Soap and Glory Super Tonic Fragrance Review

You know what one of the best things about moving to England is? Yep, it's the overwhelming amount of beauty brands you can choose from. I've been reading blog posts on Soap and Glory products for ages, and of course I've been drooling over them for the last two years. And now that I finally got my hands on some Soap and Glory stuff, I can tell you for sure the rumors are true. They are just as good as everyone says. The first two things I got were the the Super Tonic Fragrance, and the Sugarcrush body scrub, and I'll go into more detail about the scrub later this month. Now, about the Super Tonic fragrance..

Packaging and price: The standard, quirky S&G packaging and a cheeky product name. What's not to like? The packaging matches the orange theme of the product (duuuh) which is super cute. You get 100ml in an easy to carry around bottle and considering S&G products are almost always on offer, £12.00 is a pretty reasonable price.

Scent and lasting power: The fragrance itself is as you might expect really citrusy, zesty and fresh. Except for the obvious orange notes, there are notes of cool mint and Sicilian lemon. I didn't expect the scent to have very much depth to it, but it actually does and you can smell the different notes as it wears throughout the day. The only thing that bothers me, though, is that it doesn't last that well and I have to carry it around in my bag to freshen it up. Which means it won't last very long, unfortunately and I've already used up quite a lot considering I've been using it for just a week. Other than that however, it's one of my favourite fruity scents as it's not so overpoweringly fruity, and it works for both summer and winter.

Overall verdict: Yes, I would repurchase, and yes, I probably will (as I'll run out of it in a few months at the rate I'm going..). It's a great, light, awakening everyday scent, it's not overly pricy and it's cutesy and quirky, just like every other Soap & Glory product. I'll say it again - what's not to like?! If you're searching for a nice fruity fragrance to remind you of summer, I would definitely suggest getting this. Do it. 

Have you tried the Orangeasm range? What's your favourite product from it?

Guest post: Autumn picks

As the last few days have been hectic with all the packing, flying and moving to the UK (and by the way I'm officially a Leeds University Student, yey me!), blogging was just the last thing I could think about, so I the lovely Arianne (do check her blog here) agreed to do a little guest post for me on her autumn picks!

Hi everyone! My name is Ayre, and today, I’ve put together an outfit that I thought would be nice for the autumn season. I’m in no way a fashionista, but I tried to give it my best shot. I’m inspired by the fashion from Gossip Girl.

The main piece of this outfit is the Burberry Prorsum Cotton-Twill Trench Coat in white. I’ve always wanted one, and if I do get one, I’d love it in this color. Of course I’d love to own them in multiple colors as well ;)

I really loved the style of the Ohne Titel Abstract Print Skater Dress. It is quite conservative, but it hugs all the right curves. I love the colors the most. Since the autumn season is a little bit colder, I would wear the dress with black leggings underneath.

For shoes, I love the idea of lots of laces and stiletto heels. This one is from Tom Ford New In Box Black Suede Lace Up Peep-Toe Booties.

Finally, the hardest part is to decide what purse to carry. I found this Jimmy Choo Plum Purple “Chandra” Clutch Bag, and I thought it would match well with the dress. It wouldn’t be too much since the coat will serve as a little break in between the dress and the clutch – does that make sense?

Check out Arianne's blog: Ayre  

Follow her on twitter: Ayre

Autumn H&M haul

This is my first proper fashion post, and I though what better way to incorporate fashion in my little blog than an autumn fashion haul! H&M is definitely my favourite highstreet brand, as they bring out affordable, yet trendy pieces. I decied to browse through H&M today and definitely didn't walk out empty-handed. I felt so good walking out with two large bags, and I must say I'm not even sorry! Let me talk you through the contents of my shopping bags today.

Figure-fit jacket: I got it in a size 34, it's the smallest one they have. If you're petite like me, you should give this a go, it will probably fit you just right. I got mine in black, but they also have it in ink blue, beige and grey, which for me is quite a good range of colors. It's supposed to be in the office-wear section, but it could be worn as a more casual jacket with jeans and booties this autumn.

Cable-knit jumper: (purple and black): Cable-knit jumpers are a must-have for me this autumn. I could honestly buy one in every single autumnish colour, but I decided to restrain myself a little bit and only got the purple and balck ones. The purple jumper is quite the slouchy, comfy jumper, perfect for cold autumn mornings. The fit is quite relaxed, but nothing too baggy or overly slouchy. H&M's jumpers are always spot on in my opinion, especially for petite girls (most brands do them way too long, and yeah, I'm looking at you Zara). The black one is more figure-fit and the little see-through detailing on the top is really feminine. Unfortunately I got the black one on sale and can't find the link to it on the website.

Necklace: Unfortunately, the same thing goes for the necklace, I couldn't find it on the website. I'm a sucker for dainty jewelry and I'll definitely enjoy wearing this with shirts or maybe even the purple jumper.

What did you get form H&M this autumn?

University worries

Honestly, calling myself a "fresher" feels so weird. But it's that time of year when I can officially consider myself a fresher. I'm moving to the UK ( and I will be going to University of Leeds and doing Human Resource Management) in exactly 10 days' time and I still can't wrap my head around it, not even a little bit. It all feels a bit unreal, but it's happening whether I like it or not. So I thought why not write up a little post about it all, because the frustration is reaching critial levels, haha. Here's what I'm worried about, and how I'm trying to cope with all those things. Hope it helps some ofyou who are going through the same.

What to pack? It might sound silly but when you're moving abroad, or even cross country it's so hard trying to figure out what to pack. I'm packing right now and I can tell you - it sucks. I have to fit all my stuff in a suitcase, and I only have 21kg plus hand luggage. Basically, that covers the essentials and a few extra bits and bobs. I would advice taking sheets and a pillowcase with you, and ordering a duvet and a pillow online, so that they can be ready and waiting for you in your room when you arrive. I'll probably order mine from click2campus. Also, use vacuum bags for your clothes. Loads of them. This will save you LOADS of space and it keeps things somewhat organised.

Am I going to fit in? This is something everyone's worried about, I think. When you're moving to a new place, and especially when you move to another country it can be such a frustrating and depressing thought. But remember, we're all in the same boat here. I'll try and go to as many parties as possible for fresher's week. It's a great way to meet new people, and hey, if you're not a party person, I'm sure you'll find someone exactly like you, and you can bitch about how boring it is together (yeah, that'll probably be me). You could get a wristband to get into all the events which make is a lot easier. Also, the first few days after moving in, leave your door open so that you can meet your flatmates.

Did I choose the right course? I'm so worried about this right now. But I mean which 19 year old person knows exactly what they're going to do with their life? I know I don't. My decision was well thought-out, I spent endless hours on the Leeds university website (and probably you have, too) researching, getting familiarized with the course and modules, pitying myself for choosing a course with Economics in it. But in the end, all that matters is that I can change my decision at any time, and that a degree in Management doesn't necessarily mean a career in management. What I want to do is enjoy myself, get the best out of my university experience, and mostly, build new relationshpis and connections.

Hope I didn't bore you to death with this rant, but I had to get it off my chest. How was your university experience, and if you're starting this year like me, are you worried, too?

Beauty hacks and quick fix tips

Today's post is inspired by The Lovecats inc.'s beauty tips and tricks post, which I was featured in *happy dancing*. I'll be talking about my favouite time/money-saving tips and tricks and I really hope you find them helpful. Some of them I've read in Cosmo years ago, some of them I've learned "the hard way" myself, but they've all made my life so much easier and I can't wait to share them with you!

Tip 1: Store skincare in the fridge. I like to store my Avene Thermal Spring Water in the fridge and spray it on my shaved legs for a cooling sensation. Works with eyecream and micellar water as well.

Tip 2: Use hair conditioner as shaving gel. It’s a great alternative to shaving gel as it does help moisturize your skin and the shaver glides effortlessly against your skin.

Tip 3: Double lipstick as a blusher. Especially with berry shades, as it helps brighten your face and preverns you from looking washed out. I've shown you the Bourjois Rouge Edition in Brune Boheme, which I used as a blusher on my prom night, and it looked natural, yet brightened up my face a lot.

Tip 4: (It's super weird, but I promise, it works) If you smudge your nailpolish while it’s still not completely dry, lick one of your fingers and and gently smooth the smudge out.

Tip 5: Before you apply your moisturiser on your shaved legs, spray some Avene Thermal Water (if you don't have it, La Roche Possay and Vichy have their own thermal water sprays a well)  on your skin to minimize irritation, redness and to help lock in the moisture from your lotion/body butter.

Tip 6: Cotton buds are your best friend when it comes to applying liquid eyeliner. Instead of soaking a whole cotton pad in makeup remover, fix any mistakes with a cotton bud, dabbed in cleansing milk (I find it's easier to use than micellar water).

Tip 7: Use a spoolie and hairspray to keep your brows in place if you run out of clear brow gel. Use a light hairspray, otherwise your brows might end up crunchy-looking. Spray directly on your brows, or on the spoolie, and then brush them out in the desired shape.

Hope you enjoyed this post and found these tips helpful. What are your best beauty tips and tricks?

Nuxe Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel Review

Before I start with the review, I'd like to say that I'm a huge fan of Nuxe products and I tried SO hard to make this product work, but it's simply not for me. This will not, however, be a negative review, as I like to keep it positive here on the blog, and besides there are things I abslutely love about this product, it's just that it does not get along well with my personal skin.

Why I bought it: I was on the hunt for a new cleanser and as I'd heard good things about it and, of course about the brand itself (and have used the Reve de Miel Lipbalm and Hand cream and they are certainly holy-grail material) I decided to give the Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel a go. I like to do my research before I buy products, especially ones on the pricier side of things. So naturally I read a few reviews and found nothing suspicious, not a bad word about it, in fact.

What I like about it: I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and admittedly Nuxe's packaging is always the bomb. It's amber-coloured and comes with the most gorgeous pump you'll ever find. Super travel-friendly as the pump is secured well and is tightly screwed on, so you won't have to worry about spilling half of it out. Besides, the pump destributes the perfect amount of gel without wasting any product whatsoever.

Now about the gel itself. Its consistency is great, not too thick or too runny. It's amber-coloured, same as the ackaging, which again looks really appealing and reminds me of honey. The smell is simply divine - it smells of honey, but there are definitely flowery notes in there too. It's quite the stron, overpoering scent, so of you're not a fan of strong scents, steer clear from it. Nuxe Reve de Miel Cleansing Gel is enriched with honey, sunflower extraxts and the formula is completely soap-free. It's supposed to be suitable for dry and sensitive skin, but here's where I disagree.

Why I don't get along with this product: I have combination skin, but it has been more to the dry side recently, some dry patches have appeared around my cheeks an forehead, and that's why I though a product aimed for sensitive, dry skin would fix that. Little did I know. It dried my skin out a lot more than expected (I am aware that gels are usually harsher to the skin, but still, it was an exceptionally uncomfortable sensation!) and my skin felt dry and tight well after I washed my face with it. I tried to make it work, I moisturised heavily after cleansing my face, but it still felt too harsh. Overall it's definitely not my cup of tea, unfortunately. It's too drying and I'll proably break out if I continue using it, so I've decided to give up.

Have you tried it and what are your thoughts on it? What cleansing gel would you recommend for sensitive skin?

UK Beauty Wishlist

Anyone who follows me on Twitter or reads this blog probably knows I'll be moving to the UK this September. Moving country to go to university is a big deal, it's quite the nerve-wrecking experience and honeslty, browsing through the Boots and Superdrug websites has been somewhat of a distraction for me. It's definitely something that cheers me up - to be able to finally use the products I've heard so much about but could never get my hands on! That's why I decided to put everything or nearly everything (I couldn't possibly fit all the things I want in one wishlist post!) in this wishlist. 

1. Batiste dry shampoo: "Good old Batiste", as most UK bloggers call it, haha. The selection of dry shampoos in Bulgarian drugstores is pretty limited and that's why I'd love to try this cult classic dry shampoo. Either the classic version or che cherry blossom one. Another one I've been eyeing is the Dove dry shampoo, which gets an honorable mention as it simpy coulnd't fit in the limited space of this wishlist.

2. Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain: I've seen some rave reviews of this product and defnitely want to see what the fuss is all about. The packaging definitely tickles my fancy, I'm such a sucker for minimalistic packaging! Besides, the color range is fantastic, especially the berry color I've shown above.

3. Una Brennan Tea Flower Moisturiser & Mask: Basically, the whole Tea Folwer range looks fantastic. I have combination-ish skin and I'm definitely lusting after these, as I do tend to get a bit shiny throughout the day and I could use a good mattifying moisturiser to minimise that shine. 

4. Soap & Glory Sugarcrush Body wash and Buttercream: Every time I asked for British brand recommendations on Twitter, at leat 1 of the answers was "You need some Soap & Glory in your life". Yes, yes I do need it. Everything, from make up to skincare looks like a must-have. The quirky packaging, the reasonable prices and the positive reviews are more than enough to make me lust afer each and every one of their products, especially the Sugarcrush Body wash and Buttercream. 

5. Barry M nailpolish: Not much to say here, their color range is out of this world, I've heard the formulas are amazing. I want them all.

6. Sleek i-Divine Palettes: I'm not a massive eyeshadow person. I don't wear eyeshadow on a daily basis, but these palettes look like such agood investment. The neutral shades look great, they have a wide variety of both shimmers and matts and it's such a bargain, as you get twelve eyeshadows for such a reasonable price. What's not to like?!

Please, please leave me some more recommendations in the comments and tell me what you think of the products I've chosen. And most importantly, should I get them?

Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Butter

Just a quick post from me today, as I've been a busy bee these days with packing, making lists and all. I did, however, have time to stop by the drugstore and make a cheeky little purchase. As we're slowly but surely going into autumn, I decided it was time to get a new lipbalm for my handbag (I wouldn't carry my Nuxe Reve de Miel around, it's in a glass jar after all!). I did a bit of research and all the rave reviews convinced me to get the Nivea Raspberry Rose (or Raspberry Rose Kiss) Lip Butter. I must admit I thought Reve de Miel had ruined all other lipbalms for me until I found this little gem.

Price and packaging: I got mine for £2.10 which is a reasonable price for a drugstore lipbalm. You get 19g. of product in a compact, pink tin pot. Nothing special about the packaging, really. Just a standard tin, not too bulky and easy to carry around in your make up bag. The one thing I love about the packaging (except that it's pink) is that you can take the lid of SO easily, which means it's great to use on the go.

Smell, texture and application: The smell is absolutely divine. Have any of you tried MOAM sweets? If you have, that's what it smells like! The smell is not too overpowering, but you can still smell it on your lips after 30-40 minutes. The texture is really buttery, it's not sticky or waxy at all and it doesn't leave an unpleasant residue on your lips. Colorwise, even though it looks baby pink in the tin, it's completely sheer on the lips, which is a bit disappointing but since it's a lipbutter I can't complain. It doesn't feel heavy on the lips on application, it's lightweight but you can feel it's working its magic right away.

Overall verdict: Nivea are the bomb when it comes to lipbalms and treatments, and the Raspberry Rose Lip Butter  makes no exception. The formula is great, enriched with shea butter almond oil. It's a no-fuss product, you can just stick it in your handbag and you're good to go. It keeps your lips moisturised for a good few hours and you can reapply it without a mirror, super quick and easy. you need the smallest amount to keep your lips hydrated and soft throughout the day. The only downside it, though, that you have to stick your finger in it. I use wet wipes or antibacterial gel a few minutes before reapplying.

Have your tired Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Butter or any of the other flavours of the Nivea Lip Butters?

How I edit my blog photos

Unfortunately, I don't own a DSLR or any other decent camera for that matter (except for an old Canon that barely works anymore). I take the pictures for this blog with my Samsung Galaxy S2. Yeah, I know, shocker - a blogger who takes pictures with their phone?! But honestly, it works for me and I don't see the point in spending a fortune on a DSLR at this point, when after editing, the pictures I take with my phone look half decent. In this post I'm going to show you exactly how I edit my blog photos in Photoshop CS3, but I bet you can do the same with any other editing program.

Basically what I do is play around with the brightness and contrast and the curves and put some finishing touches with the Spot cleaning brush to correct any mistakes. I prefer adding new adjustment layers as this way I can control their opacity and fill and mix it up a little bit. I would advice against making the adjustments to the background layer directly because you can't make changes to it later if you feel like you need to.

Brightness and contrast:

Adjusting the brightness and contrast can improve your pictures immensely. However it's important not to go overboard with it because you want to show the product's true colour, noting too bright or too dark. What I do here is add a new Brightness and contrast adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness and contrast) and up the brightness to about +20 and up the contrast to about +5-10 if needed. A pretty self-explainatory step, but a very important one as well.

Curves:

You can skip this step if you're satisfied with the results you got, but for me it's good to add a little extra depth and to brighten up the image a bit more. What I do is create a new Curves adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves). And here's where you can get extra creative and make your pictures stand out. I use the built-in curves such as Linear Contrast and Lighten, but you can also buy or download pre-made curves (to install them simply click on the button left of "OK", then click on Load preset, choose your target colder and load your curve). I like the ones from Digital Film Actions but you can search Deviantart for more curves or Photoshop actions to find the ones that suit your needs best. Once you've completed this step you should have an almost finished image.

Spot Healing Brush: If there's a pesky little speck of dust on your background, or of there's a stain on the packaging of your product that you've missed, that's when the Spot healing brush comes in handy! And oh, yeah. It's great for removing pimples as well! Score. So what I do is basically take the spot healing brush and click on the stain/spot/dust and it blends seamlessly with what's next to it.

Extra tips: You can crop your images if you haven't composed your shot well. It's a quick fix for that. Also, if you find that you stick to the same routine, you can compose a Photoshop Action to speed up the process. Or you can download some pre-made actions and see which ones tickle your fancy.

Manicure 101: Four steps for better-looking nails

Painting my nails and keeping them nice and Pinterest-looking has never been my thing. I've tried and tried but my nail plates have been screwed up for years (partly because I used to bite them A LOT, partly because they have uneven surface to begin with). However, I recently established a nailcare/nail-painting regime that I'm satisfied with. It's pretty simple, nothing fancy, really, just basic steps to keep my nails looking as good as possible with just a few basic products.

Step one: Filing my nails with a paper nailfile. I find this step has really helped get my nails back in their proper shape. In my view paper files tend to be more gentle on the nails, they are super fine and they help you get a more precise shape without damaging your nails. And, of course, it is important to file your nails in the same direction to prevent them from being uneven and separating.

P.S.: Look at my cute British-themed nailfile!

Step two: Using a nail-stengthener on my nails and an oil on my cuticles and pushing my cuticles back. I'm using a Rimmel Double Duty strengthener that also serves as a base coat. I find this pretty handy, it's a great two in one product and I'm definitely pleased with it. On my cuticles, I'm using coconut oil at the moment but I've been eyeing the Essie Apricot Cuticle oil, too. This helps soften your cuticles and makes them easier to push back. I never used to push my cuticles back before, but it really makes your nails look super shapely and your manicure - neater. I'm using an AVON manicure kit to take care of my cuticles, and it's defintiely worth investing in one.

Step three: Painting my nails. Quite an obvious one, really. My favourite shades at the moment are Essie's Ballet Slippers and OPI's Oy-Another-Polish-Joke (quite the mouthful... you can check my review of it right here). I find larger brushes easier to use as I have small nails and I pretty much need one swipe and I'm good to go. Essie, OPI and Maybelline Superstay polishes all have amazing brushes that I find supr easy to use.

Step four: Removing my nailpolish. This step can make or break your nails (literally). It's very important to use acetone-free nailpolish remover enriched with oils to keep you nails healthy and chip-free. I like using the Bourjois nailpolish remover. I like both the bottled and the sponge form, as the formula is basically the same - free of acetone and enriched with oils. It also smells divine, which is quite unusual for a nailpolish remover!

These are my four super easy steps for better-looking nails. What are your favourite nailpolishes/ nailpolish removers at the moment?

5 Lessons Beauty-blogging Has Taught Me

Image credit: Pinterest

This month marks my blog's first birthday! Misty's stuff is turning one! I never thought I'd stick to blogging that long, but there you go - I'm celebrating my frst blogiversary. And that being said, I decided to write a more personal-ish post and share the lessons that beauty blogging has taught me throughout this year.

1. To always ask myself "Do I really NEED this". Because, yes, at the time, spending $40 for an Hourglass powder may have seemed like a smart move, but trust me, in the longterm, it's probably not. My drawers are full of things that I've bought just because they were hyped up or, well, because they looked pretty. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to treat yourself to something nice, but always think about it first, especially if you can spend these $40 on 5 different things onstead of on one.

2. To take good care of my skin. This is perhaps the most valuable lesson of them all. I didn't really put much effort into skincare before, but I came to realize that in 10-20 years I would regret that. Putting sunscreen on, or using products with SPF in them, or spending $10 more on a great skincare product WILL pay off. Trust me, your skin will thank you. 

P.S.: Don't forget that "skin" doesn't just mean your face. Body scrubs and lotions are something that I usually neglect, but will try not to in the future.

3. To remember to never go overboard: With both make up and skincare. The more natural your make up looks, the better. If you're rocking a bold lip, try to keep it more natural on the eyes. Of course, I leave room for the unknown - different combinations may work for different people. The same goes for skincare - a minimal beauty regime that doesn't overwhelm the skin is way better. Less is almost always more.

4. To always do my research on what I'm about to buy. This is a very imposrant lesson, as it applies for not just beauty products, but generally any product you're considering purchasing. Really, I've had horrible experience with this - I spent $20 on a Deborah Millano eyeliner that I hadn't researched, and then BAM - smudgy liner, itchy eyes and an emptier bank account. Then I googled it and found the bad reviews. So try and learn from my mistake and always do your research.

5. Cheaper alternatives are sometimes better: Just because a product is expensive, doesn't mean it's better than a cheaper alternative. Sleek and Nars blushes, Bioderma and the L'Oreal Micellar Sollution (though I love the Bioderma) etc. If you're on a budget, there's always a cheaper alternative that might even turn out to be better than the expencive (and often extremely overpriced) version.

6. (ok, I cheated): DON'T neglect the brows.This is a step I always used to omit for some reason. Whether you have thinner or fuller brows, adding some definition and filling up the gaps is always a good thing to do. And whatever you do, don't overpluck them, you'll want them back and lord knows whether they'll grow back normal or not!

What has beauty-bloging taught you?

Budget Beauty: Eyeshadows

It seems to me that sometimes in the blogging world expensive and sometimes overpriced products get super hyped up, and you can see them on every, and I mean every single blog out there. And other equally as good, but not as expensive products get neglected. And I love an underdog, so that's why I decided to start a Budget Beauty series and talk about the underdogs of the beauty world, so to speak.

The first category is eyeshadow, and I know there are tons of great options out in the drugstore, but these are some that I use quite frequently and am quite happy with. They are amongst the cheapest options out these, so they're great if you're on a super tight budget, or you're just getting into make up!

Beauty uk eyeshadow palette no. 4 - earth child

Beauty uk eyeshadow palette no. 4 - earth child: The first budget item is a palette. It's quite neutral, but it still has a wide variety of colors and tones - blacks, highlight colors, purply-beige-ish colors, and two greens. Most of the shadows are shimmery, some with a slight shimmer to them, others quite glittery. You can get this lovely palette in Superdrug for just £3.99, and if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is! The color pay off of some shades isn't that great, but the brighter colors have pretty decent pay off. You can see I've made quite the huge dent on the purply-browny color (middle one, top row). Most of the colors are pretty wearable, everyday shades, but can be elevated to a smoky, night-time look. Overall, you get quite a lot for your mony, as some signle shadows cost as much as this palette. You get 10 pretty decent shades and an almost endless variety of looks you can do. Well done, Beauty uk, you have captured my attention!

Essence Smokey eye set

 

Essence Smokey Eye set: The essence smokey eye set consists of a glittery dark grey eyeshadow and a black cream eyeshadow that's supposed to serve the purpose of an eyeliner. It's quite the handy little set if you're in a hurry and can't be bothered to use a copule of different eyeshadows. The color pay off is not the most amazing with the cream shadow, but it works well enough to line the eyes. And it's such a bargain for just £2.50. It's so tiny and compact, perfect for carrying around in your handbag. Essence have come up with some pretty great products, so happy that they've finaly launched in the UK!

Honorable mention - Maybelline single eyeshadows: I'm sure everyone has owned one (or ten) of these in their lifetime. I mean they are a cult classic. You get quite the sizable single eyeshadow, highly pigmented and wearable, and a tiny-winy brush for £4.09 at Superdrug or any other drugstore, really. The range of colors is amazingly huge, but what I've showed you here is a purple with slight shimmer going through it. I wore this on new year's eve last year and I must say it lasted pretty well. I have about fove or six more of these Maybelline singles lying around and I'll definitely start using them again!

Hope you liked my bugget beauty picks. What are your favourite budget eyeshadows or palletes?

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water Review

Another day, another micellar water. I had been eyeing the Garnier Micellar Water for quite some time now, and as I have seen the rave reviews (and I'm quite late on the bandwagon here) I decided to give it a go. Besides, I had just run out of my beloved L'Oreal micellar water (review here) so it was time to test out something new. Let's get started with the review!

Packaging and price: The packaging is quite appealing, the cute pink cap and the huge 400ml bottle (hmm doesn't that remind you of bioderma a bit...) caught my eye right away. One thing about the cap is quite annoying though - it screws off SO easily. If you're carrying this around for some reason, be very careful as it might spill in your bag. Sort yourselves out, Garnier - I don't want to spill half my micellar solution. Price-wise, you get a good amount for your money. I got it on offer for $6.5, but it normally costs about $12. For 400ml of product, I can't complain.

Cleansing power and how it feels on the skin: It's a bit better at removing eye make up than other micellar solutions, but it's a bit more drying to my skin. However, it doesn't sting my eyes the way some micellar sollutions do (I'm looking at you, L'Oreal), which is great. It does leave a bit of a residue but that's not really a problem for me. The bottle of the Garnier Micellar Water has a teeny-tiny opening and you don't end up wasting a lot of product, whereas with the huge opening on the L'Oreal Micellar Water you end up spilling way more than you need.

Overall verdict: I've used the Bioderma Sebium solution and the L'Oreal one and I must say Garnier beats them both! The quantity you get for your money is amazing, the quality is pretty decent, too. It's not too harsh, it removes eyeliner and mascara effortlessly and you don't end up wasting too much product. To sum up, the Garnier Micellar Water is such a bargain! By far the best, most reasonable drugstore alternative to the high-end brands!

I know most of you have probably tried this micellar water, so if you have - what are your thoughts on it? If not, what is your favourite micellar solution to use?

(Cute) Travel-sized Beauty

I haven't been fortunate enough to travel a lot this year, but as I am moving to England in about a month I thought it was time to stock up on some travel-sized beauty products for the first few days of my arrival.

I was lucky enough to get this travel-trio by Yves Rocher as a gift from a friend, and I must say I'm impressed. I got a Strawberry Eau de Toilette, a Yellow Peach Shower Gel and a nailpolish in the colour Rose. I mut admit they've got me hooked and I can't wait to get my hands on the large sizes.

Strawberry Eau de Toilette: It's a super fesh fruity scent as the name would suggest. I'm a fan of sweet, fruity scents this summer and this one is not too overpowering and you don't end up smelling like a walking strawberry. It's not a super complex scent, but I can definitely smell notes of vanilla and something else I can't really put my finger on. 

Yellow Peach Shower Gel: Oh. My. God. The smeel of this is simply addictive. It's peachy but not too sweet and it's quite a strong scent. I wouldn't recommend it to people with sensitive skin, as it might irritate or dry out the skin. However for my normal skin I think this would work well, I can't wait to use it in the morning as it smells so refreshing and awakening!

Nail polish in Rose: I've saved the best for last! I mean look how CUTE this is. It's so tiny-winy. And the colour is so beautiful. If essie's Mademoisselle and Ballet slippers had a nailpolish baby, that would be it. It's the perfect mixture of light baby pink and dusty rose. The brush is a bit smaller than the average but it works pretty well. Application-wise, it's a bit tricky to apply but it's almost a gel-like consistency and it lastst a really long time. Overall this is my favourite product of the three as the formula is to die for and the color is great on both pale and tanned skin.

Have you tried anything by Yves Rocher? Have you tried any of these three products?

S/S Lips: The Reds

You know what makes me really excited these days? You got it. Summertime. And the beauty products that come with summertime - the vivid colors, the bright lips and golden eyelids. But today we're focusing on my favourite color for both summer and winter - red, and two options for wearing it - the bright berry-ish red, and the muted down brownish red.

Unfortunately, they don't pick up quite right on camera next to each other.

1. The bright, vivid red lip That would be the L'Oreal Color Riche in 376 Cassis Passion. It's a limited edition (the collection that has lipcolors for blonder, brunettes, light brunettes etc.) but I think you can still find them in Boots or any other drugstore. The color payoff of this is great, so opaque and intense, perfect for a night out. The finish is velvety, almost matte but a bit creamier and it has a bit of sheen to it. Paired with graphic liner it's really retro, and I think it would be great for a festival look. Unfortunately the way it's picked up on camera doesn't do it justice, it's much brighter in real life.

2. The muted down brownish red lip Here we have the Bourjois Roughe Edition lipstick in 05 Brune Boheme. I wore this lipstick to my prom and I must tell you the staying power of this is quite good. It lasted almost my whole prom (and I was eating and drinking and stuff). But back on the color itself, it's a toned down brwonish red with a hint of coral in it. The texture is very creamy and the finish is a bit shiny and glossy, but it's not slippery and it almost doesn't transfer. But if you want to make sure it will stay in place, do wear a lipliner underneath.

So, with just these two lipsticks (or similar ones in color) you could achieve so many looks, from daytime to date-night, from festival look to a prom one. It's all up to you. That's pretty much my take on summer lips. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love red lips for summer and much prefer red to coral or fuschia.

What's your favourite summery colored lipstick?

Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray Review

Recently, my skin has been SO agry. I'm talking spots, tiny little dry patches and redness everywhere. Something had to be done about this. Avene's Thermal Water to the rescue! It was recommended to me by the lovely Molly from Lyon Notes (thanks, hun) and it has since become a very important part in my skincare routine.

At first I though "Come on, this is probably just tap water that shall cost me £6.50", but after all the positive reviews and the recomendation I decided to give it a go. As with most hyped up products, it was totally worth it. Let's get review this thing up, shall we.

Price & size: The price seems pretty reasonable to me, now that I've tested out the product. You get a 150ml bottle for £6.50 and if you get it on discount it's even better. It lasts forever as you only lightly mist your face/legs and it dispenses such a fine mist that I think it would last me a lifetime. Besides, there are 3 sizes - a tiny-winy 50ml one, the 150ml one which you can see up there and a HUGE and I mean huge 300 ml one. So, if you'd just like to try it out I'd recommend getting the smallest one.

Application & quality: "Avene Thermal Spring Water contains a unique active ingredient, renowned by dermatologists for its soothing properties. This facial spray is great in hot weather or for soothing irritated skin or sunburn", as promised by Avene. And it is all true (I haven't had the chance to test it out in hot weather yet, as it's freezing now, sorry). My skin has been horrendous the past few weeks. I had severe redness on my cheeks and I noticed great improvement with the first few uses. Which is like, incredible. My skin feels hydrated, the redness has almost disappeared and is not as visible now. Oh, ad my pores are less visible (I might be imagining this one, don't know).

I also tested it out after shaving my legs and I must say - Holy Grail material right there. My legs have that silky smooth vibe going on, no red bumps. no dry patches. It's all smoth, I tell ya.

Overall verdict: This is NOT tap water, contrary to what I seemed to believe. It's a great product if you have sensitive skin. Anlo it's supposed to help treatment if you havepsoriasis, dermatitis or eczema, which is great! I really couldn't say enough about this product - if you have sensitive skin, problems with shaving, redness etc. it's a must-have. Or, you know, if you'd just like to freshen up.

Have you tried this handy little product? What do you think? 

The Blogger Love Tag

It's been a while since my last post. Yes, I know - I've been a crappy blogger. And I decided to ease my way back to blogging with an awesome tag post, created by Make Up Savvy. Make sure to check the original post out, as it is really entertaining.

Let's get crackin' with the questions:

What was the first blog you came across?

The first blog I came across was Zoella. A bit stereotypical, but she is gorgeous, and at the time inspired me to start my own blog. So a big thanks to her and her fabulous blog.

Favourite blog reads

Now this is a tough one. I must say I read a lo-o-ot of blogs, but the ones that really stand out and that are my absolute faves at the moment are Thunderlove, secondhandspring, Mascara and Maltesers, RosyChicc and From Roses 

Best blogging friend

Without doubt that would be Molly from Lyon Notes. That lovely lady has made me laugh so hard, she's a Winchester nerd like me and has a gourgeous beauty blog which you definitely MUST read. Her gorgeous phorography and creative posts made me tweet her and I am so, so glad that I did, cause she is one of the lovelies people you'll ever meet. 

Name a blog that enables your purchases 
Essie Button. I watch her videos, I read her blog and then my bank account suffers from it. I seriously have a love-hate relationship with her blog, I love it for the great reccommendations and I hate it for making me buy (sometimes) expencive stuff.

5 blogs everyone should be reading

I Covet Thee, Essie Button, PaintPotted, srslylou, aaand Pearls and Poodles

Your favourite way to read blogs 

I prefer GFC to Bloglovin', but recently I think I've been somewhat converted. Bloglovin' is a great way to go through you favourite blogs and never ever miss a post, but at some point I get overwhelmed with the quantity of posts. That's when I go back to GFC.

Favourite blog design/look

I don't have a particular favourite, just anything minimalisticyet classy that lets your personality shine through. I love Megs form Wonderful You's design, it's absolutely gorgeous, vintage-looking and in my opinion sums up what a great blog should look like.

What is your favourite thing about blogging?

That's an easy one. It would have to be the community and the satisfacion I get from writing up a good post and seeing that people actually enjoy it. And also, all the lovely people I meet - they would have to be my favourite part, haha.

Name a blogger you would most like to see write a book in the future
Suuuch a difficult one! I can't really decide, so I guess I'd have to say either Estee or Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter. They are both SO funny and well-spoken, I love Estee's goofy stories, so I imagine she'd write a pretty decent book.

Hope you've enjoyed this post, feel free to do this tag yourself, as it is an awesome one. Link me up if you do :) 

Nuxe Reve de Miel Baume Levres Review

It's wintertime - my least fovourite time of the year. A partial reason for that (except for the cold weather) are chapped lips. Chapped lips became a problem for me quite recently, so I hadn't really used many high-quality lipbalms before. 

Enter: Reve de Miel Baume Levres (or as I would translate it with my bad French - Dreams of Honey). It is an all-natural lipbalm from a French brand called NUXE. This seems to be the holy grail product for every beauty blogger and their dog, so I had to see what all the fuss was about. Ladies and gentlemen, it IS as good as thay say. Let's get crackin with the review!

Price & Packaging: Aaah. This pretty much speaks for the packaging. It's gorgeous frosted glass pot with a white cap and looks so luxurious I can't even  it (but you can obviously see for yourselves, duh). It's £9.50, which I must admit, for a lipbalm is a bit crazy, but I simply couldn't resist. The plus side is that you get a 15ml pot, and your average lipbalm is about 6 to 10 ml. 

Quality & Scent: Firts, I have to say this smells good enough to eat, but it's far too expensive for me to eat it which is a pity, really. It smells like oranges and lemon peels and it is bloody fantastic. It's a matte, thick, moisturising balm, sits really naturally on the lips and doesn't add any color whatsoever. I used it as a night treatment and in the morning it was still there, doing its magic. Honestly, I've never tried anything better.

Overall verdict: I want more of this. It works wonders for damaged lips, and as a lipbalm in general, even if you don't suffer from the horrid chapped lip. It's so luxurious, that for me, it seems to be a great value for money. CONFESSION: I spent £9.50 on a lipbalm and I am not even sorry! I would definitely suggest you do the same and become a member of the crazy balm-o-holic club.


Have you tried it? Do you think it's worth the money?

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Review

   I was in the market for a new mascara, not that I need one, but that's how life works. I decided to try something pretty affordable, yet good. As I love natural fibre brushes, and not plastic ones, I decided to pick up the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. It's a great bargain, the packaging is really cute, and the biggest perk of all - the fibre brsuh.

Price & packaging: It comes for about 6.35$, which is quite reasonable for a drugstore mascara. The packaging is quite appealing, at least for me as I love the pink-green combo. It may seem tacky to some people, but I must say no to that. I absolutely love it. 

Clumping & how long it lasts: Maybelline describes it as "Lots of volume. No clumps, no mess", which is pretty much true. It lasts a reasonable ammount of time, without you having to reapply it, and the handy applicator prevents any clumps. It seems to grab all the teeny-tiny lashes, and gives lots of volume for that glamorous, built up look. 

Overall verdict: A great drugstore mascara, everything you're looking for in a product like that. Reasonably priced, lasts a lifetime and it's a lifesaver if you're on a budget and can't really splurge on a high-end mascara. I would definitely recommend the Great Lash to anyone who is looking for the perfect bargain, as that's what it is.

Have you tried Maybelline mascaras. How about this one? What do you think?

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - The Dark Circle Terminator

In the beauty world, products get hyped up. In this case, that's for a reason! Ladies and gentlemen, presenting  Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer in the shade Ivory - a product I would repurchase again and again.

I've inherited dark undereye circles (thanks, mom and dad) and whenever I'm feeling exhausted, these circles get sooo annoying and I look like I've been beaten up. So, Rimmel Wake Me Up to the rescue!

Price & packaging: Amazingly affordable, at £5.49 (and usually on an offer at Boots or any other drugstore). Now that's what I call a bargain! The packaging is extremely appealing to me, maybe because I like orange, maybe because I like silvery shimmer, or for some other unknown reason. It caught my eye right away,

Coverage & how long it lasts: I can say it's the perfect amount of coverage for my undereye area - not too thick or caky, it's the perfect consistency, and also has tiny specs of shimmer, so it brightens up the area immensely. If you have horrid dark circles like me, this will definitely do the job, as it brightens, conceals and really gives you that "I'm so fresh and awake" look. It lasts reasonably long, but you can easily reapply it if you're not happy with how it looks at the end of the day.

 A not-too-heavy swatch on theleft                                                     Lightly blended on the right

Overall verdict: Yes, yes aaaand yes. It's got it all covered (literally and figuratively) - it's good for blemishes, under the eyes, brightens up and that whole shebang. And the price is the cherry on top. The perfect concealer, in my view. Can't wait to finish up this bottle so that I can get another one, just for the rush.

Have you tried it? Are you totally in love with it?

Favourite Products of 2013 - Skin

It is time for part two of my 2013 favourites. The first post I did was favourite lipproducts, you can check it out if you haven't. And today, we're moving on to skin. Yes, it's a really vast category, and I've had other faves aide from these ones such as the Bioderma and L'Óreal Micallar waters, for example. But these are the products that I have used literally all year long and that have served me best. My babbling aside, let's rock and roll.

So, Holy Grail alert!! It is the Vichy Normaderm Tri-Activ. It hydreates, gets rid of imperfections, makes your skin look glowy and fresh - pretty much the whole shebang. I love the whole Normaderm range, and I've used it in combination with other Vichy products, but I find that it works great on its own. It's the only thing that helps wehnever my skin is really angry. I put it on in the evening, wake up and the imperfections have dissapeared, if not completely. I'd recommend this any time.

Next, it is a product that has been a bit hyped up. BB creams are a big thing, high-end brands have put out BB creams, but my heart lies with the Garnier BB cream Miracle Skin Perfector. I've been crazy about this all sumer, it has an SPF of 15, is super lightweight, doesn't clog your pores, evens out redness, and for me, is the perfect amount of coverage. What's more, it feels extremely hydrating on the skin. But what really converted me were the "Wow, your skin looks so fresh and glowy" compliments I got.

And last, but definitely not least it's the Bourjois Flower Perfection powder. If you've tried the Java Rice Powder, you're gonna love this. It's extremely similar to it in terms that it smells A-mazing, is really finely milled and the packaging on the inside is basically the exact same. If you're looking for an alternative to the Java rice poweder that doesn't have highlighting properties (in other words - doesn't sparke) then this is it! It sits beautifully on your skinn, sets all your make up in place and doesn't work powdery at all.

So these have been my trustworthy companions throughtout 2013. Have you tried any of them? What are your skin faves of 2013?

Catrice nailpolishes - worth a try

Since Catrice and Essence were recently introduced to the UK (and they've been in Eastern European drugstores for ages), I decided to treat you guys to e little post featuring my favourite Catrice nailplish colors.

The first one is a gorgeous mint color called I Sea You. I love creative, cheeky names, so this one caught my eye. The colour is gorgeous, it has a bit of a greenish hue to it, so it's more greeny than minty. It stays put for about 5 days, which is quite a lot for a drugstore nailpolish. I'd say it's a great value for money, and at 2.50$, I can wish for nothing more.

The second one is by far my favourite red nailpolsh. It is called Robert's Red Ford which just cranks me up every time. It's a gorgeous deep blue-based red. It also stays put for ages whithout chipping, which is great since chipped red polish looks just hideous. The only problem I have with it is that it stains my nails a little bit if I don't use a base coat. But that's not that big of a deal, as I almost always do.

Overall I'm SO satisfied with the quality of Catrice products, their nailpolishes in particular are such a great bargain, as they are affordable, yet pigmented and long-lasting.

Have you tried Catrice nailpolishes? What do you think? How about other Catrice products?

Favourite Products of 2013 - Lips

It is finally time for *drumroll please* 2013 beauty favourites! It will be a 3-post series, including Lips, Face and Eyes, so keep your eyes open for the next ones. I've included some underrated ones, as well as some really hyped up products. So let's get cracking.

First under the spotlight is an amazing lip product, and a dupe for the YSL Glossy Stains. Hint - it's the L'Óreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain (quite a mouthful). It's basically a liquid lipstick, combining the "power of a lip stain with lip-gloss luster." as it says in the description. And it really does. It's quite shiny, quite glossy, but still very pigmented. It's not sticky at all and is very buildable, so you can get that fully opaque red colour out of it. But more on that later in my full review of it.

Moving on to another hyped up product. As I said in my review, everyone and their brother has been talking about this, and it's the Bourjois Color Boost. Mine is in the color Plum Russian, a gorgeous plummy, berry-ish color, that can be biult up for a dramatic look. I won't get into that much, as I've recently reviewed it - check it out!

Everybody loves an underdog. The Avon ColorTrend in the color Bliss is quite the underdog. I've never heard anyone rave about it, and they should. It's a great, affordable lipstick with reasonable pigmentation, really cool packaging and is quite similar in color to the L'Óreal color caresse. It lasts a lifetime, and the formula is really good. The one thing I would change about it is that it dries out my lips a tiny bit, but I always apply lip balm under it, so that's no problem for me.

And speaking fo lip balm. The only thing that saves my chapped lips in wintertime is the Eucerin Lip Repair lip balm. Oh. My. God. It is divine. It's rich, sort of siky, and the texture is great. It's packed full of goodies suck as Vitamine A+E, Dexpanthenol and the whole shebang. Truly an amazing product if you have extremely chapped and dry lips. I put it on at night sometimes (in extreme cases) and in the morning it has worked its magic and I can even still feel it on my lips. Lovely, lovely thing.

Hope you liked this tiny little faves of 2013 post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have you treid any of these products and what are your 2013 faves? Link me up with some posts!