Festive Lush Haul

For the Lushies of the world, this may be a shocking statement but: I have never tried a Lush bath product. Sadly, for the last few years I have lived exclusively in flats which only contained a shower, denying me the joys of bath bombs and bubble bars. However, when I popped into Lush recently to pick up a lip scrub the Christmas products caught my eye and, now that I have access to a bath, I was powerless to resist. Having never tried any Lush bath product before, I did feel slightly out of my depth but the ladies in Lush were absolute dolls and helped me pick out some lovely scented goodies.

Everything looked amazing and I truly could have bought most of the shop, but I settled on a few things. First, I picked up a Butterbear Bath Bomb. This one has a fairly subtle scent; it's very fresh smelling and is meant to be very soothing and softening for the skin. Plus, look how cute it is!

I also picked up a Cinders Bath Bomb which smells absolutely gorgeous. It contains orange and cinnamon which comes across in the scent- it smells citrussy and sweet but spicy at the same time. It kind of reminds me of the Ponche shower gel that Lush had in their Christmas range last year, but have sadly not brought back this year. The lovely girl who helped me let me see this in the water and it smells so spicy and festive. It also contains popping candy, so I'm interested to see how that feels in the bath. The girl (sorry, I never caught your name!) told me that after she drains the bath, she uses the popping candy to exfoliate her legs which I thought was a cool idea.

Next I picked up the Think Pink Bath Bomb, which I don't believe is from the Christmas range but it may just be my favourite of the bunch. It smells very sweet, like vanilla, and also has a subtle hint of lavender. It turns your bath pink and releases tiny confetti hearts which dissolve with the water, which I thought was a very cute touch.

I also really wanted to pick up a bubble bar, so I chose the Magic Wand Reusable Bubble Bar. This one is £5.25 so it's a little more expensive than the bath bombs, but it can be used several times so I figured it was better value. It smells very sweet, quite similar to the Bubblegum lip scrub. It has the same scent as Snow Fairy shower gel, which I've smelt before and wasn't bowled over but, for some reason, I really love the scent of this.

The last thing I picked up was, shock horror, the thing I actually went in looking for: a lip scrub. I've bought the Bubblegum lip scrub time and time again, but this time I decided to go for the Santa's Lip Scrub, which smells like Cola bottles. I'm not sure I like it as much as the Bubblegum lip scrub, but it's nice to change things up every now and again. 

Have you picked up anything from the Lush Christmas range?

Weekly Loves #4

Another weekly favourites comin' at ya. I haven't been too adventurous with my makeup this week and have been mostly going for whatever is quick and easy. 

Firstly, I've been showing some love to my Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and on Bronze. I love this product and will use it fairly regularly but, this week in particular, I've been reaching for it quite a lot. This may be because the mornings are getting colder and I am getting far more reluctant to get out of bed, which results in a rushed attempt at slapping makeup on my face and running out the door. This product is great for that as you can basically just swipe it on, apply some mascara and your eyes are done. The colour is a lovely one too- kind of a cool bronze which gives just enough definition for everyday. 

On the days where I've had time to make more effort, I've been reaching for the Makeup Revolution Iconic 3 Palette, which is a total dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 3. The rosy tones in the palette are lovely, and are a nice way of incorporating a little bit of colour without straying too far from the neutral comfort zone. I really enjoy using the two lighter shimmery pinks, along with the matte shades, for the day time. The quality of the shadows are great- definitely the best I've tried within this price range. 

A product that I seem to have been using a lot lately is the NYX Blush in Taupe. I wasn't overly sure on this when I bought it, as I thought it looked too grey. I don't know what's changed but, in the last few weeks, I have been using this blush to contour with every time I've worn makeup. Having fair skin, I find a lot of contour powders and bronzers too dark/orange for me. This blush is a very grey toned brown, so it works perfectly at mimicking the natural shadow on pale skin, especially if you have more cool tones in your skin like myself. 

Lastly, this week I've been taking the opportunity to wear what is one of my favourite lipsticks ever. I've been neglecting my Mac Lipstick in Plumful all summer, as I feel like it's more of an autumn/winter colour. However, the autumn season is almost upon us so I think it's high time I brought it out again. I love this lipstick- it's a gorgeous plummy-pink colour which is actually quite versatile. You can sheer it out and wear it as a work appropriate day time colour, or you can build up the intensity and wear it for the evening. Either way, it's awesome. 

What products have you been using this week?

Weekly Loves #3

Another week, another round of favourites. Some of these are newer additions, some are long term favourites that are staples in my daily routine. 

First is a blush I have been consistently loving for months. Thought it was time it got a mention! I picked up the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fearless as soon as they became available on QVC UK back in March and have hardly put it down since. I love me some blush and, though I try to make use of all the blushes in my collection, this is the one I always seem to come back to. This warm pink shade is perfect for perking up the face- great for when I'm looking a bit pasty (which is constantly). The formula is great- blendable and lasts forever. I did also try out the shade Blissful and wasn't as keen, but Fearless? It's a winner. 

Another long standing favourite is the Benefit Gimme Brow, which I have been using pretty much every day since I bought it a couple of months back. It may just be a tinted brow gel, but it's a damn good one. I always get compliments on my brows when I use this. I have the Medium/ Deep shade, which is perfect for my dark hair. It's great for using over brow powders to set them, but it also works brilliantly on its own for lazy makeup days. The brush is awesome, as it's small enough to coat every hair in product. It's a little on the pricy side but, if you're willing to splurge on it, I'd say it's totally worth it. 

I may have already mentioned that my skin has been playing havoc this week. So many planets on my face it's like a model of the solar system. Luckily for me, this doesn't happen a lot but when it does, I always reach for Lush Grease Lightning. I think you can also use it spread all over the face, but I prefer it as a targeted spot treatment. It doesn't work miracles, it won't make them disappear like magic. However, it does help to reduce the size of them without drying out the skin around it. It really helps at speeding up the process, especially with those painful under the skin spots. The fact that the name makes me burst into song every time I hear it is just a bonus. (Aaaand now it's in your head. Grease lightning, go, grease lightning!) 

Last up is a much more budget friendly pick. I've been feeling a bit lazy this week with my makeup, so for lipstick I've been loving the Maybelline Baby Lips Electro in Pink Shock. I picked this up on a whim a couple of weeks ago- those 'New!' signs get me every time. I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of the original Baby Lips, but this one I've really been liking. I love the bright pink shade and the colour pay off is surprisingly good for a balm, it seems to be better than that of the original Baby Lips. It's a really nice, everyday lip colour and I'm very tempted to pick up some more shades...

 

Have you tried any of these?

Evening Skincare Routine For Dry Skin

Until fairly recently, skincare was never something I was all that interested in. For my entire adolescence, my skincare routine was limited to removing my makeup with a baby wipe and only moisturising before applying foundation. And I wondered why I had so many skin problems! Thankfully, I've come a long way since then; I have found a skincare routine that works pretty well for me and there's not a baby wipe in sight. I'll occasionally switch up which products I am using, but I never stray far from my basic 'cleanse, tone and moisturise' routine. I should note that I have a dry skin type, so these are the products I find work well to keep my skin in good condition.

Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Makeup Remover

Before I do anything else, I always remove my eye makeup first. I hate using creamy cleansers on my eye area as I always end up with product in my eyes, so I use this to remove my eyeshadow and mascara. I always wear waterproof mascara and find this works brilliantly at getting it off. I'll also use this to wipe off some of my face makeup, just as a quick pre-cleanse.

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

Next comes the cleanser, and I find nothing work better for my dry skin than a balm cleanser. This is my absolute favourite as it takes off every scrap of makeup and leaves my skin feeling plumped up and soft. It's also unscented so it's perfect if you have sensitive skin. Yes, it's a bit on the pricier side of things but it's totally worth it.

Pixi Glow Tonic

Chemical exfoliators are great if you find manual exfoliators a bit too harsh on the skin. This one has been really hyped up, but for good reason. Using this regularly can make such a difference and really helps to keep skin smooth and free of any flaky patches. I also find it keeps my skin looking brighter and clearer. It can be kind of a pain in the bum to find, but if you can get your hands on it I would totally recommend it.

Lush Tea Tree Water

I tend to switch between this and the Lush Eau Roma Water, dependent on how my skin is feeling. If it's feeling particularly dry I go for Eau Roma, if it's going a bit cray on the blemish front I use the Tea Tree. Right now, I have several spots that need their own seats on the bus, so out comes the Tea Tree Water. This is lovely stuff; it helps to shrink down those annoying spots a bit quicker without drying my skin out. It also smells freaking amazing. Such herbal. Much refreshing. (Too many Doge memes).

The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream

I've been using this eye cream all spring/summer and have been liking it, but I'm not sure I love it. It gives a good amount of moisture to the eye area, but it's also quite lightweight so it sits nicely under makeup. If you're skin isn't as dry as mine, you might love this. I really like it for this time of year, but when it starts to get chillier (as it's already beginning to *sob*) I may need something a bit richer. If anyone knows of a good eye cream, I'm open to suggestions!

Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra Comfortable Face Cream

I picked this up on Escentual after hearing Gemma from Miss Makeup Magpie rave about it. (She's one of few beauty bloggers I've found with dry skin, so she's my first port of call when looking for skincare recommendations.) This is the second tub I have bought of this and it won't be the last. I absolutely love this stuff, I use it day and night. My old moisturiser, that I used to really like, pales in comparison to this. It's really rich, so it probably won't suit normal skins and oily skins should avoid this like the plague. However, if you have dry skin and are looking for something super moisturising, this is the one.  It's a little pricy but, again, it's so worth it. Though this deal isn't on right now, Escentual will often have 1/3 off French skincare brands so that's a good time to pick it up.

What are your favourite skincare products?

5 Under 5

While on occasion I may indulge in a splurge or two, when it comes to make-up I am definitely a budget girl at heart. There is a huge variety of products available for those with a small budget and you can find some real gems hiding in the aisles of Boots and Superdrug. With that said, here are five great products I've found that are under £5. 

Beauty UK High Brow Palette
I'm not really a big fan of brow pencils and generally prefer to fill mine in with powder. This palette is great for that- the powders are just the right texture and don't have the fall out that an eyeshadow might have. The colours are the perfect tone, just ashy enough to look really natural. I'm pretty sure the palette only comes in one colour, but I think the shades in it are varied enough to suit most hair colours. Coming it at £3.99, this palette is a great bargain. 

Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer
Yes, there are plenty of YSL Touche Eclat dupes out there, but this is my favourite that I have tried. I use this under the eyes and it works well to brighten up any darkness. Granted, I don't suffer from major dark circles so for those who do, something more heavy duty may be needed. However, if you just need something to give you a little boost under the eyes, this is lovely. It's also a great one for pale skin tones. This is priced at £4.99, and can often be found on offer for slightly cheaper. 

Barry M Blink Waterproof Precision Liner
I have tried A LOT of felt eyeliner pens in my time, from budget to high end, and this is one of the best in my opinion. The nib is long and thin, making it really easy to draw a nice, precise line. The colour comes out a very dark black and it's opaque in one sweep so there's no need to layer and risk messing up the perfect line you just made! This can smudge slightly on me, but I find this happens with most liquid liners and it is easily rectified by setting it with black eyeshadow. This liner costs a mere £4.59. It also lasts for a fairly long time, and doesn't dry up within a week like some eyeliners I could mention (*cough* Eyeko *cough*), making it great value for money. 

Revolution Palettes
If I was writing this a year ago, I probably would have mentioned the MUA eyeshadow palettes right about now. But then Makeup Revolution came on the scene, and their ever expanding range of eyeshadow palettes stole my affections. Their palettes are a great option if on a budget, as they are excellent quality for the meagre prices. The Iconic Palettes, which come in at £4, are totally shameless dupes of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes so these are great if £37 for an eyeshadow palette is too much of a stretch. The quality isn't quite on par with Urban Decay, but it's pretty damn close. Makeup Revolution are currently available in selected Superdrug stores (see the list of stores here) and online, so if you can manage to get your hands on one of these palettes I would totally recommend them. 

Collection Work the Colour Eye Palette
If Makeup Revolution is too difficult to get a hold of and you want something that's less of a hassle to find, this Collection Palette is a great option. The palette shown above has a lovely selection of neutral shades, but it also comes in three other variations if you're a bit braver and want some more colour. The palettes contain eight colours with surprisingly good colour pay off, along with a cream highlighter which I admittedly have ignored completely. This is a lovely palette with an even better price, as it's currently only £2.99 in Boots (usually £3.99). Cheap and cheerful!

What are some of your favourite budget products?