Tuesday 28 February 2012

Kiss Me: MUA-Love Hearts Lip Balm Review

Hi everyone :)

As you will have seen from my weekend haul post , I bought a MUA-Love Hearts lip balm. I got what I thought looked like the most pigmented shade which was 'Kiss Me', a bright red. 


red tub with white lid and red contents


Effectiveness: I was very impressed. The balm stayed on for at least two hours, which is more than can be said for other lip balms I have. It moisturised my lips well and added a nice, natural gloss.


two photos of same lips: above are matte, below are shinytwo photos of same lips: above matte, below shiny


Colour: I have to admit, I was a tad disappointed with the colour. I was expecting a really pigmented, bright red but instead, this offers a pale/ peachy pink colour. I still like the colour in regards to a lip balm, but I think I'll have to turn to some sort of lip tint for the shade I am looking for. 

Price: It was £2 which I think is a great price. As with the rest of the MUA line, this offers great quality for affordable prices. 

Smell: Surprisingly, the lip balm has a really nice vanilla smell. I usually expect drug-store products to have a cheap smell, or even no smell at all so I was really happy with the smell as in my opinion it improves the quality of the product.


white circle tub with red heart reading 'kiss me'


Flaws: When applying the balm, I found that I had an annoying deep pink residue the finger I had used. Unlike my Vaseline or other lip balms I couldn't simply wipe this on the back of my hand. However, it came off easily with a baby wipe but it concerns me that I might not have these to my disposal if I was out and using the balm.

Rating: Overall, I am pleased with this product and I think it is well worth £2 which is why I would give it 8/10!

That's all from me tonight.



Sunday 26 February 2012

MUA Mini Haul

Hi everyone (I think I can get away with saying that now that I have 10 followers-YAY)! Hope everyone's had a great weekend! As usual, I've been pretty busy but I've got lots of ideas for upcoming posts so stay tuned.

Yesterday I was in Superdrug and I had a little MUA haul. I have to say, right now this is my favourite make-up brand. It's super affordable yet surprisingly good quality. Shown below are the items that I purchased:

purple nail polish bottle, white tub, black tube, black eyeshadow palette with browns and creams, silver mascara tube, small black tube
After seeing the MUA Love Hearts products on many, many blogs, I was super-eager to try them. I got the 'U ROK' nail polish and the 'Kiss Me' lip balm and let me say, I am definitely not disappointed! The nail polish is a really unusual colour which I like because I don't have anything like it and the lip balm is great because it is pretty pigmented and stays on for hours. I think I'll do a more detailed review on those soon. 
purple nail polish with white lidwhite round tub with red heart and red writing which says 'kiss me'

I also got '12 Shade Heaven and Earth Palatte' which is a lovely mix of neutral browns and creams. I am super excited to try this as in my opinion its the savvy girls answer to the NAKED 2 palette by Urban Decay. Another bonus is that you save £1 on MUA palettes just now. 

black eyeshadhow palette with 12 shades of brown, cream and orange gold
Another purchase was the Shade 1 concealer for only £1. I tried the tester on my hand and it looks like it blends to the skin really easily and the colour matches my skin tone almost perfectly. 
small black tube with cream band in middle
I had also seen on a blog a review of the Primer so decided to give it a go. It is a nice consistency, not too runny or solid, and claims it can be worn with or without foundation on top. So far I have only used it alone though I didn't notice much of a difference to my face. I'll keep you 'posted' on how I get on with it under foundation.

black thick and flat tube
Finally I bought the extreme curl mascara. The wand is in the shape of a curve which is really unusual but effective. I bought the brown as I don't have any brown mascaras and thought it might be a nice change.

slightly curved silver mascara tube

And want to know the best part? This haul came to a tiny £15! I think for 6 products that is pretty amazing. Thanks MUA! Only thing I wanted but never found was their new lashes, my Superdrug doesn't stock them. I'll keep an eye out for them in other stores though or maybe even order them from the online store.

If you want to get your hands on some MUA products pop into your local Superdrug.

That's all from me tonight, enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

Thursday 23 February 2012

Soap & Glory - Hand Food Review

Hi :)

Hope everyone is good! Apologies for the decreasing number of posts I've been doing- I've been bombarded with homework! I'll aim to post every other day, which I think is reasonable :)

Anyway, definitely one of my favourite products at the moment is Soap & Glory Hand Food. I bought it in January to console myself after missing the Soap & Glory Big Splendour Christmas offer in Boots. It was £5 for 125ml which I thought was pretty good. Annoyingly, only a few weeks after I bought some Soap & Glory products, they became 3 for 2 in Boots. I think there's something about me that just repels special offers.

hand holding peach pink bottle which says 'HAND FOOD' in white
Packaging- As with all the Soap & Glory products, I am really impressed with the style of logos etc, and I love the quirky names. This product doesn't come in a box, but that doesn't bother me in the slightest as the bright pink of the tube is appealing enough.

Claims- 'Hand Food' claims to 'soften, smooth and soothe dry, chapped, or otherwise hampered hands'. I completely agree with this, and although its the middle of winter and my hands would normally be exceptionally dry, they have remained perfectly smooth and moisturised because I have used this cream nightly. It also claims to be a 'non-greasy hydrating ' cream. This is also true, it is absorbed by the skin very quickly and my hands are still soft even after washing.

Smell- What can I say? This has got to be one of the most beautiful scents ever! The smell is Soap & Glory's signature scent and is known as known as 'Original Pink'. It smells a lot like a high-end brand which impresses me as this cream is so affordable.

How to use- As can be seen in the picture, I use an amount only slightly bigger than a pea and that covers my whole hands. 

pink triangular tube next to white hand with white lotion
Rating- I would definitely give this hand lotion a 10/10! It not only moisturises my hands, but I feel like it softens and hydrates my nails too. I will be buying this again, and I am already considering purchasing the travel size version for my school bag. 

THE MOST ASTONISHING HAND CREAM EVER- YOU DECIDE!-
I have decided YES! At least, it's the most astonishing hand cream I've ever used! I recommend this to anyone who will listen and if you've never tried this I would say its a must!



Monday 20 February 2012

Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Hi everyone!

I've always heard such great things about Aussie products and after browsing their website, I decided that Aussome Volume was for me. I actually used Aussie when I was younger but had completely forgotten what it was like. I have quite fine, poker straight hair which on one hand is good because I don't have to style it but on the other hand I frequently feel it needs a bit of 'oompf'. So, whilst out shopping yesterday, I thought I'd give it a try:

three cream bottles with purple AUSSIE brand

Price: Each bottle is £4.49 but currently Boots have a 3 for 2 offer so I got 2 shampoo bottles and 1 conditioner for £8.98. This is more than I would usually pay for shampoo and conditioner though I think this is pretty affordable for such a good brand.

Consistency: Both products are pretty concentrated so you don't need a lot and the bottles should last a fair amount of time.

Smell: The smell of both products is beyond amazing! They're not fruity or floral, they smell very high end, like those used in hairdressers. I think that even if the shampoo and conditioner made no difference at all to my hair I would buy these again anyway, just for the smell!

Effectiveness: My hair is super soft, smooth and sleek after using these products for the first time. It feels really moisturised and in great condition. There are no tugs/ knots at all. As for volume, there is a bit of an improvement.

Flaws: I haven't found any flaws so far. The only thing I noticed was that the shampoo didn't foam very well but I think that was my own fault as I was rationing the shampoo to try and make it last so next time I'll use a bit more next time.

Rating: Overall, I am impressed with this product. It didn't work miracles though the gorgeous smell and softness of my hair after use means I give these products 8/10!


pink yellow and green text reading 'Julz'

Sunday 19 February 2012

My Current Make-Up Routine

Hi :)

Today I thought I'd do a post about my current make-up routine. No doubt this will change over the coming weeks/months- I've only been blogging a week and already I have about a million things on my to buy list that I've seen on other blogs! 

Anyway, I would say my make-up is pretty basic, I'm a big believer in 'less is more', particularly if your young (like me). My current make up is a selection of high-end and drugstore- the high-end being Clinique bonus time rejects that my mum doesn't want!

selection of makeup - brown and mint eyeshadow palette, two face brushes, white concealer tube, black mascara tube, pale green bottle, teal powder tub, small square pink blush, pink lipstick with black case and black pencil eyeliner


Products In Order Of Use: 

Clinique: Almost Makeup Shade 09: On my second tube of this stuff, it's really great as it gives coverage but not at all 'cakey' and is great for young skin as its more like a tinted moisturiser. It's a little shiny without powder though.

Rimmel London: Clear Complection Cover Stick: This is a little off my skin tone but works quite well with a base and blended in. A little drying under the eyes so I think I'll maybe get a liquid concealer next.

Avon: Translucent Pressed Powder: Does exactly it should- mattes out my face yet works in harmony with base. I really like this though I got it a very, very long time ago and I'm not sure avon still even sell them, so this has to last forever!

Clinique: Blushing Blush Powder Blush Shade 09: I think this was a Clinique bonus a while ago. I love the shade, it is great for my skin tone. Another great thing is it can be build up really nicely, so you can go for a barely there look or a more flushed (think thats the word I'm looking for)  look. 

Clinique: Cream Shaper for Eyes Shade 01: This has been in my drawer for ages and the a few days ago I decided to sharpen it and start using it again. I really like it, it defines the eye really well and stays on all day. 

Fearne: Day Compact From Dawn Till Dusk: I bought this in the Boots Christmas sale a few weeks ago, it was 75% off! I love the tones of this palette and the colour is really pigmented. I am wearing the shade to the left. 

Soap & Glory: Thick & Fast Mascara: Came with ELLE magazine, read my review here.

Nivea Lip Care Essential: An essential for everyone I think, keeps my lips really moisturised when wearing lipstick.

MUA: Lipstick Shade 9: I have a few MUA lipsticks and I think I wear this the most. It is close to my on lip colour which I like because it's simple enough to wear day to day. Stays on well and at £1 you can't go wrong!

Final Look:
girl with brown hair with black eyeliner and minimal makeup

close up of black lined eyes

That's all from me today, I feel the Monday blues coming on already. This weekend went by way to fast!  Adiós  :)


Thursday 16 February 2012

My Fave Neutral Polish

Hi :)

Hope everyone's good, I'm finally gaining a few members yay! So today I thought I'd tell you about my absolute favourite nail polish brand- Make Up Academy, and their gorgeous neutral/nude shade. 
square nude nail polish bottle with black lid
It is the most basic MUA nail varnish in Shade 19. I have been on the lookout for the perfect shade for a while now and this is exactly it. It is nude, but not peachy and it actually has grey/ slightly lilac undertones. It  is neutral enough not to steal focus from your outfit but at the same time it brightens up a bland day! Nail polish gives a very shiny finish and will last days without chipping, meaning there is no need for an overcoat. 

I also love the brush of this nail varnish. MUA is the only brand I have come across so far which have square-shaped brushes, and I think that polish applies to the nails so much better with this type of brush. Especially for me, as I have short nails (which I am forever attempting to grow and failing) I think this goes on so well and unlike other brands it barely leaks from the nail.

white hand with nude painted short nails
And want to know the best part? This amazing polish is only £1! I think its almost miraculous that such a good nail varnish costs this little. Whenever I have the urge to try out outrageous new shades, I always turn to MUA because I tell myself if I do not like the colour, it doesn't matter! MUA is such a fun brand to experiment with because your not wasting lots of money buying it. 

That's all from me today,  I'm off to have a hot chocolate and watch the Kardashians, hope everyone has a great night!

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Finally: Shoes That Don't Break The Bank- Or Your Feet!

Hi :)

I have been wanting a pair of black wedges for a long time and finally, they're here! Not only are they absolutely gorgeous, but they go with almost everything and really add to your height; making your whole body appear well proportioned and improving your posture.  

black wedge ankle boots
Last week, I ordered a pair from shoeFashionista via amazon and I opted for the express delivery, which did add to the cost, but I wasn't too bothered as I needed them as soon as possible. Had I ordered them directly from shoeFashionista.com,  I could have got them for £19.99 with free postage. However, they arrived a perfect two days after I placed the order which was impressive and they were well packaged. I was so excited opening them, I felt like Carrie Bradshaw!

black wedge heels next to white shoe box
I love how shoeFashionista model their shoes on those which have been worn by celebrities. They have a wide selection of boots, high heels and sandals. I especially love the heels as they are simple yet chic and edgy. I sometimes think that high street shops have taken the design stage too far and the heels are too decorative, so I am constantly on the lookout for pairs of simple, original heels, and I think I've found the place!

As for the wedges, I am greatly satisfied with them. They look exactly as they did in the sites pictures and they are really comfortable. The only fault I can find is that I sometimes feel like my ankle is going to 'give way' in them. However, I've managed to stay on my feet so far, so maybe its just a vibe they give off! 

Monday 13 February 2012

Love Really Is In The Air

Hi :)

Valentines Day is just around the corner it seems like everyone is feeling the love. Even my morning strawberries seem to have gone all lovey-dovey!
heart shaped plastic container filled with strawberries

Sunday 12 February 2012

Blog At First Sight

Hi!

I am so excited to have created a blog! I thought rather than making it specific to make-up or clothes I would make it a general blog about my obsessions. I love to be inspired and hopefully through this I'll be able to inspire others. I will be posting about whatever takes my fancy that day, whether it be a nail polish, an outfit or a cosmetic range. I'm still a bit bewildered with the whole blogging thing so bare with me! 


Feel free to contact me with any questions or requests.


small hot pink glitter square with white writing 'Julz'