Haul #5: London

Last week I went to London to apply for a Visa to study in America from August for a year. My appointment at the US Embassy was at 11:00 and lasted only 2 hours and now I'm officially going to America! I booked my return train a lot later in the day though, which gave me a chance to go on a huge beauty haul (which may have not been the best idea for my bank account!).

Space NK

My first stop was Space NK just off Oxford Street. There was one product I really wanted from there and it was the By Terry Ombre Blackstar. I hadn't quite decided what shade to get but as soon as I tested Misty Rock on the back of my hand I fell in love. It's a gorgeous shimmery taupe purple shade that is great for a day or nighttime look. At first I was reluctant to buy an eyeshadow stick for £28 but I'm glad I did. The texture is really creamy and a little goes a long way. It's also a really easy product to use and you could just simply swipe your lid with this to get a great eye makeup look, perfect for when on holiday or travelling. I'm so happy that I listened to beauty bloggers like Tanya Burr and Vivianna Does Makeup because they are so right about this product! 

Selfridges
Selfridges is one of my favourite shops, ever, especially the London one because it's so huge! I had a few hours to kill but ended up spending nearly all my time there. The beauty department is just to die for! I ended up buying products from three counters in Selfridges, as well as getting a quick Pinkberry as a break from all the shopping.

Charlotte Tilbury

The first counter I purchased from was Charlotte Tilbury. I found it so difficult to limit myself to what I bought. I spent so long testing out the products on my hand, asking the friendly staff on their suggestions and having them try some products out on me. Eventually, after much deliberation and re-testing (I'm the worst decision maker ever!), I finally decided on a K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Bitch Perfect and a Rock 'n' Kohl eyeliner in Bedroom Black. I already have the Lipstick colour in So Marilyn and I love it but it's such a true bold red that I don't get a chance to wear very often therefore I wanted a more of an everyday shade and Bitch Perfect is that perfect shade! I'm so glad I chose this shade as it's just a classic pinky nude that lasts a while, smells delicious and has a great texture to it. I find myself reaching for it all the time for an everyday look. I also decided to go for the Rock 'n' Kohl eyeliner because I've not bought a pencil eyeliner in ages and all the women at the counter recommended it to me. This is such a great eyeliner. It lasts a ridiculously long time without smudging yet it glides on so easily. It's a great one for the waterline too. The black is very bold though so I try to use it more for the evening when I'm going out. 

MAC

My next stop was MAC. I had a slightly clearer idea of what I wanted from there but still spent some time trying to narrow down my options. One thing I definitely knew I wanted was a 4 eyeshadow palette so that I can travel without taking all of my MAC eyeshadows in my 15 palette with me. I also knew I wanted one last eyeshadow to fill my 15 palette. I originally wanted Mulch but when I tested a few shades on my hand I finally decided on Twinks and the lady at the counter said this colour would bring the blue out in my eyes more. It's a beautiful bronze/brown shade with a hint of plum. I also bought a new lipstick as I haven't bought a MAC lipstick in about 3 years (such a long time!). I went with the colour Craving in the end because I'd done some research beforehand. It's a beautiful warm plum colour with a creamy finish and smooth texture. It's also a great shade to wear as a slightly bolder lip look in the day or a nice deep shade for an evening. I haven't got much use out of it yet but I can't wait to try it out more!

Chanel

Finally my last purchase of the day was at the Chanel counter. Last year I'd heard loads about the Summer Collection and luckily I reserved products at John Lewis so they didn't sell out (I ended up choosing some products that sold out immediately). However this year I'd not heard much hype about the collection so decided to ask at the counter when the 2014 collection would be released. I spoke to the nicest woman who told me that they had the products a week early and not many people knew (so if you want any of the collection they should be out everywhere now!) Because they had the products there I decided to buy one thing from the collection and that was the Illusion D'ombre in New Moon. This is such a gorgeous bronze colour and it's so glittery, I'm almost too scared to wear it. The formula is also so creamy and it glides on so easily, I'm looking forward to using it a lot more in the future.

I'm so happy with all my London Haul purchases and I went home on the train feeling both happy but also with sore feet and a sore bank account! I have decided to go on a makeup ban for at least a month now because I bought so much in this haul, let's see how long I can last!

What's In My Holiday Make-Up Bag?

As this post goes live I will be 30000 feet up in the air on my way to Valencia, Spain. I am taking a little 5 day mini break to the city with my sister after a stressful few weeks of exams where we can explore the city, relax on the beach, get some sunshine and of course drink plenty of sangria and eat far too much tapas.

My sister and I only have a suitcase between us which means I need to pack light (FYI, I am really not very good at packing light) and everything that goes into the suitcase is probably going to have a vigorous screening process by my sister followed by a few 'you don't need that', 'you won't use this' and 'we're not taking them'. I think there is going to have to be a little bit of sneaking things in the suitcase when her back his turned as think she will not understand why I need 2 mascaras, 3 concealers and 6 lipsticks for 5 days...

Firstly the make-up bags I am taking is this beautiful deep purple Saffiano leather DKNY bag which will hold all my make-up essentials, I am then taking this New York print white canvas bag also DKNY as my overflow make-up bag which holds my brushes, my Naked palette, perfume, nail varnish and other bits and bobs.

Starting with the purple bag I am taking: my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Porcelain and also a sample sized of the shade darker (Nude) to mix in if I tan, Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair, MaxFactor Colour Correct stick for under eye circles, Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat, MAC blush in Taupe Shape (which I use as bronzer), Nars Deep Throat blusher, Rimmel Stay Matte powder, Laura Mercier Long Lash mascara, Chanel Le Volume De Chanel mascara, Maybelline Gel Liner in black, Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bronze on Bronze, MAC eyeshadow duo of Omega and Concrete which I use for my brows and Natural Collection clear mascara which I also use for my brows.

And finally I am taking the following lipsticks: MAC Patisserie, Topshop Brighton Rock, Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 05, Rimmel Apocalips in Across the Universe and L'Oreal Liquid Lipstick in 500 Molto Mauve. 

The white bag will hold my brushes and tools which get too squished in the purple bag, the original Naked palette, my Jo Malone perfume in English Pear and Freesia, the nail varnish on my toes which is Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in 416 Papaya, a few bits of jewelery and some hair accessories. 

For brushes I am taking: Real Techniques Stippling, Expert Face, Deluxe Crease and Base Shadow brushes, MAC 239, 217, 263 and 129, Topshop Large Shadow and Angled Brow brush, Bare Minerals Soft Sweep Cheek brush, Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush, an ELF Spoolie and Charlotte Tilbury Eyelash Curlers. 

That ended up being a long post! Reading back through this post maybe this is a bit excessive for 5 days, I'll let you know when I get back if my bossy sister made me leave anything behind... 

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!!!

June Wishlist

There is so much I want this month, I feel very sorry for my bank account! I know I say this every month but I seriously can't believe its June already; we are half way through the year!

1. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser

I got a sample of this in my Birchbox a few months ago which was a shade darker than my normal skin colour, I took it on holiday and used it when I was a bit more tanned and absolutely loved it. I am nearly out of foundation so I think I am going to buy this in my normal skin colour as replacement. It doesn't have much coverage but it does a good job of evening out tone and leaving skin looking dewy, healthy and natural. It is especially good for dry and dehydrated skin like mine.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow

Something from Charlotte Tilbury seems to pop up on my wish list every month and this month sees the turn of her Wonderglow Instant Soft-Focus Beauty Flash. The idea behind this is similar to the Clarins Instant Light Radiance Boosting Base which I am a big fan of and instantly brightens dull, tired and dehydrated skin.

3. Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner

June will see the much anticipated launch of Benefit's new gel pen eyeliner and I am so excited to try it. They describe it as a 'lash-hugging gel liner in a pen' with a matte black formula, by the look of the pictures it looks like the nib is angled which is excellent for me as I can only apply gel liner with a angled brush. I love the They're Real mascara so I am hoping this will be just as good. The launch date is the 28th June and will retail at £18.50.   

4. Matalan Block Heel Sandals

I want these shoes so badly but they keep selling out of my size. They are a simple nude and white block heel, with a very on trend 'barely-there' look about them. I think they would be the perfect shoes for summer- they can be dressed down during the day with a pair of skinny jeans but then dressed up with a dress or skirt. At £15 you can't really go wrong.

5. Urban Outfitters Scalloped Lace Shorts in Black

I tried these on in the shop the other day and really liked them, however I don't know if I'd wear them enough to justify spending £40 on them. I'm not really a shorts-wearing kinda girl to be honest, I much prefer wearing a skirt or dress. I think this is a case for my big shopping rule: if after a week you can't stop thinking about it; buy it. If you've not really thought about it; don't buy it.


6. Cos Printed Panel Top

I love the neon yellow trend that is going round at the minute but I'm not brave enough to wear and don't think I'll be able to pull it off, however, this simple yet stylish top is the perfect way to pop a bit of colour into an outfit. It will be perfect for casual summer days with a pair of skinny jeans.  

7. Tom Ford Brow Sculptor

I feel the time has come to add some Tom Ford to my make-up collection and it's between this eyebrow sculptor or a lipstick. I have so many lipsticks already I think it's time to be a little more adventurous with my brows- has anyone tried this, is it any good?

8. L'oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick


Finally this month are the L'oreal Liquid Lipsticks in a few different shades. Sophie recommended them to me recently and I picked up shade 500 Molto Mauve which I love; it's a perfect liquid lipstick with a lovely texture, smell, pigmentation and finish so I definitely want to be picking up some more shades- especially 601 Nude Ballet as it is what Kim Kardashain wore down the aisle a few weeks ago. 

What is on your wishlist this month? Drop a comment down below!

Shop The Post:

1. SpaceNK (£33.50)

2. Selfriges (£38.50)

3. Benefit (£18.50)

4. Matalan (£15.00)

5. Urban Outfitters (£38.00)

6. Cos (£19.00)

7. Selfridges (£34.00)

8. Boots (£8.99)

May Favourites

It's my turn to do the favourites this month. I always struggle to pick my top choices because I usually love the same things every month and feel like I'm repeating myself. Also May hasn't been the best month for trying out new products and finding new favourites as I've had courswork to hand in and exams for Uni. However I have managed to choose some products that I haven't talked about that much before or I've recently bought and loved. Here are my favourites from the month of May.

Celine New Audrey Sunglasses

Luckily in the month of May we actually had a bit of sun, even if it was for a short period of time. Because it was so sunny I had a chance to break out my favourite sunglasses from Celine, named after the great Audrey Hepburn. These were somewhat of an impulse buy on my holiday to New York last July (I got slightly carried away with spending) and as soon as I saw them I had to have them. They cost quite a bit of money but I know I will get a lot of use out of them and will be in style for a long time.

Stila Eyeshadow in Golightly

I've really been enjoying using this as an every day eyeshadow throughout May. I'm really glad I decided to buy this colour from Space NK. It's a gorgeous metallic bronze/gold colour that is quite similar to Mac's Woodwinked. It has a creamy texture and is easily blendable and a little goes a long way too. I love to wear this colour either day or night. I also love the name of this eyeshadow named after Audrey Hepburn's famous character Holly Golightly in my favourite film Breakfast at Tiffany's. 

Essie Nail Varnish in California Coral

Essie is my favourite Nail Varnish brand, I love how many different colours they have on offer and they always release so many limited edition shades too. The Essie nail colour I've been paticularly loving this month is California Coral. It's a bright orange/pink coral shade that is perfect for spring to brighten up any look. I've worn it a few times now in May and it lasts a decent amount of time too before chipping and applies really easily.

Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Palette in Dolce Vita 

This is one of my favourite eyeshadow palettes of all time, never mind just for the month of May. I don't like to use it very often because it's so gorgeous and special but I've found myself reaching for it a few times in May now. There are 4 great and unique shades in this palette and they are designed to go really well together for one great eye look. You get a Prime, Enhance, Smoke and Pop shade that all blend in together for the perfect night time eye look. 

L'oreal Colour Riche in Rouge Soprano and Molto Mauve

These new gems have been my favourite lip products for the month of May. They are £8.99 which is expensive for a drugstore product but they are very similar to YSL Vernis a Levres Glossy Stains. In fact they smell/taste a bit better than the YSL ones which can be slightly overpowering. In comparison to the YSL Glossy Stains they don't have as good staying power and there are a lot less colours than YSL. However there are some great shades to choose from. The two that I have are 301 Rouge Soprano and 500 Molto Mauve. Rouge Soprano is a gorgeous orange based red shade perfect for the spring/summer months and also I good shade for the night time and Molto Mauve is a light pink/mauve colour which is the perfect everyday pinky nude shade. I love this product and want to buy so many more shades including Nude Ballet which Kim Kardashian wore on her wedding day!

Breaking Bad

I know I'm slightly behind on this one but I finally finished Breaking Bad! I started watching it at the beginning of the Uni year in October because I studied it for a module I was doing and I was hooked for a while. Then I decided to take a break because I had been watching it so quickly and it isn't the easiest of watching so I'd usually choose something more lighthearted instead. However as dreaded revision approached I decided to pick it back up again as procrastination. The final two seasons were incredible and I am glad I waited a bit to watch them. This is such a good TV series, as I'm sure most of you have heard, and if you are thinking of watching it I would definitely recommend it.

What have been your favourites for the month of May?

Best Beauty Looks at Cannes 2014

Last week the International Cannes Film Festival was held in the South of France. The Celebrities this year really impressed with both their fashion and beauty (see my post on the Best Dressed at Cannes here). Here are some of my favourite beauty looks from the Festival.

Blake Lively

Not only did Blake impress in the fashion department with her glamorous dress choices, she also chose some great beauty looks as well to go with them. I like how Blake went for some different makeup looks from her traditional makeup with bold black eyeliner and bright pink lips as well as a classic red lipstick and tied up elegant hairstyle in her most glamorous dress. 

Cara Delevingne

Although I wasn't a huge fan of the dress Cara wore on the red carpet, I loved her makeup look here. She of course showed off her bold brows as well as going for a deep dark red/purple colour on her lips. I also liked her different hairstyle here. 

Jessica Chastain

I liked how Jessica Chastain mixed up her beauty looks as well as her fashion choices. Two of my favourite looks of hers was the bright red lipstick with the bright blue dress and a more classic and subtle makeup with a nude/pink lip with her old Hollywood style dress. 

Suki Waterhouse

I really like Suki Waterhouse's understated yet pretty makeup on the red carpet. The makeup and hair went really well with her dress. 

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria's makeup looked stunning as always. She went for a look that she would traditionally go for with smokey eyes and a classic nude lipstick paired with her long wavy haistyle.

Frieda Pinto

Fried Pinto' makeup also looked fantastic. She went for a subtle and smoky eye look with a bright bold red lipstick. I also really liked her  glamorous loosely curled hairstyle. 

Rosie Huntington Whiteley

Rosie's makeup also looked glamorous to match her beautiful silver grey dress. She wore a smoky eye look with slight flush to her cheeks and a pretty nude shade for her lips as well as long flowing hair. 

Cheryl Cole

Cheryl's makeup and hair looked spectacular for her red carpet appearance. I love her chic 60's inspired hairstyle and her smokey brown eye colour with a nude lip. 

Kendall Jenner

Kendall's look was one of my favourites from the red carpet. I love the dark pink lip colour and subtle brown eyeshadow shade she wore with her gorgeous Chanel dress. 

Which Beauty Look was your favourite from Cannes?