Yes...Another mini haul

I took full advantage of the ASOS 20% off offer and spent it on these 3 things which i love and have been using constantly ever since i recieved them. I've always wanted the NARS albatross highlighting powder but i find that it is too expensive therefore when it was 20% off, i caved in and purchased it. I know that i haven't been blogging as frequently these days, but it is because i am busy with placements and usually quite tired. I will hopefully try and spend a little bit more time on my blog after a couple weeks when i am settled into my hospital settings :) Hope you guys are enjoying your christmas shopping and the layering up in the cold weather hehe! 

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TED BAKER make-up bag

NARS - Albatross

ILLAMASQUA - Sob

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Do you shop from ASOS.com?

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Toni & Guy Sea Salt Spray || REVIEW

Toni&Guy Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray 200ml - £7.19

For effortless, laid-back, lived-in styles, CASUAL products give texture and light hold. Creates texture and body for a lived-in, beach look.

I casually just picked this up because at boots, Toni & Guys' products were on offer for 3 for £12 which was an absolute steal considering the products themselves were quite pricey. Apart from the shampoo and conditioner that i picked up, i thought i needed another sea salt spray! I have already used the Umberto Giannini one for quite a while now and only have a bit left (Reviewed here) and the smell of it always seems to bother me because it was too sweet and disliked it on my hair. This Tony & Guy spray had a nice fresh scent to it which was is nice considering i prefer fresh scents as opposed to sickly sweet. 

Using this product allowed me to effortlessly achieve the pretty beachy waves that i wanted and in my opinion, i think it works better than the Umberto Giannini one. A little goes a long way and i really enjoy using this in the mornings where i have little time to get ready and need to rush out the door. I simply spray all over my towel dried hair and scrunch it occasionally while i do my make up so that when it dries, it looks all texturised and wavey.

I adored this product so much that this post was going to feature in a 'product hype' post, but unfortunately there was one thing that let it down and it really does leave my heart broken. After a few uses, the nozzle decided to get partially blocked and instead of a spray, it squirted out a powerful stream of the product out. Despite this, i continued to use it although it did make my life a lot more difficult. Then after that, the nozzle decided to be fully blocked so i can't even get any product out of the bottle and i did even go to extreme measures by exchanging the nozzle for a different one that i took off from another spray product i had but it still got blocked after a few uses. I did research a little bit online and i found that this was a problem for a handful of people so i am really disappointed with the product design, as the product itself is really good. Such a shame! 

Have you tried any sea-salt sprays?

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REVLON JUST BITTEN KISSABLE || REVIEW

 

"It’s a pampering balm fused with a lightweight lipstain in an adorable chubby crayon. Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain gives softer, smoother lips with a perfect flush of color that lasts hour after hour. The gel formula comes in 12 vibrant shades that match any look or mood" - £7.99

To be very honest with you guys, i actually wanted the Clinique chubby sticks but i found that Revlon did a very similar product which are these just bitten kissable balm stains which have been compared many times with the chubby sticks due to their great similarities. However, despite how similar the packaging design and mechanism is, the difference lies with the price tag and the effect of the product.

Firstly, i really love the design because it is very sturdy yet lightweight and the cap stays on relatively well when contained in a bag full of other junk that i carry. Next, i like the fact that it twists up and much more convenient than sharpening a lip pencil. The formation is very smooth and like a crayon, it is very easy to apply evenly on the lips. It has a hint of a menthol scent to it which i personally like because it just seem so fresh everytime you apply it but i know that minty products are not everybody's cup of tea. 

Unlike the chubby sticks, these claim to stain your lips so that when the product is removed or fades away, you will be left with a nice subtle hint of colour. I believe that it has worked very well when i use the shade 'Romantic Romantic' since it is a gorgeous vibrant red colour and it's not surprise that it stained my lips quite well. However, the Cherish devotion i find doesn't really do much for my lips and doesn't really leave a colour onto my lips even when it has been on there for quite a while. 

For me, these lip products lasted on my lips quite well (Around 2-3 hours when i don't eat or drink) and i am impressed with the formulation and quality of these. A little goes a long way and i think that these will definitely last me for years and years like most of my products which i am never going to finish. However, i am scared that these will go blunt and i won't enjoy using these as much and i wouldn't know how to get it to a sharp point again! Regardless, i am happy with these lip products from Revlon and i have to say that i have forgotten about wanting the overpriced clinique chubby sticks :) 

What are your favourite lip products?

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- Instagram -

Recently i have been into the whole instagram fun and it would be lovely if you can join me :)

Follow me on : xxYingc

Have a great day ^^

xx

NOVEMBER || HAUL

Since returning from my holiday back in September and beginning my postgraduate course, i have been very firm with my spendings and tried to focus on finishing some of the products that i already have. However, recently boots not only had a 3 for 2 offer, but now it is buy 1 get 1 half price on cosmetics so it was pretty hard to resist a few cheeky purchases. Toni and Guy products were 3 for £12 which was such a bargain and i never tried their products before so i took this opportunity to give it a go. Apart from the essential toiletries, i also bought the gorgeous Shu Uemura eyelash curlers from the Karl Lagerfield collection which features a sexy red pad as opposed to the boring standard black. So i am now just going to list the items that i bought below and the Revlon lip butter in Peach parfait which my thoughtful boyfriend went and got for me because he checked my wishlist on here. He proper shocked and surprised me with it because i wasn't expecting it at all~! Ohh, and i will be reviewing some of these products very soon so i will keep you guys updated. 

• Revlon just bitten kissable balm stains - 045 Romantic Romantique / 015 Cherish Devotion
• Revlon Lipbutter - Peach Parfait
• Revlon photo ready primer
• Dove Deodorants 
• L'Oréal Paris Double Extension Renewal Serum Inside Mascara: Waterproof 
• L'Oreal Paris Lash Architect Mascara
• Imperial Leather Soft Touch Foam Burst Shower Gel
• Shu uemura x Karl Lagerfield eyelash curlers
• Tresemme liquid gold hair oil
• Toni & Guy Shampoo and conditioner
• Toni & Guy Sea-salt texturising spray

What have you purchased recently?

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Soap and Glory Face Soap & Clarity Foaming Face Wash REVIEW

Soap & Glory Face Soap and Clarity Foaming Face Wash. For super clean, fresh & bright skin, you can rely on... FACE, SOAP & CLARITY™ Foaming Face Wash 150ml. A 3-in-1 daily detox Vitamin C facial wash.

After loving soap and glory products for so long, i have finally stumbled upon a product that i would like to give a big thumbs down to. 

First off, the packaging looks a little bit 'fancy' for my liking and doesn't give me the reassurance that it is gentle and simple for the skin. It kind of makes me feel like i will be putting alot of rubbish onto my skin which cannot possibly be good despite of the claims the tube makes.

The instruction was 'use a grape sized amount' and i used a pea sized as i thought it was sufficient product to wash my face with. Firstly, the consistency was very jelly-like and didn't seem to melt into my skin easily. Secondly, i felt that the beads within the gel was absolutely useless...they might aswell not have been there in the first place. I thought that a pea-sized amount was too much for me, let alone a grape sized amount so i think Soap and Glory got something seriously wrong there. The smell wasn't the unique Soap and glory smell that you get, but a strong scent of artificial fragrance that i can't really describe what it is and i am not a big fan of it.

Most importantly, after giving it a good lather around my face and rinsing it off, i felt no difference in my skin and it felt like i just used water to wet my face. This product had been sitting in my drawer since christmas and i finally thought that i would give it some love, but it has to be so awfully disappointing. I haven't really heard much about this face wash around the beauty community and i know why now. There are so much more other Soap and glory products that are worth the hype and the mention, but this one is just ridiculous in my opinion and i would love to try out their 'Peaches and clean' which has had many good things said about it. 

I have noticed that there are quite a few of positive opinions for this product online and i was quite surprised that on the boots website, this was rated quite highly. I accept that everybody has their own opinions because everybody's skin type and needs are different, but i really don't think i got along with this product personally. 

What is your favourite product from Soap and Glory?
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~ FOTD || October 12 ~

Products used: 

Face: 

Chanel Perfection Lumiere (20 beige)

Benefit Hooler Bronzing powder

Eyes:

Urban Decay Naked palette (Virgin || Naked || Half-baked || Smog)

Dolly wink eyeliner

Maybelline the falsies waterproof

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

Rimmel eyebrow pencil (004 black brown)

Lips:

Revlon lip butter (sweet tart)

What products are you loving right now?

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~ L'occitane Angelica cleansing gel REVIEW ~

"Fresh and delicate, Angelica Cleansing Gel transforms into a light and airy foam when combined with water. Enriched with water and essential oil of organic angelica, it softly removes make-up and impurities, while preserving the skin's hydrolipidic film, for perfectly clean and hydrated skin. Skin feels immediately soft and looks radiant. 

Suitable for all skin types. 

Dermatologically tested. Non-comedogenic."

- £16 for 200ml -

I've noticed that recently i have been doing quite alot of skincare product reviews so i apologise for that and i will hope to do more make-up posts soon! Over the past couple of months, i have taken my skincare more seriously and stuck with my products religiously without jumping from one product to another. I really wanted to try L'occitane's skincare for a while and when i went into the store, the lady recommended this one because it was not only natural and gentle, but it was very suitable for my sensitive oily-combination skin-type.I really like the simple plastic frosted bottled packaging of this face wash which makes it really easy for me to travel around with it without worrying that it would be too heavy or prone to breaking. The face wash also comes with a pump which is very convenient and hygienic to use. Just for reference, i have now used up approximately half of the bottle so i feel that i can now give you guys a decent overall review on how i feel about it and how it left my skin. 

Firstly, the consistency of it feels like a nice light gel and i find that one pump is enough to cleanse my whole face each time. It distributes nicely and upon coming into contact with water, it transforms from a thick lather, into a nice gentle foam where it can be massaged around the entire face further. Secondly, the scent. I get what they mean by their products being very natural and organic because it smells just like a mixture of grass and stinging nettles so if your not into that kind of smell, this is definitely not for you since the scent is quite overwhelming.This face wash i find cleanses my skin very well and leaves it nice and soft to touch. It doesn't irritate my skin or leave it feeling dry and taut like some other facial washes do. 

I recommend this to individuals who have sensitive skin and i feel that this is suitable for most skin-types ranging from very dry to oily. This face wash is more on the higher end side, but it does last for a very long time seeing that you only need one pump for each use.

Have you tried any products from L'occitane?
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~ My Hong Kong Beauty Haul ~

I went to Hong Kong for a couple of weeks during my summer holidays and i managed to pick up so many beauty products, mainly asian brands which are very difficult to get hold of in the UK. I think that i did go overboard a little bit and these will last me for quite a while and they have already taken alot of space in my beauty drawers! For some of you readers may not have heard of these brands, but i promise you that some of these products really delivers great results and i have heard many good things about them, therefore leading me to purchase these. Without further ado, im going to list the products that i have purchased and hopefully be writing more in-depth reviews on them in upcoming posts.

• Laneige pore-minimising pack
• Laneige water sleeping pack
• Bioderma Sebium h2o 
• CURE aqua gel
• Essential ultra honey hair mask
• CLIV Seaweed midiclear stemcell B.B cream (dry/sensitive skin)
• CLIV Max hydraulic stemcell B.B cream (oily/stimulated skin)
• Shu uemura Ultime8 sublime beauty cleansing oil
• Liese foaming hair dye (Milk tea brown)
• My beauty diary face masks (Apple polyphenol mask)
• Jill Stuart lipgloss ( 07 romantic quartz || 19 juicy sunstone)
• Skin food Fresh apple skin care range ( toner || emulsion || serum || cream)

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~ Clinique Liquid Facial Soap || REVIEW ~

I don't even remember purchasing this product because it was just laying around my drawer for a while and i decided that i want to give my products drawer a spring clean by trying to use up some of the products that i have forgotten about before purchasing anything new. This Clinique liquid facial soap i think i got from sample set a while back when they were doing bonus time but i am not too sure. Regardless, it is suitable for 'combination oily to oily' skin so i am happy to give it a go and see how it turns out for my skin.

First of all, i really love skincare products that has a airtight pump design because it remains hygienic and highly convenient to dispense the product. I also like the frosted texture of the bottle making it feel more sturdy and easier to handle if using it in the shower. You get so much product in one bottle so this will last you for a while. For your information, i have used up just over half the bottle and it has been around a few months now since one pump is enough for each wash. Like most other Clinique products, the scent is very discrete and nothing too heavy which is great if you have sensitive skin or just personally dislike fragranced products for the face.

The consistency of this is a thick gel formulation that can be easily applied all over the face. With the addition of a little water, it turns into a nice gentle lather that is both pleasant feeling and removes make-up. It doesn't dry out my skin like some soaps do, and it leaves the skin feeling soft and supple to the touch. For me, Clinique always wins my heart when it comes to some of their skincare products. They are so simplistic and gives a very clean feeling. Their products are also marginally affordable compared with many other high end brands and they keep their promises in being 100% fragrance and allergy free. If you are looking for a new face wash to try and you have similar skin-type to me, then i would recommend this one. 

What Is Your Favourite Face Wash?

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~ A Bunch of Empties ~

Sorry for my irregular postings on here for the past couple of months, i've been busy on enjoying my summer holiday and now i am settling into my postgraduate course. Nonetheless, i have continued trying out new skincare and make-up products ready to write reviews on. Over the past month i have used up a fair few products and i enjoyed using some of these but not so much others, although i didn't want to waste the remainder of the products so i felt obliged to finish it up. So this post i will just summarise briefly what products i have used up and my opinions on them.

ORIGINS A perfect world Antioxident cleanser with white tea: This took me ages to use up (Approximately half a year if i remember correctly) seeing that you get so much product in this and a little goes a long way. I really love the smell of this as it is very refreshing and leaves your skin feeling soft without stripping away all the moisture. Repurchase? No

NIVEA daily essentials oil free moisturising day cream: Lasted quite a while (Approx. 2 months) and its a pleasant consistency to work with in the morning. Non-greasy which i am happy about and absorbed into the skin effortlessly. However, i do feel that it makes me more shiny throughout the day probably due to the extra moisture and my natural oils seeping through. Lovely light moisturiser, but i prefer moisturisers with more of a mattifying component. Repurchase? No

Liz Earle instant boost skin tonic: Received this in a set i bought from Liz earle as a starter package for oily-combination skin. Just your ordinary toner and i didn't find it to be anything amazing. The bottle/container was quite a hassle to get the product out of because the lid was small and fiddly which lead to spilling the product easily when accidentally knocked. Didn't feel gentle enough for my liking and i am not too keen on the smell. Repurchase? No

Yankee Candle Jar - Christmas cookie: This candle has been lying about since christmas and i loved this so much that i have repurchased a large jar to burn over the upcoming months. I think i prefer this tumbler form because i find that it burns nicely and doesn't leave any horrible residue on the sides. Cannot wait until christmas so i can use this and get myself into the festive mood. Repurchase? Yes

MAC gentle eye and lip make-up remover: When i initially purchased this, i thought it was amazing and a must have for anybody. It removed all my waterproof eye make up wonderfully and it was gentle enough for my sensitive skin. However, i discovered a much cheaper alternative which is the Garnier 2in1 make-up remover so this was put aside for a while until last month when i finally finished the product so i can get a 'back to mac' lipstick sooner. Repurchase: No

Garnier soothing eye make-up remover: This is such a gentle eye make up remover and does its job very well for when i decide i want a natural eye make up look and give waterproof mascara a miss. I really like the size of this because its really easy to take it with me while travelling and it is very easy to dispense the product onto cotton pads. Repurchase? No

The Body shop Vitamin E facial wash: I really loved this cleanser and i find that it has improved the condition of my skin. It is very affordable and i enjoy the consistency of this aswell as the scent. Further Review here Repurchase? Yes

The Body shop seaweed pore-cleansing facial exfoliator: A very gentle exfoliator and i love how lightweight it is and not too abrasive for the skin. Left my skin feeling very refreshed and soft. I definitely recommend this to people with sensitive and dull skin.  Further Review here Repurchase? Yes

What products have you finished using up this month?

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~ How I Get Volume in My Fine Hair ~

Usually on normal days, i don't really care about my hair being a bit flat and limp. However, on special occasions or when i am on a night out i prefer to sport a more voluminous hair-do. I do believe that i spend alot of time and effort to achieve such effect because not only do i have really fine hair, i also have very little of it and it is very hard to get the look i want. I have found that excessive backcombing and hairspray does help, but the effect is not as long lasting as i want and sometimes it cane leave it looking like a bit of a greasy mess to be honest.

After experimenting with numerous hair products, filtering out the ones that weighed my hair down or simply does not work at all, i have found the ultimate duo that works best to allow me to achieve a more textured voluminous look to my hair. At first i didn't think much of the Tresemme volumising mousse when i bought it because at a reasonable pricing and not a product that has been raved about much. The LUSH big shampoo however, i have heard alot about from magasines and bloggers so i kind of had the idea that it worked when i purchased it.

So for starters, lets talk about the LUSH big shampoo, it has a salt/gel consistency which is very strange given the fact that it's not the same as your conventional shampoos that feel much more on the creamier side. It smells lovely and refreshing which is very good as i prefer my products to smell good rather than scentless. I use one generous scoop and i use water to lather it up before applying onto my scalp. I emphasise on the roots of my hair rather than all my hair because i know that this is quite drying and can't be good for the hair. Results can be seen when the hair is dried and it instantly feels more texturised and i love it as i have always had very fine hair which looks limp and lifeless all the time. I finally have textured and much more thicker looking hair.

The Mousse really makes the effect more noticeable and i use this in conjunction with the big shampoo when i have a special occasion to go to and i want the best of my hair, or i use it when i just use a normal shampoo to achieve a good blow-dry that provides some lift and volume. Either way, this mousse is simple to use, just apply onto damp hair and after drying your hair, you can feel your hair more thicker and voluminous.

I really recommend these two products for those girls out there with very fine and limp hair because i can honestly say that these really helped me with styling my hair and adding more life into my hair. However, i really dont advise you to use these everyday because i do feel that they have a tendency to strip your hair of natural oils and can be quite drying for your hair therefore try to limit these products to certain days when needed, especially when using the LUSH big shampoo. 

What is your holy grail hair product?

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~ My Chanel Disappointment ~

Couple months back i went to a Chanel counter to try out their new collection and a certain eyeshadow called 'amythest' caught my eye on the shelves and i really loved the colour when the lady at the counter applied it onto my eyes. It was the perfect plum purple colour with tiny gold flexes within and i loved it. I decided to cave in and buy it but then a eyeshadow quad containing the very colour i wanted grabbed my attention and i fell in love with the 4 colours and also the packaging with mirror and a pouch. At that time, i thought it was a great idea for travelling and all the colours would all compliment each other so i decided to pick the eyeshadow quad over the single eyeshadow without even trying the colours out because i was in a bit of a hurry. 

The packaging was as pretty as ever which is typical of chanel and as i went home, i removed the outer box carefully and the cover encasing the quad felt really nice and luxurious. I removed the plastic casing and took a few pictures for one of my haul posts. The palette really did look promising with all the colours looking nice and pretty in its pan in little dome shapes sparkling in the light....but the nightmare came when i finally swatched it and not only was it ridiculously shimmery...but it was also not very pigmented at all. I tried applying with my fingers, my brush and even with their sponge tip applicators but the colours did not show up well at all. To be honest, for the price that i paid i am not at all happy with this product besides it's gorgeous packaging and the nice clear mirror on the inside of the lid.

I am very disappointed in this and i feel like i have wasted my money on this and i would not find a use for it. Its such a shame, because i really did have high hopes for it and i really wanted this to work because i know that if the pigmentation was better, it would have been an amazing quad to use with all the colours complimenting each other. However, i am glad that i have learned the hard way and i will never touch Chanel eyeshadows again and stick to their amazing quality lipsticks which i am a big fan of! 

Have you had any disappointing products?
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~ My take on Sea-Salt Sprays ~

Due to going out quite alot and frequent use of hot-irons to straighten my hair to perfection, my hair has taken it's toll and started to get quite dry and brittle. So i decided to not use heat on it for a while just to make it look like it's in a better condition. I could have just tied my hair up everyday but i dislike my hair up and prefer my hair to be let down to frame my face more therefore i have chosen to use a hair product that can help shape and style my hair without the use of heat.

Sea salt spray has been quite popular for the summer to achieve the perfect beach waves that looks effortless and pretty. To be honest, the brand that i have used is my first ever sea salt spray so i am not too sure how it compares with other brands out there, although i would like to try the 'bumble and bumble surf spray' because i have seen so many raves on it.

So how do i use this? After i have dried my hair, i spray it evenly all over my damp hair and start scrunching. As i am doing this, i feel that it adds alot of texture to my hair and it creates some volume into my hair too. I do enjoy the feel of this in my hair, it has a non-sticky or greasy formula and the scent is quite appealing too. This doesn't weigh my hair down and i do appreciate that seeing that alot of product make my hair extra flat and make it extremely oily after a few hours! This sea salt spray is at an affordable price compared with other leading brands out there and it has lasted me through many uses so it is really value for money! I recommend this for girls out there who wants to give their hair a break from heat and damage and give it some more love. This is also very great for when you are in a hurry, just spritz all over, scrunch a bit and leave to dry naturally in order to get effortless simple waves 

Have you tried any Sea-Salt sprays?
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~ My Summer Essentials ~

So the weather has been a bit on the brighter side these few days and yay for the sunshine finally appearing in our lives. However, great weather comes with a greater dependance on sun protection and prevent looking like a hot mess. I personally like to soak up the sun rays and get a nice decent tan, but i know that it is really bad for the skin without any sun protection and it can really damage the skin and lead to premature ageing. I should be taking precautions now that i am in my early 20s because"prevention is better than cure!". I like to use a high SPF for my face and a slightly lower one for the rest of my body. I don't burn that easily like some other people, therefore i feel that my sun protection factor doesn't need to be too high as im scared that it will block up my pores etc. So this post i am going to share with you the products that i rely on during the hot summer days which helps me to survive and keep cool~

- Clinique SPF40 face cream -

I use this when UV rays are extremely high on very hot days because i feel that i need that extra protection to prevent my face from getting damaged. I think that using extra sun protection on the face is very important, because the sun can cause you to get freckles or sunspots which i really do not want at all! This face cream comes out quite thick when you squeeze it out like tube, much like the conventional suncreams you get, but as you rub it into your face it feels really refreshing and gets absorbed very quickly and doesn't feel heavy at all. 

- Shu uemura underbase mousse -

On hot days, the last thing i would want is heavy products on the skin like therefore i think this underbase mousse is perfect for the occasion and i hate that the weather hasn't been good enough for me to use this more often. It is a very lightweight mouuse that applies a thin coating to your face. As well as providing a nice moisturised base and brightens your complexion, it also has a high SPF factor of 30PA++ which is essential to prevent sun spots and freckles from developing. I have the Pink version of this product which i believe is meant to make you appear more radiant and have a whiter complexion, but there is a normal beige version which is standard and doesn't have much light reflecting particles. The product smells very nice too and it is easy to apply evenly across the face so i really recommend this during the summer time!

- The Body Shop Vitamin E spray -

The cheaper alternative to the expensive Caudalie Beauty Elixer which i still want to try out soon but don't want to spend so much money on it and have read some mixed reviews on it so i am kind of still pondering. However, this Body shop facial mist doesn't fail to impress with its reasonable price and does exactly what it is supposed to it. I use it when the weather is hot and humid in order to rehydrate my skin to leave me feeling more refreshed. This product smells lovely of rose water too which i really like and enjoy using it everytime. A refreshing sensation and in a small bottle, it is great for popping into your handbag along with your essential summer survival products. It is also ideal for setting make-up too packed with beneficial Vitamin E ingredients to soften and protect the skin.

- Evian facial spray -

Much like the body shop facial spray, this has a refreshing and hydrating purpose. This is more suitable for individuals with more sensitive skin as well as those who prefers fragrance free natural products on their skin. Packaged in an aerosol can, i feel that this product has more of a cooling sensation and the mist is much more lighter than the standard facial sprays which feels somewhat denser. However, i cannot believe the price of this judging by the fact that this is just water in a can with no added beneficial ingredients therefore this is a one off buy for me and i will probably delve into more products that have beneficial properties for the skin to try out.

What are your summer essentials?
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LUSH 'catastrophe cosmetic' REVIEW

Upon finishing my Brazened honey fresh face mask from LUSH, i thought that i would give another one a try but this time i opted for the 'Catastrophe cosmetic' which includes fresh blueberries, almond oil and lots of other goodness. I thought that this mask would be perfect for me because i have a few pimples and break outs from the lack of sleep and poor diet and also because the sales assistant informed me that this face mask would be very good at reducing those.

So i bought it and i was very excited to use it because i really wanted to rid these annoying blemishes on my face as make-up was not enough it up because it was bumpy. First of all, the scent is a little bit too overpowering for me and i believe that it smells a little like ammonia from hair-dyes if you get what i mean. Furthermore, it was a pain to apply and bits of blueberries kept on falling off my face and it was virtually impossible to apply it smoothly onto my face without it getting too messy so thats another downside to it i guess. At this point, i thought to myself that if the product works, it will be worth it in the end.

The mask i was planning to leave on for 10-15 minutes like advised by the lady at the store and what i am used to doing but after approximately 5 minutes, i noticed weird clay substances dropping on the desk in front of me. Yes the mask has dried and crumbled quite badly. I couldn't wash it off anymore quicker because i didn't want it to get all over my carpet too. Washing it off made a big mess too since the clay consistency was quite difficult to get off. 

My final verdict was that this mask did not do anything for my skin, not even softening...and what is the worst about it is that it broke me out really badly. Never have i reacted so badly to any product. Since using this, i have had a total of 6 big spots and 3 of them were like volcanoes (Sorry to be so graphic here, but its just got to be stated so you know the extent i went through). I did not change any of my usual skin cleansing routine so i am sure that it was this mask which caused this massive outbreak. Not very happy with this at all and i am planning to go back to LUSH to exchange it for another one. 

As always, this product did not work for me but it may work for you. Maybe it was a bit too harsh for my sensitive skin but i really do not recommend this product to people. There is nothing fresh, nothing gentle about this at all. Thumbs down to LUSH on this product.

What are you thoughts on LUSH products?

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~ My July Favourites ~

Another month has passed by so quickly and it is time for my July favourites. This month i have been sticking to my holy grail products that i know will work for me since i cannot afford any major break outs during my graduation day, so therefore i haven't tried many new products as i would have liked. However, i have managed to pick a handful of items that i have been loving for this month and cannot stop using. 

Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser Oil-Free

This month we have had a short period of heat wave and i felt that using a tinted moisturiser was more appropriate compared with my heavier Lancome foundation that i usually use because i found that the humid weather was drying out my skin. This is the best tinted moisturiser i have used and i love the fact that it doesn't make me look extra greasy like some tinted moisturisers tend to do. Definitely recommend it to those with an oily complexion

L'occitane hand cream in cherry princess

Fell for this handcream not because of the greatness of the product, but for the scent. I love this scent and i am planning to go ahead and purchase the Eau de Toilette for it too. If you haven't smelt this, you have to go check this out. On a more serious note, this hand cream is very great quality and absorbs very quickly without leaving any greasy residues. Another great thing about L'occitane is that the handcreams does 3 for 2 offers, well at least when i bought them. This product really rivals my Soap n Glory Handfood.

Lancome Hypnose doll eyes waterproof

(Reviewed here already) Rediscovered this forgotten product when i was clearing out my make-up draw. As said before, i love the wand because it could get to all my lashes and because these hot days i tend to skip eyeliner, my lashes have been very important to add definition to my eyes. The mascara on its own is alright i suppose, but i tried using it with an eyelash primer and it really does make the product more effective and my lashes looking more luscious. 

LUSH lemony flutter cuticle butter

The nice hot weather means plenty of days sunbathing in the sunshine and looking after my skin to prevent sunburn has been more important than looking after the condition of my hands. More frequent changing of nail polishes meant that my cuticles were extremely dry and horrible looking, but thanks to this product, it perfectly nourishes and after a day or two of using this, my cuticles have returned back to normal condition. A little goes a long way and i think that this pot will last me forever because there is so much product in it. Another bonus of this product is that it smells amazing and refreshing!

The Body Shop born lippy lipbalm - Strawberry and Blackcurrant

My friend bought the strawberry one for me and i loved it so much that i went ahead and bought the blackcurrant one soon after. I have always been a fan of their 'born lippy' lip-balms ever since i was a teenager just starting out with make up and cosmetics. However, i have always disliked the way i had to always dig my fingers into the pot in order to get the product out therefore a couple of pots in the past was just as far as it went for me. Recently they brought out this stick forms and i rushed to try them and the formulation is the same great quality. It gives minimal colouring and the texture is very creamy and long lasting. 

YSL Touche Eclat: shade 2.5

Been wanting to try this product for absolutely ages and last month i finally caved in and purchased this! Due to the lack of sleep, my dark circles have been quite bad recently and i found that this helped with brightening and concealing the area under my eyes. I really like the click pen mechanism so i can slowly build up the product rather than applying way too much in one go.

Hope you are enjoying your summer. What are some of you favourites right now?

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~ VO5 miracle concentrate REVIEW ~

This is the second time i bought this product and nearly used up once again! I remembered when this first came out, the hype and the rave it had was what made me rush and buy it straight away. I must say  that this hair oil does work and it is at an affordable price too. This miracle concentrate is an intensive leave-in conditioner and a i feel that a little goes a long way. It also contains Argan oil which is known to help replenish damaged hair and add moisture to dry hair. One bottle of this contains 50ml which is a great load of product considering you only need several drops for the ends of your hair for each use. 

The bottle itself consists of a screw on lid and a very unique pipette dropper to get the product out which at first i do see the novelty side of it because you can measure how many drops you are using so you do not apply too much product on your hair. However, using this product for a couple of years now i do feel that the novelty of this wears off and this design is not at all practical. Over the course of the two bottles, i have spilt the product a few times now because after pipetting the product out onto my hand, i is difficult to screw the cap on properly so it can be  knocked over so easily. 

The product itself is excellent and nourishes the ends of my hair nicely without it feeling greasy or weighing my hair down. As said before, a little amount is enough. I use this on towel dried hair and i do feel and see the difference once i have finished blowdrying my hair compared with when i do not use the product. It feels stronger and healthier and i am so happy that i get great results from a drugstore brand that is affordable compared to alot of the high-end hair products.

I have decided that although i love this product, due to the impracticality of the design on the bottle and because there are many new hair treatment products available, i am not going to repurchase this. I really want to try the Kerastase elixer and the Morrocan oil soon because i have read great reviews on it. 

What is your favourite hair treatment?