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!


Monday 9 September 2013

New Rimmel Purchases


Lasting Finish Lipstick (top) and Colour Rush Balm (below)

Evening Everyone,

Tonight I wanted to show you a couple of purchases that I made recently from Rimmel London. I must admit that I have had something of a rocky relationship with Rimmel products recently ever since I was really disappointed with their Wake Me Up foundation (I know, I know, everyone seems to love it but it left my skin looking decidedly shiny rather than glowy, and the coverage was so sheer I almost needn't have bothered). Anyway, I picked up these two lip products on Friday in the hope that Rimmel could redeem itself, and I'm really excited about trying them.

The first product I bought was the new Lasting Finish Colour Rush Intense Colour Balm in the shade 'Give Me a Cuddle'. I have to confess a large part of what attracted me to this product was the name of the shade! How cute is that?! But I also really liked the sheer, pinky colour of the swatch that I took, and I was hoping this would be a good dupe for the much pricier Clinique Chubby Sticks. As you can see, it is quite a glossy, sheer product on the hand but actually is much more pigmented on the lips and not quite the baby-pink shade I was expecting. It almost seems to me like a lipstain and gloss in one, and the colour lasted on my lips for hours. I still have only tried this product out a couple of times but so far love it for a bright pop of colour on a dreary September day!

The second product is the Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in the shade No.16. I'd seen this product in a few different blog reviews and it was described as a lovely coral shade. Given how in love I am with MAC's Costa Chic lipstick I should have known that this product would struggle to match it, although I agree that the colour is lovely. As with the other Kate Moss lipsticks I've tried I find it glides on really easily and has quite a distinctive, fruity scent which I like. However, I am just not convinced that the shade suits me all that well, and it is immediately very bright on the lips rather than being buildable to your desired brightness. Overall I think I need to give this lipstick a fair trial so will not write it off just yet, but unfortunately first impressions are telling me that it is not going to replace Costa Chic in my affections just yet!

Have you tried either of these products? Are there any Rimmel products you think I should try, as I desperately want to find a product I really love!!

Rosie x


Saturday 7 September 2013

Product Review - La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

Hi Everyone,

I've been really bad with my blog-writing recently as I've just been so busy! This weekend I am back in Birmingham to see my mum and dad but have barely had a moment free for blogging, even though I've been dying to do this review. I recently jumped on the beauty bandwagon and made a purchase of La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo- a so called 'miracle product' that bloggers have just been raving about. I must admit I'd read a few not-so-positive reviews of this product, but with some of the big names like Tanya Burr singing its praises I knew I had to give it a try.

I am so far somewhat undecided on this product. I have been trialing it all week, and if you'd asked me yesterday I would have told you that I loved it. However, this morning I woke up to find a few little blemishes around my chin which makes me wonder how good the 'unclogging' power of this product actually is. This could just have been an unlucky coincidence, but I was really, really hoping that this product would work wonders for me given all the hype around it, but unfortunately it hasn't.

Not to sound too negative, there are lots of things that I do like about the Effaclar Duo. It is a lovely, silky gel formula which melts onto skin instantly and leaves it smooth and even. I've found it to reduce redness and general discolouring or imperfections on my skin, and as such find it makes a great base for make-up. The mattifying formula is also really good, and stops my foundation sliding everywhere. The smell I was not that keen on initially but I have gradually come round to it the more I use this product- it is impossible to describe but I found it a bit 'chemically' at first.

Finally, I also found it was quite a nice product to use alone if you're planning to step out make-up free, as skin is left looking radiant and healthy. It is currently on offer in Boots so I picked it up for £9 something instead of the usual £13, and you only need use a small amount of product for your whole face so I can imagine this will last me a while.

Overall, a nice product but not the miracle worker I was hoping for. Perhaps it will work wonders for you, but I have read a few accounts of people suffering breakouts after trialing this product, so I think I will limit my use to just once a day as a base for my make-up and go back to my normal night time routine.

Have you tried Effaclar Duo? Let me know what your thoughts were!

Rosie x

Wednesday 4 September 2013

The One and Only... Tag

Hi Everyone,

I hope you've been having a good week? Mine has been absolutely non-stop with an event at work yesterday and dinner out every night with friends I've barely had time to think! For my post today I have decided to do the popular 'One and Only' tag that I've seen floating around on lots of different blogs. I really like reading these sorts of posts as it gives an insight into fellow bloggers' favourite products, and I usually end up with a long, long list of things I want to try!

For those of you that haven't come across this before, the tag lists out categories such as eyeliner, primer etc and you choose the one product that you would use forevermore if (God forbid!) you had no choice. I hope you enjoy!

Primer:
This for me is a bit of a toughy as I am yet to find a primer that I really love. Recently I have been using the Witch Skin Clearing Primer though which I do like as it contains witch hazel extract which treats and prevents spots as well as priming. I'm not sure I'll use it forever but if I had to choose now I'd go for that.


Base:
Foundation is one of my favourite products to buy as I love trying different formulas, textures and shades and I would hate being limited to just one! I would probably go for either my Chanel Perfection Lumiere or my MAC Studio Fix as both of these are very buildable, could be worn for day or night and really last out without aggravating my oily skin.

Powder:
The powder I usually use is the Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder, although recently I have been liking the Revlon Nearly Naked powder. I think if I had to choose I would go for the Revlon product as it provides a bit of colour and can be worn alone if desired.
Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder


Concealer:
I've really been enjoying using the MUA Pro-Base Conceal and Brighten kit recently and I think that this would be a good choice as it is actually 3 products in one!

Blush:
I love cream blushers, and my favourites at the moment would be either the Topshop Blush in Head Over Heels or the MAC Cremeblend Blush in Something Special. If push came to shove I'd probably choose the Topshop shade as this is a great shade for daytime but can also be built up to create a more dramatic look. It's also a bit creamier and easy to apply than the MAC product.

Bronzer:
My current favourite has to be Too Faced's bronzer in Chocolate Soleil. This is my favourite bronzer for everyday use and is so good for contouring as well as creating a daily, healthy glow. Plus it smells like chocolate- what's not to love?! I don't think I'd ever get bored of this product.


Highlighter:
My favourite highlighter right now is the Revlon Photoready Skinlights Face Illuminator in Pink Light. This is a beautiful pale pink colour and is great for dabbing onto cheeks to create a really subtle glow. Highlighters are not a product that I purchase often though so I am open to recommendations!

Brush:
I would have to choose the Real Techniques Stippling Brush as it is just essential to my everyday foundation routine. This brush creates such a flawless look that I just could not achieve by hand, and could also double up as a contour or bronzer brush if absolutely necessary!

Mascara:
I have to admit that I'm not a big mascara person- I do use it but I tend to stick with one and don't have a huge collection. I would probably go with my Benefit They're Real! mascara as it fans out and lengthens lashes, and is not too stubborn to remove at the end of the day.

Eyeliner:
My favourite eyeliner has to be the Maybelline New York Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Black. This is so easy to apply; it just glides on and lasts all day without smudging. It is also a really intense black that doesn't fade to a soft grey as the day wears on.

Eyebrow Product:
I mention this product all the time but it's the only eyebrow product I've found that I really like- I always use the GOSH Eyebrow Palette which contains 3 different shades to fill in brows and a gel to set them. Perfect!

Eyeshadow:
This is such a tough one! If I had to wear one shade for the rest of my life I would probably go for something really boring like the Natural Collection Eyeshadow Duo in Mink and Sable. These are two of my favourite colours for everyday, although I'm sure I'd get bored of them after a while!

Lipstick, Lip Gloss or Lipstain:
This one is a no brainer for me as I have a clear favourite in the lipstick stakes: Topshop's Lip Crayon in Wave Goodbye. This is my go-to lip product for everyday AND evening wear as I love the glossy formula, it is such a gorgeous colour and really seems to suit my skin tone. I was delighted to see that they had this lip crayon back in stock at my local Topshop store so I will definitely be stocking up!


Lip Liner:
I rarely bother with lip liner and all the ones I've tried so far have been fairly unremarkable. Plus, if I was using Wave Goodbye as my only lipstick I don't think I'd need a liner as well! I'm going to pass on this one.

Lip Balm:
I love the Korres tinted lip butters, and my particular favourite is 'Jasmine'. These products are so moisturising and do feel a little like butter on the lips- not sure that's necessarily a good thing but with these balms I'd say it is! The Jasmine one has a pale pink tint and is perfect for every day.


Nail Varnish:
Oooh this is a tricky one! I wouldn't be able to go for anything too 'out there' as it would be impossible to match them to anything. Therefore I'd have to go for something fairly neutral- maybe Barry M's Gelly Nail Polish in Lychee, or possibly the shade 'Classy' by Revlon. I find the second one chips really easily though so I'd need to regularly re-apply!

That's it for my One and Only tag- if you fancy having a go on your own blogs then let me know, I'd love to read them!

Rosie x

Please note that these are not my images I'm afraid!


Sunday 1 September 2013

Today I'm Loving...


Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a great weekend! Today I wanted to share with you some of my favourite products at the moment, as they seem to change so often. Some of these products are new and others are not so new, but they are either new discoveries or rediscovered gems that I've been getting a lot of use out of lately.

First up on my list is the Perfection Lumiere foundation from Chanel. I had been dithering over this foundation for ages but finally committed to swallowing the £36 price tag (eek!) and investing. This felt like quite a financial commitment for me and I have been using Chanel samples on and off for weeks now trying to decide whether or not it would be worth it. I had heard mixed reviews about this foundation and I'm aware that it oxidises quite a lot- the first shade I was matched with looked fine at first but turned positively orange as the day went on. In the end I found a shade that suited me well (20 Beige) and I was really impressed with this foundation's staying power- it is one of the few that I've tried that doesn't oil up AT ALL when I wear it. Since purchasing this has become my go-to foundation and I love how lightweight it feels on the skin whilst still giving a good level of coverage. I would thoroughly recommend it to fellow oily-skin sufferers, although one thing I would say is to make sure that you try it out before committing to a purchase!

Another foundation on my list is the bareMinerals Matte foundation in Medium Beige. I am still a newby to mineral foundations having recently discovered the ELF Personal Blend foundation which I LOVE. This one I find is a lighter coverage and certainly doesn't feel heavy on the skin- it is the sort of product that enhances rather than covers. Therefore, I would reserve this foundation maybe for holidays or good skin days, but it is a really hard working product that lasts all day and gives a really natural finish. 

I'm also really excited to have got my hands on my first YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick. This one is from the 'Shine' range in shade 15 (Corail Intuitive). I was a little concerned at first that this would be a bit too bright a lip colour for me but in fact it is a gorgeous light pinky-coral that is really easy to wear and not too in-your-face. As with all of the YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks it smells divine and feels really moisturising and luxurious on the lips so I am a happy bunny! This is currently one of my favourite lip colours and the packaging definitely makes it feel like a special product- I have been showing it off constantly.

A gorgeous lipstick needs gorgeous lips, so I've also been getting a lot of use from my LUSH lip scrub in Mint Julips. I use lipbalms religiously but I can't seem to stop my lips from occasionally flaking, so this lip scrub is a real lifesaver for me. To be honest I'm not 100% convinced that I couldn't have made it myself at home with a bit of sugar and peppermint oil, but it tastes absolutely yummy (like After Eights!) and does make my lips a lot smoother after use. 

I've also recently rediscovered my love for my Nars blush in Super Orgasm. I received this as a present in a Nars gift set last year and it is a lovely powder blush with a hint of sparkle. Unfortunately the colour has not come out particularly well in the photo but it is similar to Nars' signature 'Orgasm' blush and gives you a really nice, natural flush. I am not usually one for a sparkly blush but this one is very subtle and I can easily wear it for work without worrying that my cheeks are lit up like a Christmas tree.

Finally, I have also been loving my L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Mist for fine hair. For those that follow my blog you may be aware that I ombre'd my hair recently, and the bleach has made my ends really dry. This oil mist has been my saviour, and I've been applying liberally to both wet and dry hair to keep the ends soft. My hair is very fine and the mist works better for me than a standard oil which would weigh my hair down and make it look flat. I happen to also really love the smell of this mist, it is enriched with lotus flower extract and the scent is very subtly floral and just delicious. 

These are my current picks and all of these products have been getting a lot of use in my house recently! If you have tried any of the products mentioned or have any recommendations for me let me know- I love reading all of your comments.

Have a great week all!

Rosie x