Wednesday 30 May 2012

Video: May Favourites.



My May favourites video is here, with some products I've been banging on about recently.
If you open the video in YouTube, you will see full list of products etc. and you can also SUBSCRIBE woohoo.

Thank you. xo.

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Review: Liz Earle Makeup.








I heard whisperings of a makeup collection from Liz Earle some time ago and I couldn't wait until it launched. I was so keen to try this range out and give you a review on it.
In all honesty, I've not stopped using these products since I received them a few weeks ago. At first glance, I wasn't overly keen on the shade of the blush as it's a little bit darker than what I usually go for but OH MY GOD it's amazing. It's the most amazing rich, rose shade that applies beautifully with my Real Techniques Stippling brush. Until recently, I've been more of a powder blush kinda girl, but this blusher has completely converted me.
As you can see, it really is a gorgeous shade!

As for bronzer, well I don't think I have ever really used bronzer before this. I just didn't think it was necessary but I've found a special place in my heart (yes, really) for this. It goes on so flawlessly and gives the illusion of cheekbones, I mention it in my latest video also.
I now use this most days and I really love how it turns out on me, it applies flawless and gives a gorgeous glow.

Overall, I only have positive thoughts on the products. They really live up to everything you expect from Liz Earle, which is a great brand and I have so much love for all of their skincare. I can't wait to try other bits from the range, especially the powders!

What do you think of the Liz Earle makeup?

Monday 28 May 2012

How To: Clear Up Blemishes.



I've suffered from blemishes for as long as I can remember, it comes and goes as it pleases but mostly I struggle with my bad skin! Overall, my complexion isn't too bad, but around my cheeks and chin, I'm prone to under the skin nasties which are painful and leave marks.
This is a more specific version of my Evening Skincare Routine with a few products added in, and the products I've been reaching for recently as my skin hasn't been the best. Note: I'm really unsure what causes the blemishes, perhaps I'll never know!

I've been using the Origins Zero Oil cleanser for about a month now and my skin seems to like this. It's natural and refreshing and doesn't leave my skin tight and try after use (always a good sign) and I feel it's quite gentle yet effective. I occasionally use this with my Clarisonic as it creates a lovely lather and leaves my skin looking clear and healthy. 
After cleansing, I usually apply a REN mask, of which I have two. The Invisible Pores Detox mask (full review here) is one I reach for when my skin is breaking out, the clay brings everything to the skin whilst also removing dead skin cells and helping to control oil. I find that this mask usually helps to clear blemishes pretty quickly, and prevents more breakouts. It's a great mask and I use it once a week and notice a big difference in my skin. 

When my blemishes are starting to clear, but the red marks and scarring are still there, I reach for my all time favourite mask - the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask (full review here), this contains fruit acids to give a gentle exfoliation, it helps blemishes, blemish scarring and clogged pores. I find this helps my skin so much. It gives a slight tingling sensation (which I always think means it's working) and my skin looks healthier and more radiant after use. Over time, this does help my blemishes but of course it takes a while to help the scarring - hopefully it won't be long until this really helps!
The Caudalie Beauty Elixir (full review here) is something that everyone is raving about. It's a serum and toner in one and helps to soothe and calm skin. It's great for helping clear skin and it gives so much to the skin, it's really one of those miracle products. I spray this over my face day and night to help clear blemishes and take away redness. 
After this, I apply my favourite serum - Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. This is such a glorious product and my skin looks so much clearer upon waking up, after applying this at night. I use this to feed my skin and also help to keep blemishes at bay. I'm also hoping over time it will help to clear scarring on my cheeks and chin. I can't recommend this product enough, my skin seems to love it. 

Finally, for spot treatments I have two absolute favourites. Firstly, Aesop Anti Blemish Masque is a lovely product to soothe blemishes and calm redness. I usually dot this on blemishes overnight and they are significantly reduced in the morning, as well as a lot less noticeable as the redness is gone.
It's a rather expensive little product but one I know works and I would highly recommend. 
My all time favourite spot treatment is Malin+Goetz Acne Treatment (full review here), a sulphur based product which draws out impurities and clears up blemishes overnight. I absolutely adore this product and out of all the products I've tried to help my skin, this is the one I see the most results from. I'm on my second bottle, and I've been using it for well over a year now. It's incredible. I apply it on my blemishes one by one at night and leave it to do its magic. By morning, the spots are barely noticeable. It works wonders on whiteheads but also helps the painful under the skin blemishes too. 
I absolutely recommend this spot treatment, I've tried many in my time but nothing beats this. 

What are your favourite blemish fighting treatments?

Sunday 27 May 2012

Video: Favourite 'Summer Ready' Products.





This weeks Sunday post is coming at you in video form, I've been all about the videos recently!
I've put together the products that I've been using to get me in check for summer, now it's bare legs season.
Click to open in YouTube for the full description and I would love it if you subscribed to my channel.

Happy Sunday xo.

Saturday 26 May 2012

Review: NEOM Sensuous Organic Body Wash & Body Lotion.






A little post on a brand that I am loving at the moment, which is NEOM. I had heard lovely things about the brand and I couldn't wait to give these products a whirl.
I've been using the Body Wash and Body Lotion from the Sensuous range - which has notes of Ylang Ylang, Frankincense and Patchouli. The smell is quite overpowering in the bottle, it's very exotic and the beautiful fresh scent of ylang ylang hits me first.
I use the body wash in the bath usually, it produces a lovely amount of bubbles and the smell is delicious, not at all too much and a very fresh, natural smell that I go for. I have used this as a body wash too, but I like it in the bath more as I get to lap up the scent a bit more!

I apply the body lotion after my bath in the evening to lock in moisture and leave my skin silky soft. I love natural products at the moment, and have only good things to say about this range.
I'm thinking about getting a NEOM candle, can anyone recommend one? They sound incredible!

What do you think of the NEOM Sensuous range? 

PS. I have a new video over on my channel.

Thursday 24 May 2012

Glossybox May - Anniversary Edition.







Happy birthday Glossybox! What a wonderful year they've had, it's been so fun being an ambassador and working with the Glossy team. I've actually never missed a Glossybox, I have had every single box (and a few extras from events) which is awesome and I can't wait to see what the year ahead holds for them.

This months box was a little bit special and I'm really pleased with it. I haven't had a chance to try all the samples yet, but there's a great variety and some really good products.
My box included Noble Isle shower gel which smells lovely, Lolita Lempicka perfume samples, Weleda Face Cream, Collection Gel Eyeliner and HD Brows Brow Beater.
We also get a little mirror and a birthday balloon to blow up!

A lovely selection of products - I do like Weleda products and I'm getting more and more in to natural and/or organic products so I think I'll really enjoy using this.
My favourite product has to be the HD Brows Brow Beater, a finishing product for brows which sets them in place and helps to shape them over time. It's a wand with a clear liquid/gel that is easily brushed through the brows. Yesterday when I used this, I actually forgot to fill in my eyebrows and didn't notice, so it's great to cut down on products and still have my brows looking tip top.

The Collection liner is a rich brown shade, I have to admit I've never tried a brown liner but I find black makes my eyes look harsh and small so this could be my winning product.

Overall, it's a great box and well worth the money. As a Glossybox ambassador, I do receive my box for free but of course, all views are honest!
Will you be signing up to Glossybox? What do you think of this months box?

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Review: REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask.


This has become my favourite product of late, it's an absolute winner and does everything I want from a product. It's a 'Peel Mask' which contains fruit acid to give a gentle yet thorough exfoliation, leaving glowing skin after use. Although I'm partial to a clay mask as I can feel it working, this has a slight tingly sensation and really does the job, unclogging pores and revealing a brighter complexion.

My skin at the moment is rather blemish-prone and congested - I've also got scars from previous blemishes and it's just not that great looking. This mask aims to reduce inflammation and clogged pores and to heal damaged and/or scarred skin. Basically, it's everything I'm looking for and more!
I use this once a week, usually a Sunday night after cleansing. It's an odd, sweet smelling sticky formula a bit like jam (?) which is applied to clean, dry skin and left for ten minutes before carefully removing.

I have seen great results in the weeks that I have been using it, it really does help blemishes and leave skin looking fresh, healthy and radiant. Hopefully over time I'll see more results in regards to my blemish scars and clogged pores too.
REN has quickly become my favourite skincare brand and I have quite a few products of theirs which I love at the moment. I also bought the serum from this range today in the ASOS sale, I'm actually excited to try it!

What do you think of this mask? 

Monday 21 May 2012

Instaupdates #7.


collar; cocktailsboyfriend; dinner date; Jordans homemade oreo ice cream; London eye; FLOOD OF RED; Essie polishes; skincare favourites; MAC buy; nails; MAC event Bafta face; blogging; outfit; natural makeup; nails; gorgeous boyfriend; Rekorderlig; date at Jamies; big burger; Chanel foundation; Fudge brownie sundae; date outfit; chubby cheeks

The last few weeks have been awesome, with work, blogging and of course going to Glasgow twice. Sometimes I'm only in London a few days a week and then I'm hopping back on the train to Glasgow again. Long distance can be hard and tiring but I think we are winning at it.
Jordan and I went for dinner at Jamie's Italian which is incredible, I've been quite a few times before and I love the atmosphere and the food (the company was alright too...) and then out together at night. On Saturday we lazed around and went to see The Dictator which was good fun. 

After all that drinking and eating, I came back to London yesterday with only one thing on my mind, a serious cleanse! I get a bit lazy when I'm at my boyfriends and cleansing and toning takes a backseat but I made up for it last night. 

I'm in London for a couple of weeks, hopefully it won't be too long until I'm up in Glasgow again but I'm looking forward to getting some videos and blog posts done this weekend. If you have any requests, let me know! 

Sunday 20 May 2012

How To: Easy Manicure ft. Essie & OPI.



Sally Hansen Gel Cuticle Remover 

I've never been a massive fan of painting my nails, I find it a chore and I'm always looking for ways to speed up the process whilst also keeping my nails in good condition.
Naturally, I think my cuticles and nail beds are pretty good, but I do like to use this Sally Hansen Gel Cuticle Remover (I'm not sure if you can still buy this, but there are a lot of products out there that do a similar job) to remove cuticles before I start on my nails. It basically dissolves the cuticles, I use a stick for pushing cuticles back to remove the excess cuticles (grim) which really makes all the difference and helps my nails to look and grow better.
Lush's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter ensures my cuticles look healthy and moisturised. This pot will last forever, it's huge! You really only need the smallest amount.

My nails are prone to flaking and nail polish chips extremely quickly on me, meaning I have to paint my nails regularly. I bought OPIs Nail Envy at the start of the year and I can honestly say it's one of the best products I've used on my nails. I have the Matte version, rather than the original, and it makes my nails look so healthy and natural looking - for the first time in years I'm happy to wear polish-free nails. If you need something to help make nails stronger and grow quicker, then you must try this. My nails are so much healthier and rarely flake. I use this before I paint my nails as a base coat but you're meant to paint over your polish every day, but I find this is unnecessary for me.

I bought OPIs Chip Skip a couple of weeks ago after hearing a few nail technicians talking about it. It was used on my nails by a nail technician and the polish lasted so long, I was so impressed that I purchased it. I've only used this a couple of times but I can notice a massive difference. It's not a base coat, it's actually a fluid you apply first which removes any dirt or oils from your nails which means the polish sticks and holds better and is less likely to chip. It's a really incredible product and my nail polish has been on since Tuesday - it's now Sunday and my nails are completely chip free. Even tip-wear is really minimal.
This is definitely another must have product, if you find your nails are chipping constantly, then get this on them!

The Bourjois 1 Second Magic Nail Polish Remover has been a talked about product in recent weeks. I bought this a few weeks ago and I wasn't all that phased about it but I liked that it was handy and as I travel an unhealthy amount, I thought it would come in handy. I think '1 Second' is slightly optimistic but it really speeds up the process. Basically, it's a pot with a polish remover-soaked sponge inside, you simple stick your nail in, twist it a bit and your polish is gone. No mess, it smells nice and leaves nails looking healthy. Definitely something to pick up if you can get hold of it.

Lastly, my absolute favourite nail polish brand at the moment is the Essie diffusion line (I talk about it a bit more in my latest video), the polishes are slightly smaller and have a different formulation to the usual Essie range. They're also slightly cheaper at £7.99 and can be found in most Boots and Superdrug stores.
I picked up these four colours and I adore them - Tart Deco, Splash of Grenadine, Mint Candy Apple and Lilacism. I can't wait to pick up a few more shades as the colour range is incredible!

So there we go, my favourite nail products at the moment! What nail products do you recommend?  

Friday 18 May 2012

Review: MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel.






Lustre Drops are a liquid bronzer with a pearlescent lustre, they provide a natural looking luminous finish for those areas you like to have a little bit of highlight.
I've had these on my wishlist for some time now, they are limited edition (although this may be changing?) and I was lucky enough to get them to take away from the MAC event!

These can be used on the cheeks, brow bone, cupids bow etc. to give a lovely, natural highlight. You really only need a few drops, and they can be applied using a brush or your fingers - I find using my fingers to dot the drops into my cheekbones works best.
You can also add the Lustre Drops to moisturiser or foundation for an all over soft glow. This is something I've been doing recently.

Pink Rebel is the most amazing pearlescent rose gold colour, I absolutely adore the shade! I think Pink Rebel is more of a highlighter than a bronzer, and they're quite different than the powder highlighters I usually use on my skin. I think when they're mixed in with foundation they look so beautiful and really give a healthy, glowing finish to the skin.

What do you think of Lustre Drops?

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Skulls.




Shirt - H&M
Necklace - Topshop
Disco Pants - American Apparel 
Cardigan - Topshop (old)
Lipstick - MAC Angel
Eyeshadow - MAC Groundwork Paint Pot

I finally found this cute skull necklace - I have been looking out for it for a while now and I eventually found it! It goes with everything, as you will see in future posts... and if you follow me on Instagram (my username is gh0stparties). 

This is just another example of how I've been wearing my disco pants recently, with a loose shirt tucked in. I love this mint vest and it looks so good without a cardigan. These pictures aren't so flattering - so hard to photograph this outfit!
I wore this outfit to the Glossybox 1st Birthday Party recently (I wore my H&M flatforms too) and I wear it out in Glasgow a lot as it's an amazing day to night outfit.
The Glossybox party was amazing and it was great to see so many of my favourite bloggers, some of whom have actually become really close friends in London. 

Tonight I'm off to Glasgow again, I've lined up a few posts and even a little video (which should be up tonight/tomorrow) for while I'm away. Be sure to subscribe to and check out my channel too :) 

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Review: MAC Reel Sexy Lipstick.




I spied this lipstick in the MAC store in Glasgow a few weeks ago and just needed it instantly. The queue was massive and I wasn't sure if I should be buying more from MAC as I had just bought some things from the Hello Sailor collection, but I couldn't get this lipstick out of my head. 
In the end, Jordan said to me if I really wanted it then I should buy it (my boyfriend is the worst) and I did and I haven't looked back. 

Reel Sexy is from the Reel Sexy collection, it's an Amplified finish and is described as a light, bright coral. I already have the 'Watch Me Simmer' lipstick from this collection and it's also an Amplified finish. Reel Sexy is the most beautiful coral lipstick that I own, it has the right amount of warm tones and is so flattered. It's highly pigmented whilst still creamy and moisturising, and although it's rather bright, the way I apply it is to tap it on my lips to get a little less colour so it's just a hint of coral.

I absolutely love this collection, I have two of the lipsticks, the Magenta blush*, Lightscapade MSF and Private Screen Cremesheen Glass*. I may review more of these in the coming weeks, but for now I have to say that if you can get your hands on Reel Sexy (it's sold out on MACs website) then you absolutely must! 

What do you think of Reel Sexy?

Monday 14 May 2012

Charcoal.





Top - Topshop
Collar - H&M
Disco Pants - American Apparel 
Lipstick - MAC Reel Sexy 

I haven't done an outfit post in so long, for various reasons. I find the clothes I wear really hard to photograph and like it doesn't do them justice, nor my figure... I thought I'd give you an idea of my sort of go to outfits these days. 
I find my Disco Pants really easy to wear, I can throw on any top and dress it up a bit. I usually wear high-necked shirts and vests and tuck them in at the front. 

For reference, I have sized down in my disco pants. I get asked this a lot, I'm a normal size 8, I'm 5ft 4 and I find the XS the perfect size. I did have a Small but felt they were slightly big. American Apparel advise to size down and I think that's the best way as they tend to stretch slightly. 
I think they're definitely worth the money also. They are really flattering and comfortable too. 

I have always loved rose gold (or "copper" as my boyfriend calls it...) and couldn't stop myself buying this cute collar necklace from H&M for £7.99! Such a beautiful piece that goes with anything. 

What do you think of the outfit?

Sunday 13 May 2012

Video: What's In My Travel Makeup Bag.





This weeks Sunday post is my latest video 'What's in My Travel Makeup Bag'. I travel regularly and have therefore found some products which are great to travel with.

For full effect, open in YouTube and let me know your thoughts :)

Have a lovely Sunday.