British Beauty Blogger Beauty Box | My Edit

7/29/2013 06:00:00 am
Hola Munchkins!
I thought today I'd show you some of my favourite bits from the BBB Beauty Box!  First of all, the main reason I bought this was for the Elemis Tri-Enzyme Mask, which I absolutely adore but had run out of - this in itself more or less covered the cost of the Beauty Box.  The box in itself was packed full of lovely things to try, I was just like a tiny, tiny kid in a massive sweet shop, and was ridiculously good value - about £20 including postage.
What I inherently love about this box is that it was obviously put together by someone who knows about beauty, not someone trying to peddle their wares.  I love Jane's blog - British Beauty Blogger, and always love to know what she thinks about new things - she really is on the pulse of the beauty world, and this shows clearly throughout the box.  Above are my faves from the box - with the Melvita Orange Blossom Water missing because I love it so much that I've carried it everywhere with me, and lost it somewhere along the way!
The Elemis Tri-Enzyme Mask is absolutely one of the staples in my skincare routine, refreshing, resurfacing, makes me glow - simple.  Trilogy's Rosehip Oil is something I have wanted to try forever, but never got round to purchasing.  It is beautiful.  In fact, it is more than beautiful - a bright, almost chartreuse coloured, beautiful oil, it sinks into the skin, but leaves a little slip for massage, and still manages to leave a demi-matte finish to the skin.  The next morning, skin is plump, refreshed, and more event-toned.  A little miracle in a bottle.
Melvita is a brand I've never had the pleasure of using before, but is one that I can see myself growing to love.  The Orange Blossom Water is beautiful, lightly scented, cooling and hydrating.  The Apicosma Body is a lovely thick, but light moisturiser that is working wonders on small dry patches and eczema, whilst reminding me of the smell of parma violets!  Lanolips is one of my basic staples, but I've never gotten round to trying a tinted one - but it's love.  A hint of a tint, natural, but brightens the face, with the emollient properties of the lanolin, my lips are (slowly) improving in condition.
Hand creams are something that I've now done a complete 180 on - I couldn't stand them up until a month ago, but after someone commented on the softness of them I thought I'd better take steps to ensure the softness would last!  The Neom Complete Bliss Organic Hand Cream smells like the softest, most romantic rose water, and I love it!  The Illamasqua Liquid Metal in Electrum appeals so much to a magpie like me.  Hugely metallic, hugely pigmented, hugely good on the wear time, it is such a perfect little product.  Last of all, the Jo Loves Pomelo fragrance.  Very, very different from my usual sweet or sexy-type scents, this is a fruity, happy, can't-help-but-smile fragrance that I spray just to feel a little happy!
Love A.x

Graduation | FOTD & OOTD

7/28/2013 05:30:00 pm
Hola Munchkins!
Yesterday was my graduation - it was absolutely brilliant, and I had ice cream van ice cream, which is one of life's simple pleasures!
  
 FOTD:
Skincare: Hydraluron, Good Things Miracle Mattifier, Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm, Wild About Beauty Mattifying Balm, Vichy Mattifying SPF 30
Base: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light, Medium and Deep, Estee Lauder Double Wear in 2W2 Rattan, MUA Mattifying Powder
Cheeks: Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium, Kiko Eyeshadow in 118 as Highlighter, L'oreal The Blush in Rose Nude
Eyes: L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadows in Bronze Goddess, Endless Chocolate and Eternal Black, Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Black, Tweezerman Eyelash Curlers, Givenchy Noir Couture Mascara.
Lips: NYC Expert Last Lip in Love My Latte, No7 Liplicious in Candyfloss


Dress: ASOS
I hope you liked this post!
Love A.x

Perk Up | Palette

7/26/2013 06:00:00 am
Hola Munchkins!
I love blush.  I love pink.  I very much like pink blush.  And so the Sleek Blush By 3 from the Candy Collection (sweet cheeks), had me rushing out to buy it!  And oh boy, it's a good 'un!  
I've had this palette for about two months now, and find it to be the one that I reach for automatically, whether I'm doing my make up for day or night, natural or super made up.
As you can see, the whole pink spectrum is covered, as are different finishes and textures.  Left to right we have Cupcake, Dolly Mix and Candy Floss.  Cupcake is a cream blush, a cool-toned fairly bright pink, that leans a little neutral.  The pigmentation is brilliant, and the formula is silky, and sets to a lovely flush on the skin that can be built up.  Dolly Mix is my absolute favourite in this palette - a lilac-toned light pink that serves to brighten up the skin instantly.  I love a light sweep of this, and I love a real whack of this colour!  Almost so light and neutral that I find it to go with any make-up look, this is my perfect blush colour.  Lastly, Candy Floss is a bright, almost red-toned pink, which is perfect for a little flush of flushedness to the skin - my least favourite of the palette, but still a beautiful colour.
On the skin, the pigmentation of all of the shades are incredible - they all pack a punch on the skin, and even after two months or more-or-less continuous use, not a dent has been made in any of the pans!
A perfect, perfect little palette!
Love A.x

Summer Skincare | Clean, Fresh, Glowy!

7/25/2013 06:00:00 am
Hola Munchkins!
After yesterday's post on a few of my go-to products I thought today I'd give you a little insight into how I deal with my skin in these current hot, humid conditions.  Of course, being of an oily complexion, the key things for me are to keep my skin clean and fresh-feeling, protected from the sun, and slightly glowy to complement the season.  
This is a product I have been eyeing up for a while, after seeing it on a TV advert (the power of TV), anyways yes, I know I am a girl, but I had a hunch that the men's skincare market would be able to deal with super oily skin in a more effective and longer-lasting way, and I was right.  I actually bought this for my brother, but have ended up using it of a morning, and finding it to be a beautiful (odd word to use for a product made for the menfolk!) product.  Containing black charcoal, it works to deep clean, absorb oil - it is ever so slightly abrasive, and lathers up to quite a luxurious grey foam, with a minty, menthol feel on the skin.  It leaves skin clean, but not stripped, and really helps to keep oil at bay.
I'm forever in the process of buying an exfoliating toner - as in I never quite bring myself to do it, and have generally been making do with the Alpha H Liquid Gold at night, but as the bottle is now finished, I have turned to the Origins Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner for my morning tone.  Now, as with most toners, I generally don't know if they're doing anything in particular, but I do feel like they are a lovely addition to any skincare routine: this one in particular is very calming, cooling, and soothing on the skin - the mint is lovely on a warm day, and paired with the matching moisturiser, a double cool effect is achieved before I put any make up on!  These two together also control oil, and help my complexion look healthy.
Last of all is the sun protection/ glow getting/ coverage portion of my facial preparation.  I have been shunning my usual full coverage foundations for a concoction that consists of Vichy's Mattifying Face Fluid SPF30, Elemis' Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm, mixed with that particular day's foundation of choice!  This achieves a beautiful, skin-like coverage that gives a glow, but doesn't allow shine to creep in throughout the day!
Love A.x

Tag Team | Skincare

7/24/2013 06:00:00 am
Hola Munchkins!
I thought I would kick off the new blogging season over here by starting off with my current most-reached for items.  This month has been stressful to the max, and I have been trying to prevent any skincare issues, rather than treat them when they come along.  These products are the ones that seem to work on a stressed, dehydrated, yet still silly oil skin!
I always find that a cleansing oil or balm is the way to go for stressed, parched skin.  Una Brennan's Rose Facial Oil is a lovely, golden, unctuous oil that just screams luxury, especially when you feel it between your fingers.  It breaks down the heaviest of eye and base make-up with ease, and leaves the skin soft, smooth and bright.  I tend to decide whether this is my first or second cleanse depending on my skin's needs of a particular day, but I have discovered that layering this over a moisture mask (in my case Dermologica or La Roche Posay) really helps to create a seal for the moisture mask to work under.  Touted as perfect for mature or drier skins, I personally think this is a product that is gentle enough for all skin types.
Next up is my superhero duo, one that I use whenever I have a spare 20 minutes - the Good Things Five Minute Facial, followed by the Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask.  I adore both of these individually, both are a super quick fix, with immediate results, but both also result in cumulative effects on the skin.  The Good Things Mask is an ultra deep cleansing mask, that I find also softens and soothes the skin at the same time.  It dries to an "oh my goodness my face is going to crack" type finish, but works its magic within the stated 5 minutes, and as such is generally my go-to congested-skin mask.  The Tri-Enzyme Mask could possibly be my most favourite mask in the world - this is my second tube of it, and the interim between tubes (when I had none) was not the best of times for my skin!  This mask is a gel, applies like a gel, and acts like a gel, in that it doesn't set.  You leave it on for about 15 minutes, and the magic starts to happen between 7 and 10 minutes, when, quite randomly, a minty tingle can be felt on the skin.  Immediately after removal skin is brighter, and generally more toned.  Used together, these two make an incredible difference to my skin, and sort out most of my skincare problems in a flash!
Now we have my two go-to oils - Sweet Almond and Rosehip.  I have been a lover of oils for a fair while now, and tend to use them at least every other night.  The sweet almond is a good all-round oil - softens, brightens, and gives a youthful glow.  The Rosehip is a little more of a hard-worker, aiming to even out skin tone and help to minimise scars.  Both have immediate and cumulative benefits, and I love the luxury feel of using an oil before bed - it feels very old-school Hollywood.  Oils seem to give such an immediate hit of moisture to the skin, and I alternate them (with my coconut oil too) depending on what my skin is crying out for of a night,
Before moisturiser, I tend to spread a little dollop of this dehydrated-skin serum all over my visage.  A thick, gel-like serum that turns to a watery consistency, then sinks into the skin, Hydraluron appears to be adding moisture to my skin, leaving it ready for the moisturiser of my choice!
I hope you enjoyed reading about my go-to products of the moment, I know I love to see into other people's skincare routines!
Love A.x

AWOL | Disappearing Act!

7/21/2013 04:09:00 pm
Hola Munchkins,
Just to let you know, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, I've just had a few bits and pieces to be dealing with.
Will be back on the ASAP with new posts!
Love A.x

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