A little haul

Just a small haul to share with you all. I snapped up a can of the latest addition to the Batiste family - their Big & Bouncy XXL Volume. I didn't get on well with UG Backcomb in a Bottle so hoping this will be a more successful encounter - can't wait for my hair to dirty up a bit so I can try it out!

Next up is a bottle of St Moriz Dark Instant Tanning Mousse which I was drawn to after seeing Lily's review here. I know a lot of beauty bloggers can get hold of St Moriz in TK Maxx but my local one showed no signs so I ordered it from cheapsmells.com for £4.49 delivered :) 

In need of a new mascara I picked up Loreal's Lash Architect 4D. I don't get drawn to the Loreal stand very often but this was on offer and my inner magpie couldn't resist the mirrored packaging!

Finally a couple of nail polishes made their way into my basket - Barry M's Peach Melba and Accessorize's Storm....

And some swatches.......Peach Melba...



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With flash



....and Storm...



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With flash



Until next time,

Hauled: Perricone MD Facecare

So this is not a true haul post as these products were a surprise gift from my dear mummy. I was moaning about my skin whilst visiting her for mother's day and she's had some good results after using a couple of items from the range so thought I might too.

Perricone MD is one of those brands that's always been vaguely familiar but that I've never ever thought to try. It was founded by Dr. Nicholas Perricone - an American clinical/research dermatologist whose philosophy to skincare focuses on diet, 'nutriceutical' supplements and his own line of skin care products.

Here's the two products I received and the descriptions of what they're designed to do (borrowed straight from the Perricone MD site :)

Skin Clear Cleanser

"This deep-cleaning acne cleanser helps to clear troubled skin by reducing excess sebum and eliminating surface contaminations. Skin Clear Cleanser contains the anti-ageing ingredient DMAE, which helps to firm and tone skin. Green Tea Extract calms and clarifies while Allantoin helps encourage skin renewal". The cleanser costs £31 for 177ml.

Intensive Pore Minimiser

"This treatment is designed to effectively reduce the appearance of enlarged pores. It helps control and absorb excess oil, maintains skin elasticity and resilience and gently exfoliates to remove wax or dirt build-up that can clog and further stretch pores.  An advanced formula with universal appeal, it’s appropriate for most skin types: oily, extremely dry, or showing visible signs of aging.  The result is skin that appears firmer, less oily, less shiny and remains fresh and smooth throughout the day". The minimiser costs £45 for 116ml.

For more info visit the website here or Dr Perricone even has his own blog at http://www.dailyperricone.com/

Until next time,

Hauled (and swatched!): Elf Studio Concealer & Lip Balms

I'm a self-confessed new product tart so as soon as one pops up on my radar I just have to purchase. Hence this Elf haul containing a couple of the newest additions to their Studio line - the Complete Coverage Concealer compact and two of the Conditioning Lip Balms.

First up the concealer set which priced at £3.50 contains 4 shades of concealer designed to match your skin tone through all seasons of the year. The compact features the sleek black studio packaging and comes with a small brush which is actually quite good quality.

Slight downside on the packaging....when I opened it up there were some rather nasty spots of condensation on the middle two shades....

Sweaty concealer!

I'd say the concealer in this compact offers light to medium coverage but worth noting that the consistency is quite moisturising and possibly even a tad on the oily side so better suited to drier skins. I tried it on my face and it tended to slip off my t-zone but worked better under my eyes where the skin is less oily. On to the swatches....



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The compact is available in 3 colourways (light,medium and dark) I opted for medium and could easily use the 1st and 3rd shades through most of the year. The darker two shades could be useful on holiday when I'm quite tanned but my skin never gets that dark naturally in the British sunshine :) Probably worth mentioning that I swatched this on my uber-pale inner forearm hence why all shades actually look far too dark for me!

With flash

Next up is the Conditioning Lip Balms which are available in 6 shades and priced at £3.50 a pop. The chunky perspex packaging is really pretty although these pots are quite large (4.5 cms wide x 4.5 cms long x 3cms tall) so much bigger than your typical lip balm container. Elf refers to it as 'the ideal lip balm to carry with you, or take when you travel' but I'd argue that its quite space-consuming!

The texture of these balms are lovely - quite thick but not sticky on the lips - they definitely have more of a lipstick feel to them when applied and a creme finish (no shimmer or glitter here!) They have a gorgeous coconut scent too and the added bonus of factor 15 SPF. The two shades I opted for were Mellow Mellon and Nice and Natural.

Mellow Melon is a pinky coral and Nice & Natural is a true neutral nude. The color payoff is pretty good and gives a noticeable but sheer wash of colour.

So there you have it - a semi-successful Elf haul. I like the concealer shades but the formula sadly won't work for me (if there is any drier skinned gals out there who fancy trying this give me a shout as I'm happy to sell it on at a discount).The lip balms however are a win for me. I've been wearing Nice & Natural every day since I got it and am looking forward to giving Mellow Melon a whirl this weekend!

Until next time,

Hauled: Givenchy & Eyeko!

I've almost completely hit pan on the coral shade from this YSL shadow duo and as replacement decided to go for Chic Coral from Givenchy's Le Prisme Yeux Mono eyeshadow range.

Like its YSL predecessor the packaging on this shadow is just amazing - I love the mirrored logo to the top and that the case has a magnetic rather than clasp closure - it closes with a luxuriously satisfying clunk!

The compact features a single colour shadow but with four different textures to allow you to create a multidimensional look with just one product - there's a matte shadow, two levels of pearl finish and a 'sequined' one (aka glittery-ish!)

I wasn't really able to capture the different textures in the picture but here's a shot anyway :) I haven't included any swatches either as it barely shows up on my hands which are slightly tanned from the recent sunshine!

The shadow costs £20 but I managed to get a couple of pounds off as part of Debenhams' Easter Extravaganza event.

Another recent purchase is Eyeko's Big Eyes Mascara. This is my first try of Eyeko products and I'm impressed so far (with the customer service & delivery anyway!)

I love the fact that this mascara comes in a squeezy tube - can imagine it makes it easier to get as much of the product out as possible. The brush is also a new venture for me as its so tiny...

....will let you know how I get on! The mascara was £8.95 from Eyeko's website (delivery is free!)

Until next time,

Hauled: Elf

Just a small Elf haul to share with you - most of these products have been swatched/ reviewed on many a blog but it doesn't hurt to show them again does it!?

First up the Studio Complexion brush which I bought to replace my Body Shop Face & Body brush that I've somehow managed to lose (lord knows how - its blinking enormous!)

Its early days but so far I actually prefer this brush to the awol Body Shop one it has replaced - its lovely and fluffy but slightly tapered so great for getting into those cheek hollows with the bronzer!

Next up is the Complexion Perfection compact again from the Studio range which I bought because I umm and aaah over it every time I'm on the Elf site and need to just try it to stop me wondering!

Next up was a new Eyebrow Kit in Dark as I've hit pan (on the cream/gel side) on my current one. I love this product - would even go as far to say its my holy grail product for taming wayward brows.

Last but not least was a gift with purchase in the form of a Super Glossy Lip Shine in Mauve Luxe. Now I don't know about you but when I think of the colour mauve my mind (and google images) conjures up something like this...



but what you get when you swatch it is this....

a rusty mid brown?? :-/ Not my cup of tea at all colour-wise and the formula of this gloss is also really really sticky....bleuuuuurgh!

Until next time,

Hauled: Rimmel, Lee Stafford & Boots 17

A few beauty buys that I picked up whilst visiting my mummy last weekend.... 

From left to right:

♥ Lee Stafford Nourishing Miracle Oil. I'm in desperate need of a hair cut so hoping the Argan Oil in this serum will sort out my split ends till I can get an appointment!

♥ Rimmel 25 Hour foundation - I picked this up after seeing loads of great blogger reviews including Nicoletta's here

♥ Rimmel Colour Show Off lipstick in Shocking Pink. I've had my eye on Nars Schiap lippie for a while but couldn't justify the price tag so picked this up instead - its not really a dupe, more a substitute until payday!!

♥ Boots 17 Crackle Top Coat nail polish - I'm late to the crackle party but saw this on the 17 stand and had to give it a whirl.

Swatches to follow...shout if there is anything you'd like to see a more thorough review off!

Until next time,

p.s I'm totting up all my giveaway entries as we speak and will reveal the winners tomorrow evening! :)

Hauled: Haus of Gloi

I recently placed my first order with Haus of Gloi. In case you've not yet had the pleasure of their products they are US based brand run by hubbie and wife duo Matt & Britton who create their own vegan bath, body and perfume products. A quick scan of their website will show you that most of their products have a 'foody' theme based on comforting fragrances and ingredients.

Check out the gorgeous labels!

The first item I picked was a Mango Sticky Rice whipped soap which is a gorgeous rich body cleanser with coconut and sesame seed. It lathers really well and leaves your skin baby soft and gently scented. I've also been using it as a 'luxury' shave gel  - lucky old leg hairs! I think this post was about $6...I can't check the exact price as its no longer available on their site. Many of their lines are limited edition as they're made from a batch of fragrance & once its gone its gone - there are plenty of other goodies to choose from but be quick with your orders if you see something you like!

Next up is Vice bubbling scrub which was $3.50 for a 2oz pot which they also refer to as a sample size. This is a sugar based scrub and although its not recommended for use on your face it gives quite a gentle level of exfoliation. Despite this not being the most scrubbiest scrub I've every tried the scent is INCREDIBLE. The official Haus of Gloi description reads...

"Steam billows rolling off a vessel of fresh made Turkish coffee, marshmallow goo tainted by graham cracker crumbs, toasted hazelnuts and blanketed in black chocolate"

...and it smells exactly how you'd imagine these ingredients would. Or if your imagination needs a hand, like a steaming mug of Starbucks coffee with caramel AND hazlenut syrup shots, marshmallows melted on the top and a chocolate stirrer to finish it off! .

As well as the two products I ordered they also popped into my delivery a sample vial of their Satyr perfume which a scrummy blend of vanilla and blood orange and a little handwritten thank you card (got to love the personal touch of a small independant company!)

So not surprisngly I can confirm that my first experience of Haus of Gloi has been an awesome one - fabulous, unique beauty products, gorgeous packaging and great customer service. I love!

Until next time,

pssssttt! don't forget to enter my giveaway here

Tiny Haulage

Hi everybody hope you're all well and enjoying the downhill ride towards the weekend!

I got back from my work trip yesterday which was tiring but productive. Copenhagen was really nice but slightly ruined by a couple of rather large fails on my part. I flew out early on Sunday so I could do some shopping before my meetings started on Monday not realising that the shops in Denmark are only open the first Sunday of the month so were all shut :( I decided all was not lost and I could still do the cultural/sightseeing thing....only to find that Andy had taken the memory card out of the camera so I couldn't even take any decent photos!

All was not lost though on the shopping front as in the airport on the way home I managed to snaffle this little beauty....

Marquise D  from the infamous Wonder Woman collection. This is my first limited edition Mac product and I can see why they attract so much attention - the packaging is just wicked.....

I never keep the boxes for anything but I definitely won't be throwing this one away! Here's a quick swatchy for your perusal too...

So I'm off to get some tea and get some more posts written up - my first Haus of Gloi order arrived whilst I was away so will  be back to share that soon and I'm working on a hair history post too - if I can bear to share the piccies!! :)

Until next time,

 

pssssttt! don't forget to enter my giveaway here

A little Boots haul

Just a few bits that I picked up from good old Boots this afternoon...

The TRESemme Vibrantly Smooth shampoo and Nourish & Renew conditioner are a whooping 500ml each and were on a two for £4.50 offer (Not bad for a litre of product!) I've never used TRESemme products before but hope they're good because its going to take me ages to use them up! I also grabbed a bottle of tea tree oil too which I'm going to use on a couple of annoying bad skin breakouts :( 

Whilst picking up a new bottle of my beloved Healthy Mix from the Bourjois stand, their Delice de Poudre bronzer caught my eye. Of late I've been using the E.l.f Blush and Bronze Duo but am finding the bronzer is a a bit too dark and making my skin look almost dirty in the wrong light - not a good look! I've read many a positive post about the Bourjois bronzer so snapped it up in shade 52. The first thing I did on opening it up was get a sniff of its lovely chocolately fragrance. Nom!

There was a 3 for 2 offer on Bourjois bits so I also grabbed a blush pot in Lilas D'Or - the packaging is Limited Edition and very cute. As well as the 3 for 2, by buying three items you also get a gwp in the form of a Bourjois travel card holder (that I don't really have much need for) and a booklet of vouchers which offers monthly savings on various Bourjois products  (that I have lots of need for!)

Finally a couple of swatches of the bronzer and blush for you...I'm slightly alarmed at how orange the bronzer looks but will try and reserve judgement until I've given it a proper road test  :- /



Without flash





With flash



Until next time,

Body Shop Earth Lovers shower gel

My current adoration for The Body Shop grew even more today when I got an email through with details of their new Earth Lovers range of shower gels.

According to the website this soap free shower gel is made from 100% bio-degradable ingredients and is sulphate, paraben and colourant-free.

The email I got was offering Love Your Body cardholders the chance to get a free bottle of the shower gel so being the bargain lover that I am I stopped by the Body Shop on my way home to nab my freebie.

The natural scents available are Watermelon & Eucalyptus, Pear & Lemongrass, Lemon & Thyme, Cucumber & Mint, Apricot & Basil, and Fig & Rosemary. There's also an unfragranced version in case you prefer your products completely au natural! I could have happily bought any of the fragrances - they all smelt lovely - but finally plumped for Fig & Rosemary and can't wait for shower-time tonight to try it out.

If you're interested in trying the range there is also an 'buy one get one half price' offer available on the website

As you''ll see from the piccie a bottle of their Oil-free foundation also found its way into my basket. This was a total impulse buy, I really don't need a new foundation (I haven't even got round to trying out the face atelier ones from yesterday's post properly!) but I now have appear to have another one to try :-/

Until next time,

Body Shop Bargains

Today the boyf and I went to Oxford for a bit of a mooch around a few museums and the shops. I made a beeline for the Body Shop to spend the £30 body shop voucher I picked up on GroupOn for just £12!

I came away with the following...

From left: Aloe Calming Toner, Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion, Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash, Deo-Dry Deodorant Stick and Seaweed Clarifying Toner

I also got a couple of lovely freebies...firstly for spending £15 on face care they threw in a Chamomile Gentle Eye Make-up Remover which is worth a fairly hefty £8 when .bought separately I also got the 4th heart stamp on my Love Your Body Card so used my £5 gift on a cute Love Etc solid perfume heart.

So basically I walked out with £43 worth of stuff after handing over just £12 :) I've also just noticed whilst emptying out the carrier bag to take these snaps that the receipt is also a voucher for £10 off when you spend £25 any time in the month of March so one to watch out for if you're stocking up at the Body Shop some time soon. They really are going all out with the deals at the moment and be sure to check out GroupOn too if you haven't already :)

Until next time,