The Summer Report | Coral Blushes

Top Photo -  In sunlight  Bottom - Natural day light 

Left - Right. Bobbi Brown 'Coral'. Sleek Blush by 3 in Lush 'Chantilly, 'Guipure' and 'Crochet'. Laura Mericer 'Lush Nectarine'. George Crème Blush 'Coral'*

To carry on from my favourite Coral Lipsticks post I thought I would share my favourite coral blushes with you.

Bobbi Brown ' Coral' is a rich pinky coral shade with a tiny hint of shimmer that catches the light on the cheeks. Perfect for everyday wear and a variety of make up looks

Sleek Blush by 3 in 'Lace' contains some gorgeous shades of orange and coral, all highly pigmented and fantastic value for money.

'Chantilly' is a warm peachy orange shade, which in the pan can look quite scary but when blended out looks stunning on the skin. 

'Guipure' is a Nars Orgasm dupe. A pinky coral shade with gold shimmer running through it. This, like its high end dupe looks stunning on the skin, catching the light in all the right places.

'Crochet' is more of a burnt orangey red shade that delivers a natural flush to the skin and suitable more most skin tones ( pale skinned girls need to use a light hand).

Laura Mercier 'Lush Nectarine' is a light peachy coral in a satin finish which looks natural on the skin, just reflecting the light slightly to cast a sheen over the cheeks. This is my most worn blush and I wear it all year round to add some life into my skin.

George Crème Blush ' Coral'* is a dewy finish as oppose to a crème to powder blush, which adds a healthy glow to the cheeks in the form of a deep pinky coral. It looks very natural on the skin and warms up the complexion to give a beautiful pinky flush to the cheeks. (Full review with swatches here)

What are you favourite Coral Blushes?

*Pr Sample

Best of | Highstreet Make Up

I for one love my high-end make up, nothing will stop me yearning for it, but the high-street now offer some fantastic products, some of which are just as good as their high-end counterparts. Today's post is all about the ones I think deserve some notification, I think they're great and they have found their way into my daily make up routine.

Soap and Glory Kick ass concealer.

I reviewed it here as a good dupe for the Bobbi Brown corrector. Even though I love it I do think the corrector has the edge, but one aspect I do think is worth a mention is the setting powder that comes with it. The powder has a slight white cast to it, nothing too noticeable but enough to brighten up the undereye area if you're using it to set your concealer. The powder displays some kind of trickery by blurring out fine lines and pores giving the illusion of much more perfect skin, almost like an Instagram filter. This truly is a great product and one I use everyday without fail.

Revlon Matte Balms.

I know, I know, everyone raves about them, and so they should. The balms deliver a perfect matte pout without the overly drying feeling that comes with a matte lipstick from other brands. The formulation is moisturising enough not to develop crusty mouth syndrome, but dry enough to stick to the lips for the best part of the day. The colours are fantastic too, my favourite being 'Unapologetic' a vivid pink that I think is just gorgeous. Here is my full review with swatches.

Bourjois  123 CC Cream

This was the product I thought I would hate and has since changed my view of the CC cream market. The foundation ( I'll call it a foundation because the coverage is what I would expect from a foundation) is perfect at neutralising redness and discolouration without overloading the skin. Its the perfect base for people of all ages, whether you have great skin and just want to even it out slightly or if you have problem skin that you want disguising. You can see before and after photo's here

Sleek Blushers

I must admit I haven't tried my products from sleek but their blushes are fantastic! They're so pigmented and buttery and you wouldn't be wrong in thinking they were from a high-end brand rather than the high street! The colours are all beautiful and some are even great dupes for Nars and other cult brands. My favourite is the Blush by 3 in 'Lace'

Revlon Colourstay Foundation.

This foundation delivers the perfect amount of coverage, a good medium - full and buildable. The finish is excellent, a satin/semi matte veil which mattifies excess oil but still leaves the skin looking like skin and doesn't enhance open pores or fine lines. The lasting power is nothing to overlook either, one of the most long wearing foundations I own and I think a really good dupe for MAC's Studio Fix Fluid.

Soap and Glory Archery 

This is one of the best High-street brow products I've tried. The pencil is dual ended with a fine felt tip liner one end, which is great at mimicking hairs and creating a natural brow, and the other end is a waxy pencil which is great for filling in gaps for a more defined brow. I did a full review here

Loreal True Match Foundation.

This is a great everyday foundation, delivering a light/medium buildable coverage in a healthy satin finish. The foundation sits very well and even on the skin, not looking cakey or heavy at all and covering minor imperfections and blemishes. You can read my full review here.

George from Asda Bronzing Duo*.

This is a great high street dupe for Nars Laguna (you can read my dupe post here) containing only a hint of shimmer which doesn't transfer onto the skin so giving it a more skin like appearance as oppose to a completely flat matte bronzer which can look a little fake. The colour is warm enough to bronze up the skin and cool enough not to look orange, making it great for contouring and adding definition to the face.

 Maybelline 'Big Eyes' Mascara

This mascara is dual ended, one wand for the top lashes and another for the bottom lashes. The end I love the most is the lower lash mascara wand, which is a great dupe for the Clinique Bottom Lash mascara. It's great at defining and lengthening the lashes, and the tiny slim wand lets you do this without getting the mascara onto your skin, and it stays put nearly all day without smudging or flaking. You can read mu dupe post and review here.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

This powder is one of the best from the drug store and is loved by many. Its light feels on the skin, and does a fantastic job of mattifying the t-zone area without looking cakey. The results don't last all day but its the perfect size for popping in your handbag for retouches throughout the day.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipgloss

These are a fairly new release and one I have been loving! They are the perfect matte lipstick which apply so smoothly to the lips leaving them feeling hydrated but still delivering an intense matte lip. These have to be the most long wearing lip colours known to man, and if they do fade a little ( which is rare) you can easily re-apply without your lips looking awful and crusty ( you all know what  mean!lol)

Loreal Super Liner

This liquid liner is the easiest I've ever used. The flexible sponge tip allows you to create the perfect eyeliner, in the blackest of blacks. Want a fine subtle line?  This is the perfect tool for the job! The tip gives you the precision you need and the flexibility which is required to create any look you want. I love this and have repurchased it time and time again.

What are your favourite products from the High Street?

*Pr Sample

Loreal | Glam Matte Gloss

There's a new kid on the block when it comes to matte lipsticks. Loreal have bought out their version of the liquid Matte lipsticks, 'Glam Matte'.

Now, to say these are matte may give you the misconception that these are dry and have the velvety suede finish that we're used to seeing from most matte lipsticks, and you you'd be wrong. To me these are more of a satin finish, delivering a glossy shine when first applied and then matting down slightly, giving the lips a stain but still not drying them out. Because of the finish the longevity isn't as good compared to drier formulas but they do still hang around and leave a lasting impression on the lips. 

The doe foot applicator makes for easy application and the gloss glides on the lips with ease. I tend to stay away them these types of high shine lipsticks as I find they feather on my lips, but this has the staying power of a matte but the shine and texture of a gloss. A truly unique formula and one that I'm loving!

Cherry Crop is a deep, bright fuchsia pink with blue undertones. It looks striking on the lips, adding them a certain pop of colour and is fab at glamming up any make up look.

Coral Denimsta is a true peachy coral shade, it coming up a little pink in the photos but in real life is definitely more of a burnt light coral, which I think is just stunning, you all know how much I like coral and this is definitely my favourite out of the two.

There are five shades in total and the two I have are the ones that appealed to me the most. They retail for £7.99, but I managed to get mine on offer in Boots. I definitely recommend checking them out, especially if you hate the feeling of Matte lipsticks but want the longevity that goes with them.

Have you tried these out yet? What do you think to them?

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in 'Tipsy'

Since Tarte cosmetics are now available in the UK from QVC, and Sephora are finally shipping to our lovely shores, I thought it was about time I started to try out some of their products and what better place to start than their famous Amazonian Clay Blush!

Their blushes, which come in a variety of shades and finishes, are infused with (as the name suggests) Amazonian Clay. The formula is designed to balance oil production and thus prolonging the wear time of the blush for up to 12 hours. The clay also helps to keep the skin hydrated and reduces the look of dry and flaky skin. With all these promises and the vast colour selection no wonder everyone and their dogs are raving about them!

The colour I opted for is 'Tipsy' and will come to no surprise to anyone as it's a gorgeous pinky coral shade and a colour that I always tend to gravitate for. The finish is semi matte but I did notice tiny flecks of shimmer running through it when in the pan, however these don't transfer onto the skin, but they just deliver a subtle sheen which gives the cheeks a healthy glow.

Initially I was a little disappointed with the pigmentation (I can't comment on the other shades) as it seemed rather weak and not something I expected from a highly raved about product ( the picture above is heavily swatched to show the colour). As I used it more I discovered the colour can be built up for a more intense finish but still delivering a natural flush to the skin, its quite hard to go over board on the application, which is great for avoiding the dreaded clown cheek look. lol

As for lasting 12 hours.... I can't say this applied to me, and to be honest no blusher has EVER lasted on my skin for 12 hours, it does stay for a while, but 12 hours is definitely pushing it! lol

All in all the blush is very nice and I'm glad I have it in my collection, but I'm unsure if I'd run out and buy another straight away. They retail on QVC for £23.00 ( plus p&p) which makes them more expensive than Mac and on par with Nars, and the fact I can't swatch them in store and have to buy them online annoys me slightly. They're good but I think I prefer my Mac and Nars blushes personally, they're a lot more readily available to me, and I think they're just as good, if not better. I'm not saying I will never buy another, because lets face it you know I will at some point but for now I'm just happy having one in my collection.

What's your favourite blush shade from Tarte? Have you tried any other product from the line? What do you think to them ?

Louise Young LY34 Super Foundation Brush

Louise Young LY34 'Super Foundation Brush' £24.00 from BeautyBay

Before I begin the review I just wanted to say that I've never thought about getting a new foundation brush. Ever since I purchased the Real Techniques Buffing Brush I have used nothing else to apply my foundation, and no other brush or sponge has come close to achieving a flawless base as quickly or effectively as it (you all know how good it is so I wont ramble on).

You can imagine my surprise when I found myself putting this into my basket. In theory it's not a brush that would appeal to me. It's big, the bristles are long and narrow, reminding my very much of the traditional flat foundation brushes, only a fatter, and I never thought it would live up to my beloved Buffing Brush!

The Louise Young LY34 'Super Foundation Brush' comprises of synthetic bristles that are tapered at the end to form a soft point. This is ideal for getting into nooks and crannies on the face, like around the eyes and nose, and the bristles which are incredibly soft, (in fact its ridiculous at how soft the bristles are!) don't scratch the face or disturb any dry patches. The long handle and weight of the brush actually makes application of foundation very easy. You put less pressure on the brush so the product glides over the skin, without caking and delivering an almost airbrushed finish.

When using this I  found I used less product as the bristles didn't soak it up and my foundation applied a lot quicker, it generally doesn't take a long time anyway, but this brush just seems to half the application time. One minute the foundation was blobbed on my face and the next it all blended in seamlessly with no effort at all.

Another thing that I found unique about this brush is its ability to sheer down the foundation making it look more natural and skin like but still delivering the coverage which I require. Even when I'm using a full coverage foundation this delivers the light finish of a BB/CC crème but with the flawless coverage of a heavy foundation. I don't know how it does it, but it does and its like no other brush I've tried before.

The brush is multi-purpose and can be used for powder, blush and soft contouring and is the perfect shape for applying and setting under eye concealer. The only negative point I have to make is that the brush does need to be washed regularly. After a few uses the bristles can stick together a little and the finish isn't quite as seamless as it was before. The brush does wash up beautifully with no shedding and dries quickly so I haven't found it to be a major problem and if anything it makes me better at washing all my brushes a lot more frequently (a job I know we all hate doing and can be done at lot more regularly then what we do!lol)

All in all I'm very impressed with the brush and in my mind I think its well worth the money and I'll definitely be trying more brushes out from her line in the future.

Have you tried the LY34 brush or any other brushes from Louise Young? What's your favourite foundation brush?

The "Pizza Face" Base

For those of us that are not blessed with perfect skin the morning routine of applying our make up can be daunting as well as rewarding. Daunting in the way that we now have to find the products to make our skin look half decent and rewarding because we can finally hide our imperfections, making us more confident and less self aware.

I've mentioned before that me and my skin have had a major full out (big time) and this has meant I've had to change up my foundation routine to combat this. These products and the way I have been applying them have really helped me disguise my flaws and deceive others into thinking my skin is a lot better than what it is.

Neutralise

I normally start off applying a thin layer of CC cream and the one that has really impressed me is the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream. This will offer some coverage as well as neutralising discolouration and redness.

Foundation

The next step I do is to apply my foundation ( the coverage you opt for will depend on the finish you want to achieve). I tend to go for a medium coverage foundation like Nars Sheer glow that doesn't look too heavy or cakey on the skin and offers a satin finish that looks skin like and more natural. I apply this in a thin layer, but this time concentrating on my problem areas. I start off by stippling the foundation on and then blending it out with a buffing brush to the areas where less coverage is needed.

Conceal

Once I've applied my foundation I then go in and conceal any areas that still require more coverage. Mac pro long wear is a fantastic concealer, once set it stays in place virtually all day and doesn't look cakey on the skin. Unfortunately the colour I have (NW20) is too light to use on my blemishes so I tend to use it under my eyes to highlight the area and disguise my dark circles. The product I like to use to cover my blemishes is in fact a foundation. Vichy Dermablend is a high coverage foundation with a matte finish that is excellent at covering spots and staying put all day. I use this by "spot concealing" a method used my make up artist Lisa Eldridge. I dab a tiny bit on and blend it out only on the areas that need it and leave the rest of the face free. It can be a little time consuming but really does help the skin look more natural.

Powder

When this is all done I set it all in place with a powder, I either use something like Rimmel Stay Matte or if I'm going somewhere important I'll use Mac Studio Fix powder which offers a little more coverage as well as powdering the make up down into a matte finish. Again like the spot concealing I use this on the areas that need it and areas that tend to get oily and have a tendency to break down the make up ( ie the T-zone )


I know it may seem like I'm applying loads of products and you may think it will look cakey and horrible but in fact applying numerous thin layers actually appears more natural as I'm only layering up the areas that need it rather then applying a heavy foundation to my whole face.

What are your favourite products to use to cover acne and blemishes?

The Summer Report | Coral Lipsticks

L-R Revlon 'Juicy Papaya'. Asda 'Small Talk'*. Mac 'Vegas Volt'. Stila Convertible Colour 'Gladiola' Mac 'Costa Chic'. Revlon 'Coral Reef'

Top - Bottom L- R Revlon Lip Butter 'Juicy Papaya' Asda 'Small Talk'* Mac 'Vegas Volt' Stila Convertible colour 'Gladiola' Mac 'Costa Chic' Revlon Lipgloss 'Coral Reef'

One obsession that has carried on from last year is my love for coral lip shades. This season is the time to adorn the bold and bright colours of oranges and coral to complement our tans and push us into embracing the summertime sun. Here are the coral lip shades I love to wear this time of year...

Revlon Lip Butter in 'Juicy Papaya' is a very subtle transition colour from spring to summer and perfect if you're unsure of wearing the shade. This just tints the lips enough to add a perfect peachy wash of colour over them while leaving them moisturised and with glossy sheen.  

Asda 'Small Talk'* is a pinky coral and has hints of dusky rose, the perfect coral nude you could say and great again for those who don't like the more vibrate coral shades. This colour is also great if you're rocking a smokey eye and still want to add that coral vibe.

Mac 'Vegas Volt' is verging more on the orange side of coral but is still wearable and brilliant at warming up the skin tone, and looks fantastic with a gorgeous summer tan.

Stila Convertible colour in 'Gladiola' Is the perfect orange/coral. It looks quite bright when swatched but sheers down to deliver a gorgeous wash of colour that's looks subtle yet striking. Better still this can be worn on the lips and cheeks!

Mac 'Costa Chic' is my all time favourite coral. It has just the right amount of pink and orange to make it the perfect shade for me and the frost finish gives it a vibrant edge to brighten up the skin and look great with a tan.

If you're more of a lipgloss kinda girl Revlon 'Coral Reef' is the more pigmented version of the lip butter 'Juicy Papaya', adding a lovely pinky/coral gloss to the lips and is perfect for almost any summertime make up look.

What is your favourite coral shade? I would love to hear your recommendations.

BeautyBay Haul

It feels like forever since I last did a haul post ( in fact it wasn't that long ago! lol), so I decided to rectify this and order a few bits from BeautyBay. I was after something to sort out my skin because I have been having trouble with breakout and nothing I do seems to work. I've heard that the Mario Badescu range was really good especially the spot treatments.


I picked up two spot treatments, the first being the Drying Lotion (£14.50) which is a two phase liquid which you leave un-shaken containing Salicylic Acid, Calamine and Zinc. You use it by placing a cotton bud into the bottle, all the way to the bottom so it picks up the pink sediment, this then is placed on the affected areas and is meant to dry them out while balancing oil control. This is definitely an over night treatment as it leaves a pink/white film over the spot.
To go along with the drying lotion I wanted something that I could use during the day and the Drying Cream (£11.95)sounded really good. It contains Aloe so is gentle and can be used on erupted pimples and under the surface spots to dry them up and help conceal them throughout the day. The cream dries clear and neutralises the redness making them less visible so perfect to use during the day.... I hope! lol

I was running low on my La Roche Posay Serozinc and wanted something similar that was hydrating to replace it. The Facial Spray (£6.95) contains Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater which can be used as a toner or to refresh the skin, adding hydration as well as doubling up as a setting spray. This sounded perfect and great now we are coming into the warmer weather so I can cool down with the refreshing spray.


I also received two samples with my purchase and they were the Seaweed Cleansing Soap and Lotion. The Seaweed Cleansing Soap (full size £11.95) is said to gently cleanse, exfoliate and remove make up. Its suitable for sensitive skin and is anti-inflammatory to sooth and moisturise the skin while its being cleaned. The Seaweed Cleansing Lotion (full size £14.95) is mild and non drying, it sooths and disinfects the skin while nourishing and unclogging pores and oil debris.
I've been using both of these and I must say I really like them already and in fact have been pleased with everything I've purchased from the range so far. Expect a full review very soon.

The last purchase was a total impulse buy and one influenced by Anna from Vivanna Does Make Up. It is of course the Louise Young LY34 Super Foundation Brush (£24.00). I wasn't even in the market to buy a new foundation brush as I do love my real techniques buffing brush but this one seemed so unique to any that I've tried before. On first inspection I can say it's possibly the softest god damn brush I have ever felt and you can also expect a full review very soon!

So there is my recent haul. Have you tried anything that's been featured above?

Fudge 'Clean Blonde' Violet Shampoo and Conditioner

Fudge Clean Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner

 £10.75 each from BeautyBay or any Fudge Stockists.

They say blondes have more fun, whether or not this is true is another matter but one thing that's not fun is brassy blonde hair!

You may not set out to achieve this look but unfortunately it's one part of being blonde that happens to the best of us. Environmental factors such as pollution, nicotine and mineral deposits all contribute to our hair losing its freshness and vibrancy as well as developing the brassy/yellow tones that we all want to avoid (I've talked more in depth about this in this post ).

An easy way to tackle this is with a silver shampoo. The one I've been using lately is the 'Clean Blonde' Violet Shampoo and Conditioner from Fudge. Like most silver shampoo's its purple in colour and this is to counteract the warm yellow/orange pigments in the hair.

The shampoo is brilliant at neutralising these unwanted tones and if left on long enough can eradicate them completely.

The conditioner, lilac in colour, is surprisingly nourishing and something I wasn't expecting from this type of product ( normally I find them to be quite drying). It left my hair soft and manageable, and feeling in tip top condition, a great addition alongside the shampoo in my opinion.

I use this once every 1-2 weeks depending on the colour and condition of my hair at the time. The best results are achieved when you leave the shampoo on for a few minutes when washing. I recommend 3-5 minutes but you can leave it on longer if your hair is extremely brassy or you want a very ashy/cool toned blonde. Word of warning though, this is very potent and will turn your hair ashy/grey if left on too long and used too frequently ( perfect if that's the colour you want), so I think its best used only for a few minutes on the first wash just so you can judge how the colour will come out and how long you think you need to leave it on for to achieve your desired colour. You can see from the picture above the colour in which I achieved after leaving it on for 3 minutes (max). The highlighted hairs have turned a lovely cool ash blonde, almost white and I love the effect it achieved in such a short time and how easy it was to use.

If you struggle with brassy tones in your hair, or have had a highlighting mishap where you haven't left the bleach on long enough I can definitely recommend these products to neutralise it.

Review | Eucerin Dermo Purifyer Cleanser

Eucerin Dermo Purifyer Cleanser* Currently £6.00 ( RRP £9.00) from Escentual

Ever since I started blogging one thing that has changed in my life is my new found love for skincare products. Never before have I taken so much time cleaning and protecting my skin in the hope that I can achieve a better complexion and delay the signs of ageing in the process. As with any good skincare regime the key is to start off with a perfectly cleansed face before applying all the lotions and potions to it.

Eucerin Dermo Purifyer Cleanser is designed for blemish/acne prone skin, containing Salicylic Acid ( a well know spot fighting ingredient) that helps de-clog pores as well as neutralising bacteria, one of the main causes of spots and blemishes. The gel formula, which is soap and fragrance free feels light, and the smallest amount is needed to cleanse your whole face ( I realised this after the first use, as I resembled a foam monster! lol note to self... a little bit goes a long way!). Some gel cleansers can leave the skin feeling tight and dehydrated but this is designed to absorb excess sebum while still leaving the skin feeling clean and supple, which I can say it definitely did!

I have been using this as my second "wash off " cleanser at night and in the mornings to clean any dirt and products from my nigh time routine, and I can say that my skin was left feeling squeaky clean, (I use that as a term of phase and not in the literal sense) and refreshed.

As for fighting spots and preventing blemishes I think I can say that it has helped a little, but in all fairness my skin and I have had a major fall out recently and we are still not on speaking terms so it would be unfair to say this doesn't work as I'm yet to find anything that does work!

What I can say is that my problem is with cyst like spots which don't really relate to the bacteria type spots like white/black heads, the types that have pus drawn up to the surface (I know TMI!! lol). Since using this I haven't had any of these types of breakouts and the ones I do get seem to get dry  up a lot quicker then they used too and I think this has something to do with it!

If you're interested in trying this or any other French skincare brand, Ecsentual currently have 1/3 off throughout the whole of June, so grab yourself a bargain while you can!

Seven Things I'm Currently Loving ❤️....

I'm not really one to do monthly favourites, I tend to 'stick to what I know' and if I love something I use it all the time, so my monthly favourites would be pretty boring and repetitive if you saw the same thing over and over! lol
Here are my current favourites, things I've been loving for the last couple of months and products I just can't put down...

Rapid Tans

The invention of the rapid/or 1 hour tans has completely changed my life and changed the way I tan. I no longer apply my fake tan at night,  I apply it throughout the day, thus avoiding the brown halo stain my body leaves on my bed sheets ( attractive I know!) These can be worn for as little as 60 minutes to 3/4 hours depending on the depth of colour you want to achieve, I leave mine on for the longest amount of time as I like a deep tan and these two tanners deliver just that, I gorgeous natural looking tan that lasts. The He-shi Rapid 1 hour tan* is in the form of a liquid and the Laurens Way Solution 60* is a mousse, its personal preference to which method you like using the best, but both are fantastic and will change the way you tan forever!

Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow Scrub

This scrub goes hand in hand with my new tanning regime, it works so well at removing dead skin and the remnants of old tan while leaving my skin feeling silky soft and hydrated, the perfect partner to any tanning routine in my opinion. The salts gently exfoliate and the gorgeous scent that it is infused with remains on the skin well after it has been washed off, making the whole experience very spa like and a real pamper time treat.

Soap and Glory Righteous Butter

This again plays the perfect part in maintaining the life of my tan as well as leaving my skin moisturised and soft. The butter is thick but absorbs into the skin quickly leaving it feeling nourished and smelling gorgeous. The scent lingers on the skin and reminds me very much of the Dior fragrance Miss Dior, its lovely and I think this is gonna be a firm favourite of mine for the months to come.

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream

This was the product I thought I would hate, but in fact fell in love with. The cream feels light on the skin and delivers fantastic coverage to neutralise discolouration and reveal a more even complexion. (You can see the difference it made to the appearance of  my skin here). I think it's the perfect summer time base and I have been using virtually non stop since I got it!

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Blonde

This was such a long awaited purchase as it was sold out online for ages, so my friend kindly picked this up from America for me. The mousse/gel hybrid is the perfect consistency for creating and craving out the shape of my brows. The formula lasts all days without smudging, perfect for (hopefully) the warmer weather we should be having sometime soon here in England! I just love it and have been using it the most out of all my brow products. You can see my full review and a photo tutorial of how I use it here.

Benefit 'Gimme Brow'

The addition of this product in a favourites post may shock a few of you if you read my review (here). I wasn't blown away by this at all, I found it left my brows looking clumpy and I didn't think it thickened them much and was just a bit of a gimmick.

Lately I've found myself reaching for this almost everyday, first of all it was just to use it up but now I'm using it because I really like the effect it gives. The formula has dried up a lot since I first got it making the gel not as heavy or thick. I've found it tames my brows and adds a certain something that makes them look more polished and "finished", not looking as "liney" as they did in the beginning.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still on the fence when its comes to this and I'm unsure if I would repurchase it in the future as I do still believe its a lot of money for what is fundamentally just a tinted brow gel. I have enjoyed using it though and thought it deserved a mention. 

Orange is the new Black

This is a random favourite but I've been watching it non stop! I normally watch crime based TV shows and had watched all the ones on Netflix (insert sad emoji face here). Being at a lose ends and quite frankly desperate for something to watch and entertain me I decided to give this a go.... Without spoiling the plot for those that haven't seen it already, it's about a women that gets sent to prison 10 years after she committed a crime and tells the story of the people she meets and situations to has to deal with. It's funny, sad, and the lovable characters make it easy to watch and follow. I'm gutted I've finished season 1 but season 2 should be starting anytime soon.....YAY!!!!!!

If you have any recommendation on films and TV shows to watch on Netflix please leave me a comment, I'm always looking out for new things to watch!

What are your favourite products to use at the moment? Have you tried any of these, and are they a favourite or a flop of yours?

Yankee Candle Vineyard

Yankee Candle 'Vineyard' * Large Jar £19.99

If you dream of basking in the sun on a French vineyard but unfortunately don't have the funds to do so I may have the answer right here.... minus the sun that is, I cant do much about that I'm afraid.

Yankee Candle 'Vineyard' is the latest release in their 'Relax and Unwind' collection. A collection that sooths the soul and takes you back to a time and place that only offers comfort and relaxation.

"Fresh from the vine, a powerful blend of ripe and sweet grapes"  Yankee Candle

The scent captures the month watering sweet grapes and has an aroma you can almost taste. The sweetness is deepened by a slight hint of spice and an earthy tone that makes this a more grown up sweet scent rather than a sickly sweet one. This has the fullness of a fine wine but with a sweetness that cuts through to reveal a truly beautiful fragrance, a fragrance that will be perfect for a warm summer evening ( that's if we're lucky and finely see some sunshine here in the UK?!)

If you like sweet scents but don't want anything to "heady" and sickly I can definitely recommend this!

This is released today (4th June 2014) and available from the Yankee Candle website.

#guessthepolish GIVEAWAY

Today I've got a really exciting giveaway for you...Can you guess the polish? Don't worry I'm not asking for the colour, but the brand. ( I'll give you some hints later on..)

The polish comes in 22 statement shades and retails for £2.99. The shade I'm giving away and wearing is 'Coral Burst', a gorgeous red with orange tones that will be perfect for summer. The wide brush makes application a breeze and the pigmented formula allows you to achieve an opaque finish in just one coat (the photo above shows the polish with just one application).

If you fancy grabbing one of these for yourself all you have to do is guess which high street brand you think the polish is made by!

Some Hints...

The brand is well know for its purse friendly products, and delivers great quality make up to our high street available in Superdrug and online in the UK.

I've reviewed a number of their products on my blog before and have been thoroughly impressed at how good the quality is and what great value for money they are.

Need some more help?...

The nail polish is made by one of these drug store brands...

BarryM, Sleek, or BeautyUK

The brand kindly has given me two of these nail polishes to giveaway and all you have to do is guess which brand you think it might be, don't worry if you get it wrong you will still be entered in to the draw, its the taking part that counts! ;)

Because of the nature of the product and postage restrictions this competition is only available to UK residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck and happy guessing!

*This giveaway was kindly provided by the brand. No other compensation was given.