Clinique Do The Best Free Gifts

Clinique occasionally do an offer of a free gift set when you spend over a certain amount. And when they do, I almost always fall for them! I say fall, but it's more like falling in love than falling for a trick. This is not a trick. This is a bargain!

Clinique is one of my favourite brands on the highstreet. It feels luxurious, but it is fairly affordable. And some of their skincare products are my holy grail, like the Clinique Anti Blemish Clinical Clearing Gel which is my favourite and I have spoken about it so many times of this blog. And this was exactly what I needed to repurchase when I found out that John Lewis had an exclusive offer running. An offer I couldn't refuse...

Inside the beautiful wash bag I got six little Clinique minis (although the lipstick is actually full size!). The first two were these pots of Clinique moisturiser, a day and a night cream. I've used these for a couple of days and so far I am really impressed. They are very rich, which is amazing as at the moment my skin is so dry. The day cream has an SPF in it which is essential to me, although 15 is the lowest I will go. But it is really light to apply and feels like it lasts hours. Today is Sunday so I am having a no makeup day, but this moisturiser has appeared to have blurred some of my imperfections. And the night cream is very similar only minus the SPF and slightly richer. But I'll keep trying these out so that I can give a full review at some point.

The gift also included a couple of makeup goodies, a lipstick and a mascara. Firstly we can't ignore this incredible lipstick packaging. How pretty is that?! The idea of a jet black mascara and a red lipstick just makes me this of a really fresh-faced and slightly Parisian makeup look. The red is a true letter box red and the mascara I have tried before and is one of my favourites. It's also great to have a little mini to throw in to my handbag.

And finally a couple more skincare items. The face wash I am really excited to try as it is aimed towards Dry Combination skin, which is what my skin currently is since I have been on Roaccutane. And I'm hoping that this will be really gentle but still leave my skin feeling clean and fresh. And the little bottle of eye makeup remover is perfect for when I'm away. Even if I am just spending the night at a friends I will always taken my makeup off properly, this just means I won't have to carry around my huge bottle of Micellar Water!

I can't wait to continue to try some of these new products and maybe give some full reviews on the blog soon. And if you also want to get your hands on this goodie bag (I think there may be a few variations to choose from), the offer end on 11th March.

Speak soon xx

L'occitane Freebies

L'occitane Freebies

A couple of weeks ago my friend forwarded me an email about a free L'occitane gift set when you give your email address. And while, if I am honest I am not a huge fan of giving my email address to brands. I already receive what feels like hundreds of emails a day trying to sell me the latest collection of something or other, that I just don't bother reading anymore! But this way I got a free beauty gift - and I'm not one to say no to that!

So after picking up my free Nero coffee with O2 Priority (student life!) I collected my little box of L'occitane minis. The travel set came in the most beautiful packaging, with four little travel products inside. The one that I noticed first was the little hand cream as I actually tried this one not too long ago and really loved it. This tube is even smaller though and I am going to try and save this one for when I am using clutch bags as I think it will be perfect for that.

But my favourite of the four would have to be the little yellow tub of face cream. It's very thick and incredibly moisturising so I have only been using this once or twice a week as to not clog up my pores. My skin isn't actually too dry at the moment anyway. But the morning after using this my skin just feels so lovely and plump! It also smells really luxurious and a little bit goes a really long way so I still have a fair amount of this left.

I am yet to try the shampoo and shower gel. I think that I will probably save them for my holiday this Summer. Although that said I am slightly more sceptical to try the shampoo for some reason. But maybe this will be a good one for every one to two weeks just to strip back all the other product build up.

Let me know if you have tried any L'occitane products that you love. It is still a brand that I am quite new too, but I think they do some lovely things that would make really good presents.

Speak soon xx

Clinique Skincare

Clinique Skincare

This is another post that I have been meaning to write for so long! But I guess the fact that it is probably nearly two months after I took these photos, and I still want to talk about these products means they really are that good!

Sadly, unlike a lot of my friends, I was not one of those people who was blessed with the genetics of perfect skin. My skin is something that I have had issues with ever since I started Secondary School and I still have some problems with now. I can't even being to imagine how many skincare products I have tried from so many different brands, all claiming to left my skin perfectly clear, and most leaving me pretty disappointed.

Clinique is a brand pretty well known for their skincare, with products that a lot of people (including some of my "perfect skin" friends) swear by. I first came across the Clinique anti-blemish solution over a year ago now after it was recommended by my doctor. At £20 for a little bottle of gel, it seems a little expensive. I thought the same when I first look the plunge and bought it. But this is one of the few products in my skincare routine that I use almost everyday and have continued to repurchase ever since.

Thankfully for my purse, a little bit of this really does go a long way. Particularly if you have fairly sensitive skin like I do, you don't want to be using too much of this stuff. When I first used it I thought I needed it on every single spot I had, so I literally slathered it all over my face, which just left my face feeling very tight! I have found that the best way to use this is after my cleanser and toner, morning and night on specific spots. And then if I have a particularly nasty one I will reapply this a couple of times throughout the day too. What I really love about this is as soon as I start to feel a spot coming I can apply this a few times during the day and often the spot will disappear without ever coming to the surface!

The Clinique dramatically different moisturiser is something that is slightly newer to my skincare routine. Not long ago while I was really trying to get rid of my acne I was using a moisturiser for spot prone skin that wasn't actually particularly moisturising. I thought that the best way to get rid of my spots was to dry my skin out. And to some extent that does work, to get rid of a spot you want to dry it out, you just don't want to dry your whole face out in the process! Especially if you have dry/combination skin like myself.

One of my best friends who I am currently living with swears by this moisturiser (and most things from Clinique). So when last Winter I was complaining about my skin feeling really dry she let me use her bottle of this for a few days. And it only took a few days for me to be completely sold and go and buy myself  a bottle. This is just the nicest moisturiser than I have used. It doesn't smell weird, its so easy to apply and feels really lovely. It sinks into my skin quickly and feels moisturising without being greasy. And on top of all that I also find that it is the perfect base moisturiser underneath makeup.

Let me know if you have tried either of these products or if you have any other favourite products from Clinique.

Speak soon xx

Little Lush Surprise

Little Lush Surprise

I have literally spent the whole of today at my desk doing a fun mix of revision and coursework. So when my little sister got back from her shopping trip (I wish I was still 13!) and surprised me with my favourite LUSH bathbomb, Butterball it was the reward that I needed. I thought I would take a quick break to take a pretty picture and write up a quick blogpost. Although it does mean I still haven't really moved from my desk yet!

I know that I have already talked about this product on my blog before, but I think it might even be over a year ago now. I don't actually find myself in LUSH that often, all the different scents can get a bit overwhelming for me and for some reason I tend to get a sore throat. But of the LUSH products that I have tried this is the one that I will always repurchase. It smells clean and fresh but adds a small amount of oil or "butter" to the bath that leaves my skin feeling so silky smooth.

The idea of a LUSH bath this evening is making me so excited. I only shower at when I am at uni and avoid the bath altogether for hygiene reasons, the idea of using a bath in a student house wouldn't make me feel clean! So for me going home means seeing my family and dog, a bed where I can't feel the springs and a nice hot bath.

Hope you all have a nice relaxing evening xx

Another Olivia Palermo Lipstick

Another Olivia Palermo Lipstick

It wasn't too long ago since my last Olivia Palermo x Ciaté London haul (which you can have a read of here)! I picked up two beautiful nail polishes and a lipstick, which I have worn almost everyday since. The packaging is gold and beautifully sleek, and the formula is just perfect. It feels so lovely to apply, lasts for a long time and isn't at all drying. So when I recently found myself back in TK Maxx and spotted the same lipstick in a different shade I just couldn't leave it behind.

The shade I picked up is called Cashmere and it is another beautiful nude. I probably already have too many nude lipsticks but it is what I wear nearly everyday so why not have a selection?! I don't actually have anything too similar to this Cashmere shade, it's a lot paler than I would usually go for. But I would describe it as being the lighter version of the other Olivia Palermo lipstick that I already have. What I really love about these lipstick is they are the perfect blend of nude, brown and pink, and they still look so lovely and natural on the lips. They are also great for everyday but also to compliment a smokey eye as I imagine Olivia Palermo would wear them.

I really can't get enough of these lipsticks, they definitely have the best formula that I have tried in a long time. I personally find them even better than some of my MAC lipsticks! I really can't rave enough about the Olivia Palermo x Ciaté London collection, it's sleek, the formulas are amazing and she has chosen all of the classic shades that you need. Definitely recommend! xx

Endless Glove

Endless Glove

I recently found myself running pretty low on hand cream, which like lip balm I seem to get through at a ridiculous rate. So while in Boots I picked up this little tube of Soap and Glory's Endless Glove. I had never tried this before but with the big claim of 2-in-1 moisture mask and hand cream I thought I'd give it a go! And at only £2 it wasn't going to put me much further into my student overdraft!

Despite the fact that Spring has now started (which I only know as my Instagram feed went crazy with pictures of blossom and "Hello Spring"!) it is still pretty chilly outside. And my hands, nails and cuticles are getting desperate for some vitamin D and TLC. So the idea of a "hand mask" while sounding totally impractical was also very intriguing.

It's rare for me to talk about products that I really haven't got along with, especially from Soap and Glory. I can't rave enough about their Brow Archery, which has changed my life (brows). But for me it was not endless love with Endless Glove. They say never judge a book by its cover, but sadly before I even notice if a product actually works I have judged two things; packaging and scent.

This hand cream totally passes at packaging, pink and cute, what more could you want? It's just the smell I can't get past. I'm not too sure what scent Soap and Glory were really going for here, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't citrus, old people and a hint of courgettes. Who wants their hands to smell like that?!

I'm now using this as a before bed one as it is still pretty moisturising, I am just too embarrassed to use this in public.  How can Soap and Glory get it so right with Hand Food and so wrong with this?!

xx

Zara Perfumes

Zara Perfumes 

 

I finally got around to purchasing some Zara perfumes after so many of my friends went on about how good they were. I'm a huge fan of Zara anyway, I love there clothes, their accessories and their homewear, but for some reason I had never tried their perfumes. 

 

After spraying and sniffing scents to the point that I could hardly smell anything at all I came away with these two. Although there are so many that I now want! I chose a light floral scent and a more musky scent. 

 

I actually think floral Bouquet is my favourite at the moment. It's very sweet and floral but light and feminine and I think this will be perfect for Spring and Summer. 

 

So if you haven't yet tried any Zara perfumes I would definitely recommend them, especially for how reasonably priced they are. And I love these beautiful minimal style bottles, that look perfect in my room. 

 

Speak soon xx

 

Zara Perfumes

Zara Perfumes 

I finally got around to purchasing some Zara perfumes after so many of my friends went on about how good they were. I'm a huge fan of Zara anyway, I love there clothes, their accessories and their homewear, but for some reason I had never tried their perfumes. 

After spraying and sniffing scents to the point that I could hardly smell anything at all I came away with these two. Although there are so many that I now want! I chose a light floral scent and a more musky scent. 

I actually think floral Bouquet is my favourite at the moment. It's very sweet and floral but light and feminine and I think this will be perfect for Spring and Summer. 

So if you haven't yet tried any Zara perfumes I would definitely recommend them, especially for how reasonably priced they are. And I love these beautiful minimal style bottles, that look perfect in my room. 

Speak soon xx

Burt's Bees

Burt's Bees 

I'm not sure before this set I had ever tried anything from Burt's Bees, which is crazy as I am a beauty lover and they are a pretty big brand. 

 

One thing that I had heard was that Burt's Bees do some pretty amazing lip balms. And even though I have a whole draw of about fifteen lip balms in my room, another five in the bottom of my handbag and one in the pocket of nearly every coat that I own, a girl can never have to many lip balms! Especially in Winter!

 

This cute little set came with three different lip balms and a hand cream. The lip balm in the tin is probably my least favourite as it is lemon flavoured which isn't something that I would usually go for. The two lip balms in the stick form are really lovely though. My favourite is the original as it smells lovely and refreshing and when I apply it my lips feel all tingly. It sounds strange and I don't actually think it is doing any plumping like some other lip products. But it leaves my lips feeling so refreshed and moisturised for hours. It's also a great one for under lipsticks as it is not glossy or sticky. The red one doesn't actually have that much colour, but also smells really good. 

 

The hand cream smells lemony but in a nicer refreshing way to the lip balm. It is light but thick and absorbs really quickly so one that I have been throwing in my handbag for on the go. I just hate the feeling of dry hands so a get though hand creams so quickly!

 

So far I am pretty impressed by Burt's Bees in term of their moisturising qualities. I do love fruity scents but I definietly thing there are some much nicer ones than lemon! I would really like to try some of their lip glosses that I have seen. In my mind they are going to be more of a lip balm lip gloss hybrid so I won't be left with sticky lips that my hair gets stuck to! Has anyone tried them and would you recommend? Let me know in the comments below. 

 

Speak soon xx

Burt's Bees

Burt's Bees 

I'm not sure before this set I had ever tried anything from Burt's Bees, which is crazy as I am a beauty lover and they are a pretty big brand. 

One thing that I had heard was that Burt's Bees do some pretty amazing lip balms. And even though I have a whole draw of about fifteen lip balms in my room, another five in the bottom of my handbag and one in the pocket of nearly every coat that I own, a girl can never have to many lip balms! Especially in Winter!

This cute little set came with three different lip balms and a hand cream. The lip balm in the tin is probably my least favourite as it is lemon flavoured which isn't something that I would usually go for. The two lip balms in the stick form are really lovely though. My favourite is the original as it smells lovely and refreshing and when I apply it my lips feel all tingly. It sounds strange and I don't actually think it is doing any plumping like some other lip products. But it leaves my lips feeling so refreshed and moisturised for hours. It's also a great one for under lipsticks as it is not glossy or sticky. The red one doesn't actually have that much colour, but also smells really good. 

The hand cream smells lemony but in a nicer refreshing way to the lip balm. It is light but thick and absorbs really quickly so one that I have been throwing in my handbag for on the go. I just hate the feeling of dry hands so a get though hand creams so quickly!

So far I am pretty impressed by Burt's Bees in term of their moisturising qualities. I do love fruity scents but I definietly thing there are some much nicer ones than lemon! I would really like to try some of their lip glosses that I have seen. In my mind they are going to be more of a lip balm lip gloss hybrid so I won't be left with sticky lips that my hair gets stuck to! Has anyone tried them and would you recommend? Let me know in the comments below. 

Speak soon xx

Olivia Palermo for Ciaté London

Olivia Palermo for Ciaté London

   

 

I have officially finished my January exams! It's so good to be back home and have such a huge weight off my shoulders, and I can't wait to get back into blogging again. 

 

This morning mum and I got I quite early and took a trip to a shopping park. I needed to get some plain bedding for Homesense, but we also had a look in TK Maxx. Whenever I go to TK Maxx I always have a look at their beauty section. They often have some great brands, and if you can find one that hasn't yet been opened it is a really great deal! 

 

 

If you were to ask me who my style icon would be Olivia Palermo would probably be my first answer. She manages to look effortless, yet so put together at the same time, and her makeup and hair are always beautiful. So when I heard that she was collaborating with Ciaté London I was very excited. 

I was so amazed to spot this gorgeous Olivia Palermo lipstick in TK Maxx, especially as the collection is still fairly recent.This browny nude lipstick in the shade Praline is right up my street and I think this will be perfect for everyday and matching with a smokey eye. The gold packaging is gorgeous and I'm sure that the quality will be just as lovely. 

I also spotted the most beautiful Olivia Palermo nail polishes in white boxes with gold writing. They were properly sealed in cellophane so I knew they were new and unopened. TK Maxx had three different shades, all about half price. 

In the end I went for Hutch, Olivia's go to red and Sunday's, her off duty nude. Olivia is often wearing an amazing red nail polish and I can't wait to try this one. It looks like the perfect true red. This baby pink also looks so pretty and perfect for just a simple natural colour. 

 

I haven't yet tried either of these, need to decide which colour I am going to go for first! Although I have opened them both up and they both have the tall brush handle but also a nice thick brush, so I am already very impressed. 

I think these Olivia Palermo x Ciaté London deserve to go on display somewhere in my bedroom as they are just so beautiful. Olivia's style has yet again left me in owe.

 

I am off to meet by best friend soon and brave the typical English rain for a dog walk! But I think I will treat myself to a nice manicure this evening.

Speak soon xx

Olivia Palermo for Ciaté London

Olivia Palermo for Ciaté London

I have officially finished my January exams! It's so good to be back home and have such a huge weight off my shoulders, and I can't wait to get back into blogging again. 

This morning mum and I got I quite early and took a trip to a shopping park. I needed to get some plain bedding for Homesense, but we also had a look in TK Maxx. Whenever I go to TK Maxx I always have a look at their beauty section. They often have some great brands, and if you can find one that hasn't yet been opened it is a really great deal! 

If you were to ask me who my style icon would be Olivia Palermo would probably be my first answer. She manages to look effortless, yet so put together at the same time, and her makeup and hair are always beautiful. So when I heard that she was collaborating with Ciaté London I was very excited. 

I was so amazed to spot this gorgeous Olivia Palermo lipstick in TK Maxx, especially as the collection is still fairly recent.This browny nude lipstick in the shade Praline is right up my street and I think this will be perfect for everyday and matching with a smokey eye. The gold packaging is gorgeous and I'm sure that the quality will be just as lovely. 

I also spotted the most beautiful Olivia Palermo nail polishes in white boxes with gold writing. They were properly sealed in cellophane so I knew they were new and unopened. TK Maxx had three different shades, all about half price. 

In the end I went for Hutch, Olivia's go to red and Sunday's, her off duty nude. Olivia is often wearing an amazing red nail polish and I can't wait to try this one. It looks like the perfect true red. This baby pink also looks so pretty and perfect for just a simple natural colour. 

I haven't yet tried either of these, need to decide which colour I am going to go for first! Although I have opened them both up and they both have the tall brush handle but also a nice thick brush, so I am already very impressed. 

I think these Olivia Palermo x Ciaté London deserve to go on display somewhere in my bedroom as they are just so beautiful. Olivia's style has yet again left me in owe.

I am off to meet by best friend soon and brave the typical English rain for a dog walk! But I think I will treat myself to a nice manicure this evening.

Speak soon xx

ELLE December Issue Benefit Freebie

ELLE December Issue Benefit Freebie 

Recently there have been so many amazing freebies in some of my favourite magazines so I thought I would share another one with you. 

I'm not really a fan of those celebrity gossip magazines, most of the time I have no idea who the "celebrity" is. But I do love curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and reading a fashion magazine. I love finding out about all the knew upcoming trends, what's on the catwalk, inspiration of outfits I can put together and making a wishlist of trends and products I might want to buy into. 

ELLE Magazine has been one of my favourites for years, I'm actually a subscriber. And I get so excited whenever it comes in the post. But when they have samples of new products from brands like Benefit my excitement is just at a whole new level! Fashion and beauty - my two favourite things!

In this months ELLE, the December Issue you can find the new Benefit They're Real Mascara Primer. The idea of a mascara Primer is a whole new concept to me. But we prime out skin before makeup, and our eyelids before applying eyeshadow so I guess it does make sense if you want your mascara to work that bit harder. 

What I really lie about this product is that you can also wear it on it's own just as a really natural mascara. Recently I have been loving the "no makeup, makeup" look, mostly cus I have been a bit ill and feeling a little lazy when it comes to makeup. But this mascara looks so pretty and natural and I am actually quite a fan or brown mascaras.  

The brush of this product is really nice and able to coat all the lashes with the primer, even those little bottom lashes. The idea behind this is to wear it under a mascara for even more dramatic lashes. And for a night out it does work. it even claims you can apply your mascara on up to 6 hours after applying the primer. Although I really hate the idea of putting mascara on top of dry mascara, of makeup on top of old makeup. 

So while I'm probably not going to be using this for it's actual use as a mascara primer quite so much (apart from maybe nights out) I will be using ti as a more natural mascara for everyday. A very natural brown mascara was definitely something that was missing from my collection. 

So if you haven't already I really recommend treating yourself to the December ELLE. Not only will your be able to try the Benefit Mascara Primer before it is released but the magazine is great for a chill out evening by the fire. And it features Alexa Chung who is one of my all time favourite style icons! xx

ELLE December Issue Benefit Freebie

ELLE December Issue Benefit Freebie 

Recently there have been so many amazing freebies in some of my favourite magazines so I thought I would share another one with you. 

I'm not really a fan of those celebrity gossip magazines, most of the time I have no idea who the "celebrity" is. But I do love curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and reading a fashion magazine. I love finding out about all the knew upcoming trends, what's on the catwalk, inspiration of outfits I can put together and making a wishlist of trends and products I might want to buy into. 

ELLE Magazine has been one of my favourites for years, I'm actually a subscriber. And I get so excited whenever it comes in the post. But when they have samples of new products from brands like Benefit my excitement is just at a whole new level! Fashion and beauty - my two favourite things!

In this months ELLE, the December Issue you can find the new Benefit They're Real Mascara Primer. The idea of a mascara Primer is a whole new concept to me. But we prime out skin before makeup, and our eyelids before applying eyeshadow so I guess it does make sense if you want your mascara to work that bit harder. 

What I really lie about this product is that you can also wear it on it's own just as a really natural mascara. Recently I have been loving the "no makeup, makeup" look, mostly cus I have been a bit ill and feeling a little lazy when it comes to makeup. But this mascara looks so pretty and natural and I am actually quite a fan or brown mascaras.  

The brush of this product is really nice and able to coat all the lashes with the primer, even those little bottom lashes. The idea behind this is to wear it under a mascara for even more dramatic lashes. And for a night out it does work. it even claims you can apply your mascara on up to 6 hours after applying the primer. Although I really hate the idea of putting mascara on top of dry mascara, of makeup on top of old makeup. 

So while I'm probably not going to be using this for it's actual use as a mascara primer quite so much (apart from maybe nights out) I will be using ti as a more natural mascara for everyday. A very natural brown mascara was definitely something that was missing from my collection. 

So if you haven't already I really recommend treating yourself to the December ELLE. Not only will your be able to try the Benefit Mascara Primer before it is released but the magazine is great for a chill out evening by the fire. And it features Alexa Chung who is one of my all time favourite style icons! xx

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation

So I may have found my perfect foundation. And it is beautiful.

I had read so many blogposts raving about this product, but is is hard to know just from some pictures whether something is going to work for you. But when a close friend told me how amazing it was and I could see it in person it gave me the final push to make the purchase. Thankfully I did have some gift vouchers left over from my birthday. I am a student after all! 

Buying a nice foundation, or any expensive makeup is not really something you want to rush into. You need to be sure that the texture and colour are right so that you don't end up wasting money on something that looks beautiful on the dressing table but serves no purpose in your makeup bag. 

Once I had decided that I wanted to try out the foundation I went to a YSL counter in House of Fraser where I was colour matched by a professional. I was then given a little sample bottle of my shade free of charge to test out over the next few days. As it turns out my summer holiday tan faded quicker that I had hoped and less than two weeks later the sample shade was slightly too dark. So I went back to the counter where I was colour matched again to my perfect shade, Beige Rose BR30. 

Being able to try the foundation out and make sure I was picking my perfect shade made finally handing over my card a whole lot easier. I knew I was buying something that I loved and would use. 

The foundation itself is a lovely light texture that looks so natural. I love that it covers blemishes and makes my skin look clear and healthy but you can still see my little freckles on my nose! Its dewy is so easy to blend with a brush or a beauty blender. This is also the first foundation that I own that I have properly been colour matched too. Having the perfect shade for my skin really does make sure a difference in the final appearance of the foundation. 

And I have use this a lot. Nearly everyday probably. And it is the only thing I will use for the evening or a night out. 

I don't usually wear foundations or anything too heavy on my skin during the daytime as I like to let my skin breathe as much as possible. But I have been reaching for this foundation on days where my skin is playing up a bit or I just need that extra confidence boost. It looks so light and natural, you can't really tell I am wearing anything. And for the evenings I apply a bit more and after a whole night of dancing it will still look perfect! 

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation

So I may have found my perfect foundation. And it is beautiful.

I had read so many blogposts raving about this product, but is is hard to know just from some pictures whether something is going to work for you. But when a close friend told me how amazing it was and I could see it in person it gave me the final push to make the purchase. Thankfully I did have some gift vouchers left over from my birthday. I am a student after all! 

Buying a nice foundation, or any expensive makeup is not really something you want to rush into. You need to be sure that the texture and colour are right so that you don't end up wasting money on something that looks beautiful on the dressing table but serves no purpose in your makeup bag. 

Once I had decided that I wanted to try out the foundation I went to a YSL counter in House of Fraser where I was colour matched by a professional. I was then given a little sample bottle of my shade free of charge to test out over the next few days. As it turns out my summer holiday tan faded quicker that I had hoped and less than two weeks later the sample shade was slightly too dark. So I went back to the counter where I was colour matched again to my perfect shade, Beige Rose BR30. 

Being able to try the foundation out and make sure I was picking my perfect shade made finally handing over my card a whole lot easier. I knew I was buying something that I loved and would use. 

The foundation itself is a lovely light texture that looks so natural. I love that it covers blemishes and makes my skin look clear and healthy but you can still see my little freckles on my nose! Its dewy is so easy to blend with a brush or a beauty blender. This is also the first foundation that I own that I have properly been colour matched too. Having the perfect shade for my skin really does make sure a difference in the final appearance of the foundation. 

And I have use this a lot. Nearly everyday probably. And it is the only thing I will use for the evening or a night out. 

I don't usually wear foundations or anything too heavy on my skin during the daytime as I like to let my skin breathe as much as possible. But I have been reaching for this foundation on days where my skin is playing up a bit or I just need that extra confidence boost. It looks so light and natural, you can't really tell I am wearing anything. And for the evenings I apply a bit more and after a whole night of dancing it will still look perfect! 

H&M Beauty Bits

H&M Beauty Bits 

Last weekend I made a little trip to H&M to check out their new beauty range. They have just brought out a 700 piece collection, including lipsticks, eyeshadows, face products and lots of beauty tools, with prices starting from £1.90. So naturally, I had to go and cover the back of my hand in all the different colours.
Thankfully they provide makeup wipes!

Firstly I actually love the packaging of the products, the white and gold is right up my street. It looks so sleek and expensive.
Eyeshadow is probably my favourite makeup to shop for, I love looking at all the different colours (even though I am always drawn to the neutral shades!). H&M had a whole stand for all the different individual eyeshadows. They have such an incredible selection of matte, shimmery and really glittery shades in a huge range of colour. And what did I go for? An almost matte light brown!

The shade that I went for is called Candied Almond, which I think is a really cute name. I love the warm tones and how this appears to be matte until you look really closely and see there is a slight shimmer. I tried this shade the other day all over my lids, blended into my crease and then a little along my lower lash line. I was so impressed by the pigmentation and how easy this was so blend. For the price of £4.99 I definitely feel that these are some of the best eyeshadows that the highstreet has to offer. And I will definitely be going back to try some of the other shades. 

The other section that I was drawn to was the lipstick collection, again the beautiful white and gold packaging in so many different shades. I was drawn to this beautiful deep red shade as I thought it would look perfect for this time of year. The shade is called Fareham Brick and it's a matte shade but still very creamy. I wore this a couple of days ago with winged liner and lots of mascara and it looked so chic. This is beautiful to apply and lasted a good 2/3 hours before I needed to reapply. I think the deep red is a really unique shade and looks so pretty for Autumn. 

I have needed a new makeup bag for such a long time now, my old one has lost all of its colour and actually looks pretty gross. But trying to find a pretty and practical decent sized makeup bag actually proved a lot harder than I expected. So when I spotted this one in the makeup section I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for. It's in a gorgeous taupe colour with a gold zip on the main compartment and a little front pocket. I am just in love with this and I think that it looks so much more expensive than it really was. 

I also picked up these pretty gold eyelash curlers as my ones at the moment have definitely seen better days. Even a deep clean didn't save them this time. However these H&M ones are not what I am used to. At the moment I am finding it hard to get the curlers right up to my lash line to get a really good curl. Although I am going to keep trying with these an then let you know what I think. 

The last thing that I couldn't resit was this delicate gold layered necklace. H&M jewellery is a little hit and miss for me. I find their chunkier statement pieces a bit too much. But they also do some really delicate necklaces that look really minimal and modern. This one just had the three layers and is slightly longer than most of the pendents that I own.

Hope you liked this little haul. Overall I am so impressed by H&M makeup. The prices are good, the packaging is lovely and the quality is so lovely. I would definitely recommend you check these out if they look like they are up your street. And let me know in the comments if you have tried anything from H&M beauty range and what you thought of it. xx