can read this post here.
Repurchase? Yes, as soon as I can get hold of it! It is getting a bit ridiculous now, I have literally been waiting for months - what is the matter with you Nars?!, make some more!!!

Haul #2: Beauty

On Friday the 31st of January me and Jess went on a big day out to celebrate the end of our exams and to have a good catch up. We had such a good day in Nottingham starting off with some essential beauty shopping. Then we went to see The Wolf of Wall Street (which was so good!) and then we did a bit more shopping and then went out for a delicious meal at Piccolino's before going back to my house to watch The Great Gatsby on DVD. On our shopping trip we bought so many beauty products so both me and Jess decided to do a haul each (Click here to read Jess' haul). Here are the things that I bought:

MAC
MAC Eyeshadow in Retrospeck

The first product that I bought was a refill palette eyeshadow from MAC in the colour Retrospeck. I have a 15 eyeshadow palette and I had already filled 12 of the slots and I'm slowly building it up to complete it. Jess already has this shade and she recommended it to me so I thought I'd try it out. I absolutely love this shade, it's so glittery and I love a good neutral eyeshadow colour. It goes well with the other colours I have in my palette too, only 2 to go until it's finished!

John Lewis
YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Rose in Tension

After MAC we went to John Lewis which has one of the best beauty departments in Nottingham, in my opinion. I had been wanting a new lipstick for a while so I thought I'd treat myself to a luxury brand lipstick. I decided on a YSL one because I love the gorgeous packaging and the texture of the Volupte Shine Lipsticks. I also really love the colour Rose in Tension. It's a really unique pink colour that can be worn both in the daytime and at night. I haven't stopped wearing it since I bought it!

Boots and Superdrug
Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Celeste

I bought the Apocalips Lip Lacquer because I had heard so much about these lip glosses and I've heard a few good reviews about them so I thought why not try one of them out? (I think they were on offer too which helped me to decide to get one). There were so many colours to choose from but I thought I'd go for a more natural colour and ended up choosing Celeste. I love the pink colour and the wand is such a good shape for application too. The Apocalips Lip Lacquers have some gorgeous shades but the smell of them is quite distinct so if you don't like strong smelling products I wouldn't recommend these.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

When we were in Boots I picked up the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent because my current one has smashed and the lid had broken too so it was impossible to carry it around with me on the move. I decided to get transparent because I use the powder to set my foundation and minimize shine rather than using it for coverage. I love this powder because it looks light and natural on the skin and works so well for the amazing price of £3.99!

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

I am such a mascara lover, so love experimenting and trying new ones out all the time. I love trying both high end and drugstore mascaras and I've had many favourites over the years including the YSL Babydoll mascara, Diorshow mascara and Lancome Drama Hypnose mascara. I have to say that the Maybelline The Falsies Mascara is among those favourites. It really elongates and separates my lashes but also thickens and volumizes them at the same time and it is relatively cheap at only £7.99. If you are looking for a new mascara then definitely try this one out!

Essie Nail Varnish in Shearling Darling

I have blogged before about how much I love Essie Nail Varnishes from how long they last to the colours, I can't get enough of them. I also love the limited edition shades that Essie releases on a regular basis. The most recent limited edition collection was the Winter 2013 collection. I loved all the colours from a sparkly pink to a lilac colour but I decided on a dark purple called Shearling Darling (I also love the names of Essie Nail Varnish). This nail varnish is so pretty and it dries really quickly too.

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser

I bought this moisturiser from Boots because I love the idea of a moisturiser you can use in the shower and wash off without having to apply moisturiser once you've gotten out of the shower. Although I love some normal moisturisers like various Soap and Glory and Laura Mercier ones, I hate having heavy moisturiser on my skin that I have to wait for ages to dry meaning sometimes I have to not bother at all when I'm in a rush, however this Nivea moisturiser is the perfect solution! I got the one for normal skin and when I got out of the shower my skin felt so smooth and silky after just one use. It was also on offer in Boots with a third off the original price for the 400ml bottle. The scent is sea minerals and isn't very strong or distinct but it is a lovely fresh smelling moisturiser. Overall I would definitely recommend this product for those who are always running out of time in the mornings like me!

Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed Deep Pore Detox Mask

Recently I have been having problems with my skin and even though it has been clearing up I've been trying to discover new products to help clear my skin and keep spots away without spending too much money, as I already use a few Dermalogica products that can add up to quite a bit of money. After watching Youtuber Fleur De Force, I came across the No Clogs Allowed Deep Pore Detox Mask which intrigued me. The formula heats up when applied and turns blue when you apply it to the skin. You can feel it working as soon as you apply it and my skin felt clean and refreshed after one use. Also Soap and Glory was also a 1/3 off in Boots which encouraged me to try it out.

House of Fraser
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

I didn't buy the products from House of Fraser on our shopping trip but I thought I'd include them in my haul anyway because I ordered them online around the same time. I bought these eyelash curlers because I'd lost my previous ones and I've heard so many good things about the Shu Uemura ones. Although they are a little pricey at £20 they are supposed to be THE eyelash curlers to have and my first impression of them is that they are amazing! I can't wait to carry on using them and trying them out, especially with my new The Falsies Mascara.

Jo Malone Perfume in Peony and Blush Suede

This has to be my favourite purchase from the entire haul. I have wanted this perfume ever since I first smelled it in Selfridges over Christmas and I haven't stopped thinking about it since! Finally I decided to stop obsessing over it and I actually bought it, and I'm so happy that I did. The fragrance is floral with notes of Peony, Suede, Apple and Rose and it is the perfect spring fragrance. It is one of the most recent fragrances from Jo Malone and has had some raving reviews since its arrival. It came in such a cute box with a nice bow and black tissue paper inside too. I will proudly display this bottle on my vanity table!