Tuesday 31 December 2013

December Favourites!

Hi All,

As this year draws to a close I thought I'd share with you a few of my favourite Winter products at the moment. I must admit that Winter is not my favourite season as it wreaks havoc with my skin- it's paler, duller, spottier, drier, and all around difficult to manage. Here are a few of the products that have helped me through these tricky Winter months so far!

1. Angels on Bare Skin


The first thing to say about Angels on Bare Skin is that it's a bit of a weird product, and I can definitely see why some people don't like it. It is a LUSH product which means that it is handmade from natural ingredients, and this particular cleanser lists almonds and lavender amongst its ingredients. It comes in a tub as a sort of smelly, grainy lump, and the idea is to mix a little in your palm with water to make a paste which you then rub into your skin as a cleanser.

Is it messy? Yes. Is it pleasant to use? Not particularly. But what Angels on Bare Skin does offer is results (at least in my experience!). It leaves my skin so incredibly soft that I can barely stop touching it, and redness is also significantly reduced. I don't know that I would choose to use this cleanser in Summer when my skin is reasonably healthy, but in Winter I find it gives me just the pick-me-up I need.


2. No.7 Instant Radiance Highlighter


The second item on my list is this lovely highlighter from No.7. I have had my eye on the Watts Up! product from Benefit for a while now but at £9.95 this seemed like a cheaper alternative so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! I use this every day now under my foundation to give a subtle radiance, and over foundation as a highlighter on nights out. I find it gives a lovely dewy look to the skin which is just what my skin needs for Winter. I also love the packaging of this product- it is like a shorter, fatter version of a Clinique chubby stick and fits perfectly into any make-up bag. The only negative I have found with this product is that it didn't sit very well with my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation and needed rather a lot of blending. Other than that it has been a Winter triumph in my make-up collection!


3. Quinoderm 5


I mentioned that I often get breakouts during Winter, and this year I even got a bit of mild acne which had never happened to me before and really got me down. This product was an absolute saviour and treated it so quickly and effectively! I need to point out that this product was recommended to me by a pharmacist because I was suffering with mild acne and I would always, always check with your local pharmacist before purchasing for yourself as it contains Benzoyl Peroxide which can be harmful to your skin. I used a tiny bit of this on the affected area twice daily and within a few days it had almost completely cleared. I couldn't believe it as I had tried lots of conventional spot treatments like Clearasil and Freederm with no success, and I would certainly recommend looking into it if you are in the same position.

4. John Frieda Luxurious Volume Range


The final products I would recommend for Winter are the John Frieda Luxurious Volume range. I have been using the Shampoo, Conditioner and Blow Dry Spray to combat lank, Winter locks and I have rarely loved a shampoo more. My hair feels soft from root to tip and it has a lovely healthy bounce and shine to it that I love. I also use a touch of Frizz Ease to keep my hair smooth after straightening and I've been really pleased with the results so far- a definite Winter winner!

So there you have it- a few of my Winter lifesavers. I hope that you enjoyed my post and I promise to be far more disciplined with my blogging in the New Year!

Happy 2014 Everyone!

Rosie x

PS Please note these images are not my own


Monday 16 December 2013

I Am Alive!

Hi Everyone,
My BIGGEST apologies to you all for not having posted anything at all in over a month. If I'm perfectly honest, I was incredibly busy at work for the first few weeks (I got promoted, yay!) and also feeling a touch of the Winter Blues, and once I went a couple of weeks without posting anything I think I was mentally putting it off!
It took this weekend and the support of my lovely boyfriend to convince me to get back on the wagon, and I was so heartened to see that I have even more followers than before which gave me all the encouragement I needed to carry on blogging! I wonder if any of you ever feel a bit overwhelmed by it all and take a break from your blog? I'm hoping this will be just the boost I need to make my blog better and more regular as we go into the new year.
Another slight update on my life is that I am moving house, which has been beyond stressful and yet another reason why blogging has not been at the forefront of my mind. We are spending Christmas in our lovely flat, before moving in with my other half's mum for a few weeks until our new place is ready. All the moving is already proving to be a challenge and I am having to get used to the idea of living out of a suitcase for the foreseeable future!
Anyway, I don't want to ramble on too much but again my apologies for the radio silence, and hopefully this post will be the first of many in the coming weeks and months! Thanks to all of you for still following, you're the best.
Rosie x

Sunday 3 November 2013

Current Lust List!

Hi Everyone,

Firstly, I hope that you've all had an amazing weekend! I haven't been feeling too well, hence why things have been a bit quiet on the blog-front, but have had a lovely day today holed up in my cosy flat catching up on this week's telly.. Bliss.

I am SO delighted to see that my blog has now reached an amazing 313 followers! I am so grateful to every one of you for visiting my blog and I cannot believe how much it has grown since I started in June. I only hope I can keep it up!

Today I am doing another Lust List, as again I find myself wishing for so many things that I cannot possibly hope to own them all. I am sharing a selection of my current lusts with you here, most of which will be making their way on to my Christmas List shortly!

First up is the Daisy Eau So Fresh scent from Marc Jacobs. This is not a new perfume but it is a pretty recent discovery for me and I am dying to get my hands on it! The fragrance contains notes of raspberry, wild rose, grapefruit, plum, apple blossom and cedarwood and is very fresh and delicious. I am a big fan of fruity-scented perfumes that are not overly sweet and this one ticks all the boxes for me.


I also currently have my eye on these over the knee boots from the Betty Jackson Black collection at Debenhams. I have been looking for some slim-fit, over the knee boots for a while now and I think these boots are really smart looking and would work well for Winter. I would wear them with some dark skinny jeans, a t-shirt and my favourite wool shrug from Zara for a casual, wintery look.



Every good outfit needs a good bag, and I love this black and white number from DKNY. I'm a big fan of DKNY bags as they are good quality, look very chic and manage not to be crazy prices. This one is £240 which admittedly is not exactly a bargain, but compared to other designers I think it is reasonable. I love the detail on this bag; the DKNY chain and the white stitching, plus it is practical as it has both a long and a short strap and zips up at the top which is handy on the tube. Definitely a good work handbag!



I am also keen to add this 'No Makeup Makeup Fresh and Flawless Face Palette' by Too Faced to my makeup collection. As soon as I saw this palette I fell in love with it- it contains a shimmer bronzer, creme and powder blushes, and a concealer, luminiser and brightener.The colours in this palette are lovely and natural and perfect for creating a 'healthily flushed' look for Winter rather than looking too 'done'. I am really loving my creme blushes at the moment and this palette contains a really pretty pink shade that is unlike any that I already own.
:


Finally, I've heard some really good things about Crest Whitening Strips and would really love to get my hands on some. I have been considering teeth whitening treatments for a while now as I think a nice, bright smile really makes a big difference to the way that you look. I have a few friends that have had their teeth bleached and the results are just amazing, but at about £300 it is a little out of my price range for now! These strips are a cheaper option but still promise great results.


So, there you have it folks- my current Lust List! I would love to hear what you guys are lusting after or what you think of my choices, so please feel free to leave me a comment below!



Enjoy the rest of your Sunday :)



Rosie x


Sunday 27 October 2013

Face Of The Day


Hi Everyone

Today I thought I'd do another Face Of The Day post for you all as I was really pleased with my make-up. I hope you like the finished look! All the products used are included below.

Base:

L'Oreal Paris True Match Foundation in W3 (applied with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush)
Benefit Erase Paste in Medium
Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Pale Yellow

Brows:

My usual- the GOSH Eyebrow Kit in 001 using my Bare Minerals Brow Brush

Cheeks:

Topshop Bronzer in Sandcastle (applied with a Real Techniques Contour Brush)
Natural Collection Blush in Peach Melba
Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light (only highlighter used)

Eyes:


Urban Decay Naked Palette - colours used are Naked, Virgin and Sin

No. 7 Stay Perfect Amazing Eyes Pencil in Black
Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Retro Glam Mascara in Extreme Black

Lips:


Collection 2000 Lasting Colour Lipstick in Orange Punch (sorry but I couldn't find a link to this exact one online!).


I'm also wearing my Beyond Bronze by Fake Bake Instant Tan in Matter Medium which is why I'm a teeny bit orange! All in all I think this is a great, simple look though and I hope you enjoyed it!

Rosie x


Sunday 20 October 2013

Current Favourites: Nude Lipsticks

L to R: M&S Limited Collection Lipstick in Pink Shine, Collection Volume Sensation in Satin Bow, ELF Jumbo Lipgloss Stick in In The Nude, No.7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Daydreamer, Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 101.
Top L: M&S Lipstick in Pink Shine, Bottom L: No.7 Lip Crayon in Daydreamer, Top R: Collection Lipstick in Satin Bow, Middle R: ELF Lipgloss Stick in In The Nude, Bottom R: Rimmel Lipstick in 101



 Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying what's left of the weekend, although this weather is awful! It has been so dark and wet all day that I've barely been able to bring myself to leave the house.

Today I wanted to do a post on one of my major obsessions: nude lipsticks. I have been hugely unadventurous in the lipstick stakes recently and I have found myself acquiring a load of nude shades; my favourite of which I am going to share with you in this post. Nude lipsticks have been a long-standing favourite of mine for a while as they are so easy to wear, look very natural and compliment almost every makeup look. I could not live without a good nude lipstick in my makeup bag, and here is the lowdown of my current favourites.

First up is the Marks & Spencer Limited Collection (and Limited Edition!) Lipstick in the shade Pink Shine. This is from M&S's Christmas collection and comes in the cutest purple packaging decorated with snowflakes and reindeer. This is the newest addition to my nude lipstick collection but is already a firm favourite for the easy-to-wear shade, moisturising feeling and sparkly particles which give a lovely, glossy look. I have never bought an M&S lippy before but after trying this one will definitely be investing in more- the Christmas collection can be bought here and they have a gorgeous plum shade available too which may have to be my next investment!

Next is the Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick in Satin Bow. I have actually already done a review of this lipstick here but it is certainly a favourite of mine and therefore well worth a mention! It is a lovely, moisturising formula which feels very nice on the lips, although the lipstick itself is starting to melt a bit in the packaging which is a bit of a shame.

The E.L.F. Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in the shade 'In The Nude' is more of what I'd call a 'true nude', in that it is much more neutral/ brown-toned rather than pink. I like to wear this lipgloss for work as it is a very natural, 'your-lips-but-better' type product, although the smell is quite medicinal and not all that pleasant!

The No.7 High Shine Lip Crayon in 'Daydreamer' is also more of a browny-nude, and it is super glossy which I really like. I love this shade for Autumn- it goes really well with bronze and gold tones which I always associate with this time of year. It is the most expensive of the five lipsticks mentioned in this post at £9, although Boots regularly have offers on at this time of the year and I grabbed it for £6.

Finally, the Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate lipstick in colour '101'. This is definitely more of a pink-toned lipstick; I would describe it as a 'dusky pink'. Nevertheless, I am including it as a nude lipstick as the effect on the lips is still reasonably natural, and this is a regular favourite of mine when I want to add a splash of colour on my lips but don't want to go for anything too dramatic.

Have you tried any of the products mentioned? I am always on the lookout for new nude shades so let me know your favourites!

Rosie x



Tuesday 15 October 2013

Product Review: Sleek Blush in Rose Gold



Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all having a great week- I have been a busy bee attending classes at college, going to work and juggling an essay!

Today I am doing a review of the Sleek Shimmer Blush in Rose Gold. I picked up this very reasonably priced blusher (£4.49 from Superdrug) a few weeks ago after reading lots of rave reviews from other bloggers claiming that its a great dupe for NARS' Orgasm blush. Never one to pass up on a bargain dupe, I thought I'd give it a go!

I found this blush really hard to photograph purely because it has so many different elements to it that the shade varies with the light. If I had to describe it I would say it is a bright, pink-coral shade with gold pigments in which give it a slight shimmer. Although it looks as though it is really pigmented it is actually very subtle on the skin, but could be built up for a more dramatic look.

All in all I really like this blusher. I am not normally a big fan of 'shimmery' blushes, but this one is subtle enough for everyday and doesn't leave my face lit up like a Christmas tree. If I had one criticism of this it would be that it is less of a coral shade than it appears in the pan, but this is really not a deal breaker for me and I will definitely keep using it. Seeing as I don't actually own the NARS Orgasm blush I can't really comment on Sleek's offering as a good dupe, but it is definitely another winning shade which I will be using again and again.

Have you tried this blush? Let me know your thoughts!

Rosie x



Friday 11 October 2013

Versatile Blogger Award!

Hello my lovelies!

I was so, so pleased when the lovely Lauren from Tea and Post nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award last week. I love Lauren's blog and would definitely recommend checking it out!

I was not very clued up on this particular award tag, but basically the Versatile Blogger Award is awarded by fellow bloggers to acknowledge blogs that they rate really highly and which have touched them in some way. The posts should be unique, well-written and injected with love! I am so grateful to Lauren for nominating me for such a lovely award and I'm really excited to share my own nominees.

How Does It Work?
1) Display the Award Certificate on your blog.
2) Announce your win and thank the blogger that nominated you.
3) Present 15 deserving bloggers with the award.
4) Link your nominees in your post and let them know they've been nominated.
5) Post 7 interesting things about yourself.

So, without further delay, my nominations for this lovely award are:

1) Liza
2) Lianne
3) Jenny
5) Hannah
6) Lisa
8) Rhi
9) Kirstie
10) Bethany
11) Nicola
12) Anouk
13) Emma
14) Hayley
15) Becca

Thanks to all of these bloggers who have all inspired me one way or another!

And now for my 7 interesting facts...

1) I'm currently doing the 5:2 diet and today is a Fast Day... NOT GOOD!
2) I have never broken a bone (touchwood!)
3) I love milkshakes when I'm hungover- chocolate is my favourite flavour.
4) My favourite foundation at the moment is my Estee Lauder Double Wear in Desert Beige.
5) The last film that I watched was Love and Other Drugs and I've since developed a huge crush on Jake Gyllenhaal! Yum!
6) I would love to go to Tokyo, I think it just looks like such an amazing place.
7) I am trying to buy a house with my boyfriend! Very exciting :)

I hope you've enjoyed reading this award tag and do visit all of the blogs mentioned (including Lauren's!) as they are all fantastic.

Rosie x

Sunday 6 October 2013

Product Review: Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick in Satin Bow


Hi Everyone,

Today I wanted to do a review of a new lipstick that I picked up recently: the Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick in Satin Bow. I must admit that I am not generally the most adventurous blogger in terms of my lip colours and I definitely gravitate towards the nude shades. This colour is a lovely deep, pinky nude colour and is perfect for every day wear.

Collection say that their Volume Sensation range contains 'up to 40% volumising ingredients' (whatever that means!). I must admit that I haven't noticed any real 'volumising' effects but I love the creamy, moisturising formula of this lipstick. It has great staying power and the colour goes on really smoothly. For £2.99 this lipstick is a real beauty steal and has fast become one of my favourite nude lip products. My only gripe is with the packaging- I haven't had this lipstick long but it's already smudged quite a lot inside the tube which makes it quite messy to apply. Overall, a great little beauty bargain if you're looking for an easy to wear shade for everyday use.

Have you tried any of the Collection Volume Sensation lipsticks?? I'd love to know if you've noticed any 'volumising' effects!

Rosie x

Thursday 3 October 2013

Haul Post: Topshop Makeup


Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all having a great week! Just a quick post today to share with you a couple of new bits and pieces that I picked up recently from Topshop. I have been having a real love affair with Topshop makeup recently and decided to try a couple of products that have been on my wishlist for a while.

First up is the Topshop Bronzer in 'Sandcastle'. This is a lovely, matte bronzer which is perfect to give an everyday glow. It also works really well for contouring and I have been cheating on my previous favourite (the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer) with this new purchase ever since I bought it last weekend. I also really love the packaging of this bronzer- the silver compact is very simple but chic, and I'm sure that this will become a full time handbag favourite of mine. The colour Sandcastle I would say is a good choice for lighter skin tones, but apply sparingly as a little of this product goes a long way.

I also managed to get the Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish. I have wanted to try this for a while but couldn't seem to find it in my local Topshop store- fortunately the one in Westfields had it in stock. This is a really lovely highlighter product; I have been applying it with my Real Techniques Blusher Brush along the top of my cheekbones to give a subtle glow. For daily use I would apply under foundation, but I'm looking forward to going for a more dramatic look on a night out. I am also desperate to try one of the MAC Mineralise Skin Finishes, so hopefully this will be one of my next purchases!

Finally, I stocked up on my favourite: the Topshop Lip Crayon in Wave Goodbye. I won't bore you by going on about this product yet AGAIN, but it's safe to say that it is a permanent fixture in my makeup bag.

These are the things I picked up recently- have you tried any great Topshop makeup products recently?

Rosie x

Tuesday 1 October 2013

Lifestyle Post: The Hand And Flowers



Hi Everyone,

A few weeks ago I had an amazing treat when my boyfriend took me to The Hand And Flowers pub in Marlow. I've been meaning to do a post on this ever since as the food was absolutely divine! For those of you that haven't heard of it, The Hand And Flowers is a pub owned and run by Tom Kerridge, a two Michelin-Starred chef who regularly appears on programmes like Masterchef and Great British Menu. His restaurant is tucked away in Marlow, a town about an hour out of London, and serves posh pub-style food with a bit of a twist. Sorry to those of you that maybe aren't interested in my lifestyle posts, but I'm afraid I'm going to bore you all with the details of my delicious meal! This sort of posh nosh is not exactly a regular occurrence in our household and I was really spoilt rotten, so please forgive my gushing!

Sadly it was absolutely chucking it down on the day we went to Marlow. We were staying overnight in the nearby Crowne Plaza hotel and had to take our car down to the restaurant and walk back to collect it in the morning. The Hand And Flowers looks very quaint and cottage-like from the outside and when we stepped in, soaking wet, it felt a bit like we'd come in through a back door. The restaurant itself is small but has a nice feel to it: lots of big, wooden tables, low ceilings and a warm, bustling atmosphere. We were seated really quickly having booked up in advance (you need to book quite far ahead, especially on a weekend!) and the waiter brought us some delicious fresh breads with lovely, salty butter and deep-fried whitebait with a Marie-Rose sauce. I'd not had this before but the whitebait was really lovely and worked well as a snack- it's a small fish that tastes quite smoky and salty, almost like mackerel.

The starter I'm afraid I didn't photograph as I was nervous of looking too 'touristy'. I had the Salt Cod Scotch Egg with Red Pepper Sauce and Chorizo. It was absolutely delicious. The egg inside had a soft, runny yoke and the sweet, red pepper sauce worked really well with the other flavours on the plate. I would definitely recommend it although my boyfriend had the Blowtorched Scallop in a Beef and Mead Bouillon (broth), which he said was amazing as well.

Now, onto the main course! I chose the Slow Cooked Duck Breast with peas, duck fat chips and gravy. This was a dish that featured on the Great British Menu 2010 and I was not disappointed. The duck as you can see was beautifully cooked and covered in a sweet, sticky glaze. The peas were served with mint and pancetta and the chips were just to die for! All in all it was a delicious plate of food. Sorry for the low quality photos- it was pretty dark in the restaurant and I only used my phone. Hopefully you can get an idea of the food though and what it was like.


My Duck Dish


Finally we just about had room for dessert. After so much rich food I went for the Sweet Malt Gateau with Malted Milk Ice-cream, Yeast Tuile and Creme Fraiche which wouldn't normally be my first choice, but sounded like it wouldn't be too heavy on my already very full stomach. It looked really pretty when it came out and when all the elements were combined it tasted almost like sticky toffee pudding. Individually I wasn't so sure- the malt gateau reminded me slightly of a Soreen malt loaf, although the ice-cream was very nice.

Tim (my boyfriend) went for a Raspberry and Rosewater Souffle with Caramelised White Chocolate Ice-cream and Basil Sauce. I have to say that this was a better choice by far- it looked so impressive when it came out! We weren't 100% sure how to eat it- whether to pour the sauce over the top or just dip? In the end he just poured it and although the basil taste did slightly overpower the other elements of the dish in my opinion it was still a nice dessert.


Sweet Malt Gateau
Amazing Souffle!
Overall we really enjoyed our trip to The Hand And Flowers and I would love to go back. Although the food isn't cheap, there is a lot of choice and it has a lovely, buzzing atmosphere that a lot of high end restaurants seem to lack. It was a wonderful evening out of London and I would recommend it to anyone that is a fan of that style of food. If the A La Carte menu is not for you there is also a really reasonable Set Lunch Menu which I've heard is really good too and about £20 for 3 courses.

Details of the restaurant and accommodation here (they have a limited number of boutique rooms available at The Hand And Flowers itself which looked beautiful!), A La Carte Menu here and Set Menu here.

Rosie x


Sunday 29 September 2013

This Month's Empties


Hi Everyone,

Firstly I need to apologise as I have been a very bad blogger this week. I have been so busy with work that I just couldn't bring myself to organise a new blog post, so I'm sorry for the radio silence since last weekend. On another note, I've now reached 250 followers which I'm absolutely over the moon about! Hello and thank you to all of my followers (new and old)- I promise to try and post more regularly from now on!

Today's post is one of those 'empties' post where I let you know the products that I love sooo much that I've used every last drop/squeeze/spray. I seem to have finished everything around the same time this month which is strange but also a bit annoying for my wallet! The products in this post are a few of my absolute faves that I will definitely be repurchasing.

The first product is the Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Penetrating Oil for hair. Firstly, to state the obvious; the one in this photo is clearly not empty. I did finish this product but must have thrown the packaging away as I can't find it anywhere, and this has become such an essential to my hair routine that I repurchased immediately. I have had to put the newer one in this photo, but let's just pretend that it's empty! This oil is very thick and more serum-like than many Moroccan/Argan Oil products that I've tried, and I love to slather it onto the ends of my wet hair for a lovely soft, glossy feel. It is quite reasonably priced at £6.99 and a little goes a long way. As someone that regularly suffers from dry, split ends from endless hair colouring this product has done a lot to make my hair a lot smoother, glossier and more healthy-looking.

My second empty is the Garnier 2-in-1 Make-Up Remover Purifying Gel. I have mentioned this product before and it is a favourite of mine for effectively removing make-up in one simple step. It is essentially a face wash that is able to remove even stubborn waterproof mascara, and I love using this product when I'm feeling lazy as it feels like I have removed my make-up without spending too much time on it. I usually follow with either Bioderma Micellar Solution or Clearasil Rapid Action Pads to make sure my skin is squeaky clean.

I also finished my Witch Anti-Blemish Skin Clearing Primer this month. This had become such a make-up staple for me since I first discovered it a few months ago as it contains ingredients to prevent spots whilst still keeping make-up in place all day. In its place I have been using the Roche Posay Effaclar Duo which I find also works well as a base under make-up, but I will definitely be re-purchasing Witch's very reasonably priced primer.

The V05 Smoothly Does It Tame & Shine Spray has been a favourite of mine for a while. It is my secret weapon when blow-drying as I find it leaves my hair super shiny and soft with minimal frizz. I usually spray this on dry hair just before straightening, and it even contains ingredients to protect hair against high temperatures from hair straighteners. I would be lost without this product (not to mention frizzy!) so I will be repurchasing very soon.

Clarins' Eau des Jardins perfume is my all time favourite scent and the one that I tend to use for everyday. It has a very fruity, floral scent, which sort of reminds me of grapefruit, and I have yet to find a scent which tops it. I have used this one down to the very last drop, but I already have a new one on the go which lives in my handbag for emergency spritzes.

MAC's Strobe Cream is a product that I have had for AGES- so long that I think they've actually changed the packaging now- and I've finally finished it. I really loved this product at first but then seemed to forget about it and it lived, unloved, in a drawer somewhere. I rediscovered it again recently and have been getting a lot of use out of it again. I like to use this product under foundation as a subtle highlighter, or mixed into blushes to give a subtle glow. Now that I have finished it I am going to try a new highlighter for comparison purposes, but I am sure I will be repurchasing this again at some point.

Finally, the lipstick that I am obsessed with- Topshop's Lip Crayon in Wave Goodbye. I won't go on about this too much as you can read my rave reviews of this in previous posts, but I would give this lipstick the rare label of My Favourite Lipstick Ever. I can't remember ever using a lipstick right down to the very bottom before, but I have already bought two more of these to see me through the winter. This lipstick is a pinky nude shade and very glossy. The packaging is a little messy but I'm willing to overlook that because I just love this product so much! It is back on the shelves after a brief spell of being unavailable, so I would recommend giving it a go if you haven't already.

Phew, this ended up being quite a long post! I hope you enjoyed reading about my September empties and as always please feel free to leave me a comment below on any of the products mentioned or with any recommendations for me!

Rosie x

Sunday 22 September 2013

The Autumn Tag



Hi Everyone,

I was tagged to do this post by the lovely Lauren over at Tea and Post (thank you Lauren!). I love Lauren's blog and I would definitely recommend checking it out if you have not already- you can find her Autumn Tag post here, and her tag post is accompanied by some amazing photos that will definitely get you in the Autumn mood!


Favourite thing about Autumn?

I have to admit that Autumn is usually not one of my favourite seasons- it marks the end of Summer and we're still miles away from Christmas! But it's not all bad- I love going for walks in Autumn, the bright colours of the leaves, and of course buying new coats and boots ready for Winter! I've got my eye on these ones from Aldo at the moment.

Favourite Drink?
Apple juice or cider always feel quite Autumnal to me, especially if they're warm! I also love a good, old fashioned hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows- yum! I used to always like to add a spoonful of banana Nesquik to my hot chocolates to make them a bit more special although these days that's a bit of a rare treat.

Favourite Scent/Candle?
I like things with cinnamon or spiced apple scents for Autumn. Although I haven't tried it I love the sound of this Nutmeg and Ginger scent from Jo Malone- it just sounds like Autumn in a bottle!


Best Lipstick?
In Autumn I prefer browner toned nudes rather than pinky colours. One of my favourites is this Moisture Renew Lipstick by Rimmel in 'Nude Delight'- a perfect Autumn nude!


Go To Moisturiser?
I am still using my long-time favourite: Botanics Shine Away Mattifying Day Cream. This is a brilliant moisturiser for oily skin as it's really moisturising without being remotely greasy, and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth all year round.


Go To Colour For Eyes?
Nice bronze and gold tones are perfect for Autumn; something like the Maybelline Colour Tattoo eyeshadow in On and On Bronze.
Favourite Music or Band/Singer to Listen To?
I'm not sure that it's an Autumn song but I have been listening to She & Him 'I Thought I Saw Your Face Today' quite a lot on my iPod recently and I think it suits the Autumn mood quite well. 
Favourite Outfit to Wear?
I love investing in a good coat at this time of year as that's pretty much what you'll see me in most of the time. I love oversized coats at the moment like this one from Diane Von Furstenberg, and would probably wear it with jeans, ankle boots and lots of layers, preferably finishing the look with an oversized scarf.
Autumn Treat?
Toffee apples! Not exactly something that I eat regularly but I can't say no to a toffee apple and a good firework display in Autumn.
Favourite Place to Be?
Probably snuggled up on the sofa with my boyfriend and a good book or a movie. I would also really like to make a trip to Brighton this Autumn as I've never been but think it would be the perfect trip to make on a cool, dry day.
So there it is, my Autumn Tag! I have really enjoyed doing this actually and I hope you enjoyed reading it. I tag all of you to try this yourself if you'd like, make sure you let me know if you do!

Have a great week all.

Rosie x

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Product Review: Bioderma Purifying Cleansing Micelle Solution


Evening Everyone,

I hope you're all having a great week! Today I am doing another jumping-on-the-beauty-bandwagon post and discussing another hyped-up product: the Bioderma Purifying Cleansing Micelle Solution. I have seen this product EVERYWHERE lately being reviewed by some of my favourite bloggers, and it's been hailed as one of the best (and the gentlest) cleansers around.

Although the most common of the Bioderma Micelle Solutions that I've seen has been the Crealine H20 in a pink bottle, I chose the green Sebium H20 because it is geared towards oilier skin types. This product claims to cleanse the skin without drying it, and aims to also regulate the skin's sebum levels. This product can be used morning and night and I've read some blogs that claim it works brilliantly not just on the face but on other areas that suffer with oily skin.

Personally, I found this to be a great little cleanser that removes makeup with ease- even stubborn waterproof makeup that my other cleansers struggle with. The formula is incredibly gentle and feels just like water, with no real fragrance to it and no stinging sensation should you get any in your eyes. I must admit that I have not noticed a huge difference in my sebum levels or oiliness of my skin (although this could be down to the masses of free crisps we've been getting at work at the moment!), but I really like this cleanser for gentle makeup removal as I have a massive aversion to makeup wipes and find them quite harsh on the skin.

I bought this product whilst waiting for a friend outside South Kensington tube station- there is a little pharmacy there which sells all of the best French beauty brands. It set me back £4.50 for this little 100ml bottle which isn't cheap, but I would definitely consider repurchasing in the future (especially if I could stock up on my next trip to France!). I have heard there are other good Micelle Solutions on the market though so would equally be open to giving them a try and seeing how they measure up to Bioderma.

Have you tried any of the Bioderma Micelle Solutions (or any other brands for that matter)? Let me know if so!

Bioderma can be purchased from multiple online stockists such as this one.

Rosie x



Sunday 15 September 2013

Hangover Make-up Lifesaver: Vichy Dermablend Foundation


Hi Everyone,

Today I am SO delighted as my blog has now reached 200 followers!! This really has made my day and I want to say thanks to everyone that takes the time to read any of my posts. When I first started blogging I had no idea what it would be like and felt like no-one would ever read my ramblings, but I've really enjoyed the experience so far and am so happy to have reached this little milestone.

Today I wanted to blog about my beauty secret weapon- the Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation. I went to a housewarming party last night and ended up having a little too much to drink; waking up this morning with a monster of a hangover. My skin was dehydrated, puffy and red, and I was all round a pretty unattractive sight. On days like this, especially when I actually have things to do and can't just crawl back under my duvet, I always reach for this gem of a foundation from Vichy.

Dermablend is a foundation designed to give full coverage without creating a 'caked-on' makeup look. It is principally targeted towards those with acne scarring, birthmarks etc which they want to cover, but I just find it AMAZING for hungover days. First I slap on a load of moisturiser, usually something with a bit of lift to it like Soap and Glory's Bright Here, Bright Now, and then apply this foundation using my Real Techniques Stippling brush. The product is quite a thick cream and a little goes a long way. It instantly covers blemishes, evens skintone and eliminates that dull, grey, hungover look- plus I find it holds pretty well throughout the day. Once I've applied this I find I don't really need much else- I just fill in my brows, maybe a slick of mascara and a touch of highlighter and bronzer to make me look a bit more human.

I wouldn't choose the use this foundation for everyday as I would usually prefer a lighter coverage, however it really does cover a multitude of sins after a heavy night! For that reason, I would 100% recommend it as a good product to have in your beauty arsenal. It sells for £16 for 30ml which is not bad for a foundation, and it is on Escentual at the moment at the discounted price of £13.60 if you're interested!

Have you tried the Vichy Dermablend foundation? What's your hangover makeup trick?

Rosie x

Friday 13 September 2013

If I had £100...

Hi Everyone,
I know that £100 to spend on makeup may not even seem like much of an extravagance for some, but I have been saving solidly towards my upcoming holiday to Australia over the past few months and £100 seems like quite a luxury to me! With that in mind, I have decided to do a post of what makeup products I would buy IF I had 100 quid going spare. This was quite a tough task actually- £100 won't necessarily get you as much as you think it will, and a couple of these are treats that I have had on my lust list for quite a while!
1) MAC Eyeshadow in Cranberry (£12.50, so £87.50 left!)
 Eye Shadow


I have been wanting a pink toned eyeshadow for ages and I absolutely love the colour of this one. I first saw this on Milly's blog at Pearls and Poodles and it just looks so amazing on her, so this would definitely be one of my first purchases!
2) Mineralize Skinfinish Powder in Adored (£22.00 - still £65.50 to spend)
 Mineralize Skinfinish


Another MAC product, I have seen these Skinfinishes on SO many different blogs now and they always look so gorgeous. I really want to try the Adored shade, which is described as 'Coral with light pearl beige'. These products seem to work really well as either a blush or a highlighter so I feel that they are worth the slightly high price tag for their multi-tasking abilities!
3) Zuri Skin Chapter Nine Skin Renew Night Serum (£2.99 on Fragrance Direct, leaving me with £62.51)
Zuri Skin Chapter Nine Skin Renew Night Serum 30ml


To make sure that I got my money's worth I'd also need to stock up on a few less expensive products, and I have had my eye on this serum for a while. I have never tried any Zuri products before but I really love the packaging, and the product itself is described as a 'Concentrated brightening serum'. It is supposed to even skin tone and encourage uniform skin pigmentation, both of which I could really do with, and the fact that it is only £2.99 is definitely a plus.
4) Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette (£20.00, still £42.51 to go!)
Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette 14g
I'd love to try this palette, especially after I was left so unimpressed by the Revlon Sculpting Palette (review here). I am so keen to find a blush, highlighter and bronzing palette that I really like as I think it would be a fantastic handbag staple and I have high hopes of this being the one that ticks all the boxes for me. I love Urban Decay products and think the packaging is so beautiful in its simplicity! One thing I really like about this product in particular is that they seem to have got the proportions just right and made the bronzer much bigger than the blush or the highlighter. I really want to try the Benefit Watts Up! highlighter as well but didn't want to put ANOTHER highlighting product on my £100 wishlist as 3 seems a little excessive!
5) Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (£34.50- only £8.01 left!)

I would need to have at least ONE extravagant purchase on my list, and I think this would have to be it. I have heard such good things about this foundation and the swatches I've seen just look absolutely beautiful on the skin- this is a definite wish list fave for me. I am a bit of a foundation obsessive anyway and I'm constantly on the look out for the next product that is going to change my life forever! This product feels quite luxurious and I've heard that it is a bit of a celebrity favourite as well, which makes it well worth £34.50 in my book!
6) Topshop Sheer Lipstick in Swirl (£8.00 exactly, leaving me with just 1p change from my £100 budget)




I love a lipbalm and I love a lipbalm even more when it has a splash of colour! My final £8 would be spent on one of Topshop's newest makeup offerings- this gorgeous, coral coloured, sheer, balmy lipstick. The colour of these is quite subtle which suits me perfectly for daily use. I like the sleek, silver packaging and I have yet to find a topshop lipstick that I don't like, so all in all I think that this would be a great final purchase without blowing my £100 budget!
So, there you have it- if I was given £100 tomorrow these are the products I would be nipping out to buy. If you fancy doing the same challenge then by all means feel free, just be sure to let me know so I can have a look on your blogs!
Rosie x
Please note these are not my images I'm afraid!