"Back to Japan": Lips

With the limited amount of make up I have here with me in Tokyo, I decided to do a series to show you guys things that I've brought back with me :) I didn't wanna do it all at once because, let's face it, I didn't bring THAT little so I thought it best to do it in categories! Hopefully it'll trigger some review requests or post ideas - if you have  any please let me know!

Anyway I decided to kick it off with lips - I didn't include lipbalms, but here are the lippies and lipglosses that have made the trip back with me :)

Lipsticks

Left to Right:

* Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight 700

(for my everyday beige nude)

* 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Beehive

(for my everyday, glossy pink nude)

* GSpot Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Lustrus

(not actually sure why this came with..)

* MAC Amplified Lipstick in Warm Me Up (LE)
(MLBB colour, was a candidate for graduation lipstick)

* MAC Matte Lipstick in Please Me

(bright but dusky pink!)

* MAC Amplified Lipstick in Vegas Volt

(for the brave summer day cravings of reddish coral)

(Rimmel Nude Delight; 17 Beehive; GSpot Lustrus; MAC Warm Me Up; MAC Please Me; MAC Vegas Volt)


Summery colours? Meh, some of them. But I tried to choose on the basis of "what if" - what if I feel like wearing this, what if I start wanting this - so I tried to cover the spectrum in shades. I just wish I had something like MAC's Ever Hip or TopShop's Ooh La La - a pinky peach/peachy pink - anyone have suggestions? :P

I would've done the same in finishes, but I usually love pigmented lips, and 17 Beehive is the only glossy one I have - I'd love more tbh, so please let me know if you have any suggestions for that as well! :)

Lipglosses

Left to Right

* The Body Shop Love Gloss in 17

(it goes with anything and it's also gorgeous alone!)

* Jemma Kidd Hi-Shine Silk Touch Lipgloss in 15 Coral

(just in case I didn't feel like Vegas Volt ;) )

(The Body Shop 17; Jemma Kidd 15 Coral)

To be honest I haven't worn either of the lipglosses.. no idea why! Sometimes I think glosses look too wet, and I suppose in this humidity (it was 91% the other night!) I'm trying to keep my body to look as dried and unmoist as possible! :P

On that gross note, what have your lipstick/lipgloss picks been recently? :)

<3yu

My Skincare Hunt & First Impressions of Clinique 3 Step System

I realise that while I've written about some skincare products, I haven't really been clear about where I stand in my "skincare hunt" for a perfect routine :) I've sorted it all out in my head, so I thought I'd put it down on paper (screen) - it's a bit rambly but I hope you enjoy!

To start off, I have combination/normal skin - I get oily in the t-zone in the warmer months, and normal on my cheeks. Since I've gotten rid of my teenage acne last year, it's been a bit difficult assessing whether something is good, because I'm now after the luxury of perfect skin as opposed to just getting rid of things that shouldn't be there - if that makes sense?

I have a few bits and bobs of my skincare that I can say, "Yes, I love these products and I will rebuy them" but I'm still on the lookout for that perfect combination of products for a perfect routine. Anyway, here's the present standings:

* Face Wash

- Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

- The Body Shop Seaweed Face Wash

* Toner

- MUJI Light Toning Water (works well with Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser)

- The Body Shop Seaweed Toner (only works well with the face wash)

* Moisturizer

- Day: Liz Earle Skin Repair for Combo/Oily Skin

- Night: Boots Botanics Night Shift Cream

As you can see, a bit complicated, and a lot of ties! So the other day while I was roaming around the cosmetics section, I stumbled by Clinique which I heard lots about from Steph, and the kind lady at the counter explained a lot about how the system works, and gave me a 3-day sample kit to try.. (needless to say it's lasted me about 4 days already)..

Left: Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 (toner)

Centre: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Right: Clinique Facial Soap for Oily Skin

Used together, this set has ticked all of the boxes. Firstly, the soap leaves my face squeaky clean, and my face always appears brighter or maybe even whiter than it started off with. I'm guessing this is what the lady meant when she said it lifts the dead skin cells, to prepare for the next step.

The clarifying lotion, which is like a toner, then exfoliates and removes the dead skin cells. I genuinely feel this works, but god the smell is horrendous! I feel like I'm putting nail polish remover on my face, it's unbearable to smell and the lady told me strictly that I can't use it near my eyes or mouth - I wouldn't want to! That being said, at the end I feel refreshed and I feel it does its job.

The moisturizer feels like somewhere between a typical gel and a silica skin primer - it has that smoothing-over effect, but it's also quite wet. I think it does a decent job of sinking into my skin, but I also feel like I've felt others do a better job. That being said, the thing I like about this is that when I wake up, I'm not half as oily as I am when I use other moisturizers, and I have no qualms about using this for both day and night - which in the long run may save some dosh!

All in all, the bits of bumpiness and redness on my face has been seriously reducing - sounds perfect, right? But I'm still not 100% sure what I should be looking for, as I don't have any blatant problems anymore! Should I be aiming to have 'normal' skin as opposed to combination? Should I aim to have baby skin? Idk! (any help appreciated :P)

So my plan is on the 26th of August, to head over to the counter again and take full advantage of a campaign where for a few extra hundred yen (lol) added to the cost of a full-sized Clarifying Lotion, you get loads of 1 month sized products, like the face wash, the moisturizer and other things. AMAZING. I'm not sure if this offer is only in Japan though..

After that I hope to figure out if the full Clinique's 3 Step System would really work for me, or if I need to cut and paste from the previous list mentioned above. I personally don't really want to give up the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish nor her moisturizer, nor the MUJI Toner (it's paraben, alcohol, fragrance free!) - but I've got to admit, they're all running for their money with these 3 Clinique bad boys in town :)

Does anyone have 2 skincare routines, is that even possible? :P

Have you found your perfect skincare routine?

What do you look for when deciding whether a product stays in your routine? :)

<3yu

Picking Up Some Essentials.. #2

These days I've been buying a lot more beauty 'care' products than make-up, and because a lot of them are feeling like they'll be essentials, I decided to do a second part of a post I did ages ago about picking up some essentials :)

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails in Clear - £4.75

Tangle Teezer - £11.99

Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturizer - £8.16

The BodyShop Lip Roll-On in Orange - £3 (introduction price)

The BodyShop DeoDry in Fresh & Floral (refill) - £2

LUSH Grease Lightning - £5.65

The Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser caught my eye on Ellie's Beauty Blog's May Favourites and as the summer was making oilier than usual I had high hopes! I love that it has such good ingredients, very light and the smell is berry-like. It lingers for a short while, and is quite strong so if it wasn't as fruity I probably wouldn't like it, but because it's a very natural smell I don't mind it. As for the mattifying effects, I don't find it amazing - I find it reasonable. For that I'd recommend Boot's Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Mattifying Lotion, but that one smells horrible! So I think I'll be sticking with this :)

After not being able to locate my hair brush, I bit the bullet for the Tangle Teezer which I've been lusting after for ages! It's a lot lighter than I thought it'd be, but the results are about what I expected. I didn't expect a 100% WOW factor, and while I was right, I'm still impressed! My hair does feel softer, and brushing my hair is easier - I love the idea of protecting my cuticles and the instruction leaflet was so helpful. I'm not sure if it was £12 worth, but other than that, no regrets here at all! :)

When I got my nails done in Malta, the nail woman told me my nails were weak, and recommended Decleor's treatment oil.. for £52. I quickly refused and went on a search in Boots yesterday - as you can see I haven't opened this Sally Hansen Hard As Nails yet, partly because I'm not 100% sure how to use it.. most people recommend it as a base coat, so I'll be doing that soon :) A bit concerned that it's not natural and doesn't promise an infusion of nutrients.. anyone have any cheap recommendations? :/ But I did learn that when you paint your nails you have to leave a gap at the bottom because that way the live cells on your nail can breathe :)

I had no plans to get the new BodyShop Natural Lip Roll-On in Orange but I'm so glad I did, I am in LOOOOVE! Again, the natural ingredients are a major plus for me and the applicator is a metal ball that applies the oil onto your lips. And I LOVE the idea of applying oil onto your lips because that way your lips actually absorb the oils, instead of a cream that just sits on your lips, and so they feel moisturized from within. This deserves a post of its own really, but definitely recommend picking up while it's on introductory offer price! It comes in Orange, Mint, Rose, Coconut and Grape :)

The BodyShop DeoDry in Fresh & Floral is my staple deodorant - full review here :)

I first heard about LUSH Grease Lightning from Vivianna and I've been quite impressed! While I was a bit skeptical because the tea-tree oil from the BodyShop never worked on me, this one has been great! It's an antiseptic, with a gel-like consistency and a pump, and smells like a mix of tea tree oil, lavender and rosemary - gorgeous. I had two under-the-skin pimples right next to each other on my chin, which made me look like I had a Siamese chin, but since I've applied it each evening underneath my night moisturizer it's been getting a lot smaller - very impressed :)

So there it is! My recent essential purchases :)

What have you been buying/loving in your essentials recently? :)

<3yu

Sheer Lip Colour Love :)

A few months ago, tell me a lipstick was sheer and I would've written it off. But somehow over the past few weeks, I've been craving some colour and gloss but not a block of full-on colour that makes it so obvious I'm wearing lipstick. I've been wanting something more natural.

Here are the things I've been turning to, to achieve this more natural look that provides some colour and gloss - not a solid colour like lipsticks, and not a glossy faff of a lipgloss :) (I always find lippies easier to keep up during the day than glosses).

The Body Shop Born Lippy in Watermelon

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Nudist Peach (depotted)

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Beehive

L to R: TBS Born Lippy Watermelon; 17 Nudist Peach; 17 Beehive

The Body Shop Born Lippy, which retails for £2, gives a really pale pink-ish tint, and the smell is lovely! However, the rest of the range are more like the two lipsticks, in that the formula is more see-through than this - so Watermelon is the one I've been reaching for :)

17 Beehive

The 17 Nudist Peach doesn't do much to my pigmented lips, just give it more warmth. 17 Beehive is my newest addition, which gives me a pale pink lip (as above) - a bit cooler than what I would prefer in the summer, but mixing the two 17 lippies gives a really nice pale peach that I've been loving :) That being said, at £4.59 it's not the most expensive lipstick so I find it has that nasty cheap, plastic, lippie smell.. but the effect is lovely :)

As you can see they have a very nice sheen, that makes it quite natural and great for the summer, and the pigmentation is just right to have a wash over your lips - somehow I associate matte pigmented colour with colder climates and gloss sheer colour with warmer climates.. am I nuts? :P Either way, it's what I've been loving recently! :D

Do you prefer sheerer colours on your lips sometimes?
What are your favourite products for this? :)

<3yu

What I Took To Malta: Beach/Pool Make-Up!

I'm back! Hello to the new followers, and a big I-missed-you hug to the old! Malta was absolutely gorgeous and the perfect wind-down from 3 years of uni. Ben and I also found out that we have graduated with a 2:1 on our degrees - so it was a great week in general!

Today I'll show you what I brought to Malta - hopefully you can take away what I think is great to have for a beach holiday, in case some of you are off on one soon! We had a 15kg limit so a lot of the stuff were compact :)

Before that, I'll show you some snaps of our week there :) We stayed at the Radisson Blu on Golden Bay, courtesy of Ben's aunt for his 21st - we were there with Gary Neville!

Mokka Bar - We always had after dinner drinks here :)

Our kitchen/dining room/living room - I KNOW! We had a suite! :D

TV in bathtub - very convenient for the Wimbledon season! :)

Golden Bay

The pool

The Malta busses - 54p to the capital! :O

Streets of Valetta

 Ben & I at the Grand Harbour

Honestly, I am struggling a bit with a lack of foundation/powder/concealer to match my skin! I also got my nails done, which was fun - OPI Glitzerland is very pretty! On days where we weren't by the pool or the beach, we went to other places like St. Julian's and Mdina - I think my favourite was Valetta - it is absolutely gorgeous!

On to the make-up!

I bought myself a brand new make-up bag for this holiday, and it's this baby from Glitzy Glam. It is so much fun to come up with your own bag, and it's absolutely massive! You can see more in my June Favourites video :) Anyway, this is great for if you're going anywhere for over a week. It also fitted my brushes, moisturizer, and my mini-shower stuff too.

I brought loads of make-up, but the ones I used were things that gave me the most natural and beachy look - here are the kinds of things I'd recommend to someone who is off on a sunny holiday :)

- NIVEA Stay Real Blush in Shades of Rose

This is a great summer shade because it's like a really tanned pink, so it's very natural and goes with the golden glow of a tan! :) Anything else felt too unnatural and unbeach-like because it was too much of a pop of colour.

- CANMAKE Gokubuto Mascara

Waterproof mascara is a must - this one is also natural, in that it separates and lengthens so it was good for a natural beachy look.

- MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque

I only wore this in the evening, just to add some colour on my eyes - it's a bright gold with a salmon duochrome, which again compliments a tan, and you don't need a brush!

- UNE SkinGlow Pencil in G04

I didn't really use this too much - it got too light as my tan grew! But it's still a great summer-time product that opens up your eyes and no worries about the black eyeliner melting :)

- Lipice Suncare SPF25

Somehow a lipstick seemed too unnatural, and I felt like with such a dark tan, a natural lip was best. So I used this lipbalm with SPF the most, and the lemon-scent is gorgeous! :)

- MAC Moisture Tint in Medium Dark SPF15

While the Bourjois Healthymix was light and natural enough for a beachy feel, I didn't need a lot of coverage because of the tan and my blemishes were going away with the healthy amount of sun! The SPF was a good reassurance too :)

For the bath essentials, I brought mini-things of my favourite body wash and cleanser - the Bodyshop Grapefruit Shower Gel and the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. I also brought the BodyShop Grapefruit Body Butter, which helped a lot with dried out sunkissed skin!

The biggest difference from my usual routine was my shampoo and conditioner - the LUSH Godiva Shampoo/Conditioner Bar. I picked this because 1) it smells amazing and 2) it's a 2-in-1. It is far from the best haircare, and I felt my hair wasn't in the best condition, but it's definitely a good product for holiday :)

So there you go! I had an amazing time, and I'd definitely want to go back to see more of the country some time. The atmosphere, the architecture, the culture - everything was lovely! And I hope you got some good tips for products or what kinda stuff you might wanna bring to your holiday :)

Who else is off on holiday?
What are your beach holiday must-haves? :)

<3yu

5 Beauty Exam Stress Saviours

-Sigh-, I am done with exams. The relief is tremendous!

Anyway, I just wanted to give a bit of a thank you to some things that I felt helped me to keep feeling good about myself and looking, well, decent (at best) throughout the exam period!

All these things are really easy to use, fast to use, made me feel (and hopefully look) 10x better, and are things that I'll turn to when I'm stressed in the future! (It wont be from exams, I'll tell you that much :D)

* MAC Studio Moisture Tint with SPF15 in Medium Dark

There's no particular reason why it has to be the MAC Studio Moisture Tint - it's just the tinted moisturizer that I use, but I do appreciate that it has SPF15 :) It was great for just popping out for a coffee break, and it's super easy to use with fingers, and just evens out the skin-tone with a semi-matte finish.

* Bourjois Compact Powder in 73 Miel Dore

I buffed this in after using a very rich moisturizer like the Boots Botanics Day Shift Moisturizing Cream or the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturizer for Normal/Combination skin, and it gave me a bit more coverage than the MAC Studio Tint. Again, great for coffee breaks, quick and easy.

* Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzing Compact Powder in Medium Matte

I'm not a fan of this when applying a harsh contour with a MAC 109, but it is amazing to use as a soft contour with a powder brush like a MAC 129. It claims to be matte but it has the littlest amount of a pearlescent finish, which I think adds to the glow that a natural contour gives. A shimmery bronzer would be overboard, a matte bronzer would look muddy and flat.

Swatch: Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzing Compact in Medium Matte

* Body Shop Born Lippy in Watermelon and Pink Guava (latter not pictured)

I leaned towards the fruity scented lip balms, because they are so refreshing! I feel like sugary ones make you lethargic and minty ones are too dynamic and harsh on the monotonous life of a studying student.. Also, I love these lip balms in general - definitely one of my faves!

* ELF Studio Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter in Medium 

I was flabbergasted when 27vampyr said in her recent monthly favourites video that the concealer end had caffeine in it - the last time I had used it was when I wasn't suffering from tired eyes so I hadn't noticed the kick, and I had always used my Bobbi Brown concealer because I wanted the coverage for my dark circles. This concealer does not give great coverage - but the caffeine is AMAZING. It really kicks your eyes awake! Although this isn't high coverage, it leaves a very natural finish - you could definitely layer a cream concealer on top.

Top: Highlighter, Bottom: Concealer.

So there you have it :)

What beauty products and tips do you use to get you through stressful times? :)

<3yu

The BodyShop Haul & Giveaway Win! :)

I do love the BodyShop, most of you probably already know that, but I friggin' hate their Love Your Body card, because the rewards are so complicated and you can't actually get the reward unless you spend £10! Anyway, I did use it because I was running low on stuff and wanted to use it towards my holiday at the end of June :) Here's what I got!

Mini Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub

Mini Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel

Mini Pink Grapefruit Body Butter

Born Lippy in Mango Peach

Body Polish in Satsuma

For that I paid £13, which is a good deal BUT - I would have preferred to just buy something that's a tenner for a fiver. Needless to say I don't think I'll be renewing the card after this year, their website has amazing deals on all the time anyway!

But yes, the Pink Grapefruit range is my fave - could you tell? ;P I've already used up a full size of their body gel, and I also quite like the Satsuma range and use their body gel as well. I've got the Born Lippy in Pink Guava which is one of my favourite lip balms for the summer, and I've only got about 30% of it left so I think a back-up was in order :)

I also got some goodies in the post today after I won a giveaway over at 25FLONDON :)

OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy

Cadbury's Mini Eggs (which my boyfriend has already ransacked..)

Some ramen soup.. LOL! (inside joke)

Thank you H! So yes, very happy with today's hoard-age! :)

Whilst on this shopping trip I stopped by the Dior counter and got a sneak peek of the new bronzers coming out on the 19th - AND I got to swatch them, the woman was so lovely! Very exciting :) Definitely have my eyes on Aurora - you can take a look at them here. It's definitely a lot darker in real life. The finish was matte with a few shimmers from the brown :)

I also got some samples of some foundations as I am on the hunt for my first ever high-end foundation - VERY EXCITING, AGAIN :D And, I swatched NARS's blush in Torrid - definitely on the wishlist! Very glad that I have pulled out of the make-up slump!

That being said I have calmed down in the past 6 months in that I really only ever buy things that when I'm doing my makeup, think, "I wish I had a coral blush", rather than looking at a product in a store and going "Ooo that's pretty, I'll get that!" cuz the former actually means you'll use it.. if you know what I mean. I love it, anyway, I am maturing ;P

Other than that the boyfriend and I had a lovely day in the small town, we treated ourselves to a lovely meal at Pizza Express - although, we are both itching to move to the city :)

<3yu

HG Deodorant - BodyShop DeoDry

I don't know if HG is reserved for make-up or whatever, but if they do apply to, say, deodorants, the BodyShop DeoDry is definitely my HG deodorant.

Price: £2.50 for case + 1 refill; £2 per refill, available from The Body Shop

Smell: Mine is in Fresh & Floral which is really fresh and unoffensive. There is also Cool & Zesty (green) and Chilled & Breezy (blue).

Packaging: This one is the roll-on with which you can buy the refills, but they also have sticks, which you can't buy refills for.The roll-ons are incredibly effective, as in you use every last drop - nothing goes to waste here! Also small enough to pop in handbag :)

Formula: The selling point is that it doesn't contain aluminum salts, which means they don't give you those horrible white stains. These roll-on ones are quite liquid-y, and don't dry incredibly fast but it's not a problem anyway because it doesn't dry white. It also doesn't stink up the room whenever you use it, or mix in with your perfume which I really like.

Lasting Power: I've worn this in 40 degrees celcius in midsummer Japan, and I think the most I re-applied was twice, and this is whilst taking care of 20 hyperactive children in one room. So yes, I'd say it's quite good, but maybe not always the 24hr that they claim. On a day to day basis I don't really need to reapply, unless I do break sweat rushing somewhere/wearing too many layers, in which case a second time will do the trick for the day.

Overall: 5/5 - no complaints. I love the environmental aspect, the smell, the non-whiteness, subtlety and the lasting power. I'm on my second cartridge and I don't often like something enough to rebuy, but I don't see why I wouldn't rebuy this one again!

May be your perfect addition to prepare for the warmth :)

<3yu

Why I Love the BodyShop.. (and 3 offers info!)

Today I received my first Body Scrub from the BodyShop and I realised - I have a LOT of BodyShop products and a LOT of love for the BodyShop. So I wanted to reflect on why I have major bromance (beauty romance) with the company, and share with you guys :)

First things first, if you've never tried the BodyShop, or if you always felt that it's a bit expensive for what it is - now is the right time to give it a shot. They are offering, not only free shipping, but a 30% discount to anyone who joins their Facebook Group.

Also, FaceFixers has just kindly told me that in today and tomorrow's Telegraph, there is a £5 voucher for them as well :)

Cosmo on Campus has just tweeted -"Student VIP day at The Body Shop stores, Thursday 17 Feb. 30% off ALL makeup, FREE Big & Curly Mascara & makeover! More info in Cosmo on Campus".

No excuses ladies! :P

Secondly, while they have had a few flukes in the past, they have regained their strong humanitarian aspect to their products. They claim fair trade and anti-animal testing, and often run campaigns, such as the Stop Sex Trafficking Campaign today, or past campaigns for the environment and for HIV/AIDS victims. Their bags are always 100% recycled and biodegradable, and I have never had a staff over-package my goods (unlike in LUSH sometimes). However, all this isn't to be mistaken that all their products are natural. Some are (e.g. DeoDry, Nutriganics), some aren't.

The founder, Dame Anita Roddick, was a human rights activist and very much brought that into her work after alliancing with Green Peace. I'm not an expert on their company, but I think what they do is a lot more than what many other companies do, and for this I don't mind paying an extra few quid.

Thirdly, I've always found their customer service to be excellent. Not only are the in-store staff usually lovely, but the order I placed on the 8th, which was dispatched on the 10th, arrived on the morning of the 11th. And this is for the free standard delivery.

They also very much keep customers in mind when designing their products. For example, they are one of the few companies who offer trial kits for most of their skincare range, which include a face wash, toner, moisturizer, and sometimes something extra like the Tea Tree Oil. Also, their packaging is often very easy to use (e.g. tubs, pumps, shape of lipgloss's doefoot applicator) and unwasteful (tubs, clear tubes, cartridge deodorants etc.,).Their products always come in a variety of sizes, and for a variety of skin-types.

It might sound pretty ridiculous, but I do not work for the BodyShop, never have done, I've not been paid or sent any free products to write all of this. I just sat down, and thought about why I keep going back to the BodyShop time and time again. And that's what I've come up with.

Hope this has encouraged newbies to give it a shot, and for old-time lovers to pop in some time - it really is a lovely experience! :) And if you do check them out, please please please take the time to sign the petition against Sex Trafficking - it wont take much of your time, and it can really make a difference!

Oh, and I forgot to mention. The quality of their products are superb :) My favourites are the Seaweed Facewash and Toner, the DeoDry, Body Butters, Body Wash, LoveGloss and Born Lippy.

This is what I've got now.. and trust me, I've tried a LOT more :)

<3yu

Picking Up Some Essentials..

I've been running out on many things - moisturizers, deodorants etc., so it was about time I plopped myself on a bus to town to pick up some necessities.

L to R: BOTANICS Instant Glow Tinted Moisturizer, Night Shift Moisture Cream, Day Shift Moisture Cream

I was in dire need of a day and night moisturizer so I went to Boots to take a look. Botanics won me over with their good reputation for the make-up remover and the 3 for 2 offer. So I picked up these 3. I LOVE the jars, they are visually pleasing, sturdy, and I wont have to cut up tubes to use up every last drop! They all smell very light, subtle and fresh so I'm very excited to try them out :)

I picked the tinted moisturizer just because it's something I've never had and the rest of the Botanics range were things I have from another brand :)

Tinted moisturizer: £4.59, both creams: £5.10 = £10.20 for the 3 :) Available at Boots.

I also went in wanting to try a new Aussie product, because I have fallen in LOVE with their shampoo & conditioner. Again on offer in Boots, you can get 2 Aussie products (from shampoo, conditioner or 2-in-1 products) for £6. I didn't have anything else I needed so I got this for £4.69. However, if you are wanting a shampoo & conditioner, pop over to Superdrug instead cuz they have a £1 off each which actually works out cheaper :)

On the right is Sally Hansen's Cuticle Massage Cream with Apricot Oil. This was £4.07, and hopefully will cure me of my eternally dry cuticles and nail beds. They are a nightmare, and I often have bandaids on my fingers because they hurt :( So hopefully this will work, because Sally Hansen has an amaaaazing reputation!

This is my HG deodorant, if there is such a thing. These are from Bodyshop, and the one on the left is the actual casing that you can get for £4 - obvs comes with 1 cartridge. The one pictured is the roll-on one, but there is also a stick one too. I'll do a more in-depth review on these, but I bought myself the cartridge that's on the right today for £3 - very eco-friendly and cost-effective. Amazing quality, let's put it that way for now :).

Other than that, I was VERY disappointed by the local H&M, as everything I had hoped to buy online was not in the store. I walked out with yoga pants, a V-neck white t-shirt, and a dust roller. Not too exciting, but these yoga pants are so comfortable.. *wiggles in seat*.

<3yu

The Project 15 Pan: Product 2!

I've finished my second product today, and it is the BodyShop Seaweed Series Mattifying Day Cream:

I know it's the tester tub, but I'm not going to bother with sizes as I just want to be able to decrease the number of stuff I have :) That being said, I'm starting to realise how hard this project is going to be, as I still haven't finished a single make-up product. Urgh! Anyway, on to the mini-review.

A lot of sources seem to imply that this product is the most popular out of the Seaweed Series, but I couldn't tell you why. It's not that I don't like it, but it is incredibly average in my eyes and overpriced for what you get.

The consistency is unique, first for the purpose and generally lovely, as it's somewhere between a gel and a cream, which is perfect for people with oily/combination skin. However, I didn't see this to be suitable for me for several reasons, despite having combination skin.

First, it's not moisturizing enough for these winter months. But more importantly, I feel like it kinda sits on my face and I'm waiting for it to 'dry' rather than waiting for it to 'absorb'. I felt like I was smearing a layer of defensive barrier or something lol! Because of this, I also didn't feel comfortable using this as a base for my foundation because I felt like I was using my face as a mixing surface.. lol. Not cool.

Obviously by the name, it's supposed to be a mattifying cream. It's not. It does a good job of controlling the oil but I wouldn't go as far to say it's a mattifying cream.

For £9, Idk if this is the result I would want. In fact, it's not. I'd much rather invest in Nivea, or something more cream-based. As you can tell it's possibly party my personal choice, as I've never really liked putting gel on my face, but I think my argument still stands that it's not the best of moisturizers, unless you just want something that controls the oil to a moderate level.

I love this range, and I use their face wash and toner everyday, they smell so fresh and lovely but this product - it just wasn't rebuy material for me! :)

<3yu

MAC Fix + Alternatives - BodyShop & MUJI

I was completely set on getting the MAC Fix+, as I've been suffering from 2 things - 1) a dry flakey patch between my eyebrows and 2) a hate for the powdery finish no matter how much I buff powder in.

I was all for paying the £11 (for 100mL), as it doesn't feel much for what it claims to do. It's basically used to set your make up, get rid of that powdery finish, and it can also be used to 'foil' eyeshadows. But then I read that the main ingredient that did all the fabulous things that the MAC Fix + does, is Glycerin.

Keeping this in mind, I went on a search for alternatives that could suit other budgets and lifestyles.

My first alternative is the BodyShop Vitamin E Face Mist (£7 for 100mL)

Glycerin is listed third in the ingredients list (these always go in descending order of amount), and has received some good reviews on YouTube. It apparently smells like rose, and is also good for just a refreshing touch up, like on the plane. The size is exactly the same as the MAC Fix +, just £4 cheaper.

My second alternative, and the one I decided to go for, is the MUJI Sensitive Skin Light Toning Water Moist (£8 for 200mL).

The bottle doesn't have a spray so you need your own atomizer for this product. However, lemme tell you it's 100% worth it. Glycerin is the second ingredient after water, and I jumped at it for the price as well (especially because it's half the price in Japan). It has definitely gotten rid of that powdery feel and my face has such a natural finish. And my make up stays on for longer. My dry patch isn't gone but it's a lot less noticeable.

The biggest plus about getting it in this massive bottle, is that you can pop off the little sifter at the top, and refill into different sized atomizers to have on the go. And you can use the rest as a toner (like it's supposed to be used!). Here are mine:

And I still have 100mL left in the bottle. The one on the top sits on my vanity so I can spray it either directly on my face or on a stippling brush, and the likkle one is in my make-up bag for refreshing during the day.

I am in no position to say that the MAC Fix + is not worth the money or anything like that because I have never tried it. However, there are advantages to the alternatives I've listed. Obviously, the price on both products, and for the BodyShop Vitamin E Face Mist, it is more accessible as there are more BodyShops than there are MAC counters. While MUJI isn't all that widely available, you can always order online, and the money value is so much better. Even better than that, you can make it portable and in a sense, 'multiply' by making it accessible in different places (vanity, on-the-go, bathroom, etc.,). However, the only downside is that you will need your own atomizers, as the bottle doesn't come as a spray (it is a toner after all). These are quite cheap in the likes of Superdrug :)

So yes. The MAC Fix + isn't the only item on the market for this kind of thing. Take a look around and you may find alternatives, but here is my 2 cents, hope you enjoyed :)

<3yu

Favourite Products of 2010!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my Hiatus post. I've been having a great time with my family, but today we're having a chill night so I thought I'd take the time and figure out what my favourite products of 2010 are :)

This is honestly my first year being truly into make up and I think I started around March/April-ish, and it completely sky-rocketed after the creation of my YouTube channel in May. So you'll find that a lot of the things I put in here are things that I bought in the last half a year so.. excuse me if it's not ALL of 2010 :P

Enough babbling I think! :)

The Runners Up - in no particular order are..

(Top L clockwise: MaxFactor False Lash Effect; MAC Satin Taupe e/s; Duo-Fibre Stippling Brush; ELF Eyeshadow Brush; Sleek Storm Palette)

MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara I think it just a great all-around mascara, that helps to enhance rather than make me look unnatural. Love it.

MAC Satin Taupe deserves all the raving it gets - it's a brilliant colour, hard to dupe, and has been one of my go-to autumn/winter colour!

The Duo-Fibre Brush is something that changed how I see foundation - it's so much more fun and stress-free because of this brush :)

The ELF Eyeshadow Brush is the best e/s brush I had for a while in terms of quality and price, and is something I wouldn't throw away even if I have the MAC 239 now.

The Sleek Storm Palette probably leading the way as it is one of my first palettes, incredibly useful, and just so well-rounded.

Tied for 4th Place are..

 (L: Rimmel London's Nude Delight No. 700 & R: Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette)

Rimmel London's Nude Delight Lipstick No. 700 is my perfect nude that I have been searching so long for. I've never looked back on the day I got this and it was my go-to lipstick over the summer! It's hybernating atm and replaced by MAC's The Faerie Glen, as Nude Delight is very much a summer nude, but it will come back in a couple of months I'm sure :)

Coastal Scents' 28 Neutral Palette - you've heard me rave about this in the review. Go check it out here! :) In short, extremely usable, value for money, alternative while I grow my MAC collection, allows for new looks with matte colours, and everything else wonderful :)

3rd Place is also a tie with..

(LOL I'm such a cheat!)

 (L: MAC Blush in Style & R: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus)

MAC Blush in Style is my one and only MAC blush, and it has been that way for so long because it's my go-to blush, I love it, I know it looks good on me, and.. well, I love it.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish is like the stock room people in stores that you always forget exists but would be hopeless without! :P Something I reach for everyday, and something that is just so beautifully subtle and unnoticeable. It's light, it's barely there but has very good coverage.. I'm not sure what to say, I think other lovers out there know what I mean lol I forget its existence but does its job.. this is making me confused! LOL!

2nd Place goes to..

The Bodyshop Seaweed Series

This changed my skin. I'm sure the meds from the dermatologist did too, but this just cleanses my skin and maintains it so well. It just washes it to the right level - not too harsh, not too useless. It does the perfect middle ground for me, I feel like I'm just washing my face with water but.. better lol. God I really am confusing myself here..

& Favourite Product of the Year goes to..

MAC Studio Finish Concealer with SPF 15 in NC35

Alongside the Bodyshop Seaweed series, this concealer helped repair my teenage-acne prone skin both physically and emotionally (too deep Yu, too deep). Whenever I used other concealers and saw that they didn't cover my scars, I was very conscious of it and felt like my scars were too big to be covered, and therefore I required more coverage than everyone else cuz everyone else didn't seem to have scars. Guess they were using MAC Studio Finish Concealer :P

So there ya go! :) My lovely best friends of my make-up bag & sink (haha) - hope you guys enjoyed!

If you have any questions about the products, do feel free to ask :) & don't forget to link me to your yearly favourites! :)

<3yu

P.S. Keep an eye out for a video on this :)

Shopping Adventures & Finally - New Make Up Storage!

Helloooooo everyone! (again, TLC to the 9 followers.. <3)

Today was like major, major, MAJOR shopping day with my "so-not-a-friend", Lisa (it's an inside joke.. we said it once on a bus and a guy gave us the most disgusted look.. lol good times) after an hour of seminar and a little visit to the Postgraduate Open Day.

I went with the intention of buying 2 things: Benefit's Her Name Was Glowla and Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipstick. I got neither. The first one is quite pricey, at £28.50, and while I was willing to pay that when I was looking at it online, my initial reaction when I saw it was like, "Hm. Cool.", not "EEEEEEEE!!!!" and we thought that was an indication.

I think I love the fact that I can try so many Benefit products which I wouldn't pay to try if it weren't in a kit/mini-sized.. but I don't use highlighters very much, the eyeshadow colours are dupable, and the blush was kinda chalky. So.. maybe I should just consider the Sha-La Lovely kit or the Confessions of a Concealaholic because those two looked GORGE! But then I feel like I missed out on their blush which seems to be their popular product.. Any opinions guys? I did consider getting Boots' mini Butterfly chest of drawers with face/lips/eyes drawers.. so adorable. £14, if they're good quality, bargain! They also had eyeshadow kits, and lip kits, and all inclusive kits.. so pretty. Okay there we go, I'm getting them instead! 3 for 2, here we go.

Anyway, while I would LOOOOVE to show you my actual (not mental/wishful) loot, most of it will give away items on an on-going swap with my fellow Youtube/Blogger Mandy, so that isn't going to happen for a while.. sorry guys! When I give make-up gifts, I like to give things that I've already tried or Lisa has tried (lol), and obviously.. I wanted some more for myself! :P

But I did get a new make up storage (as you can probably guess from the title really.. lol.)

It's just a drawer set that I got for 50% at WHSmith for £9.99 - how cute is it? I was totally torn between this one and a baby pink/baby blue set with cupcakes on them! (Lisa likes cupcakes.. it was hard to resist her cupcake-waves). One piece of advice.. if you do decide to get something like this on a shopping trip.. get it at the end to save your hands, because WHSmith don't like giving you bags that you can hold properly by the handles! (Fairy lights have not been fixed..)

In addition to that, I bought a new pair of jeans after elegantly ripping my old pair. Got a light blue one from H&M for a whopping £30.. a bit expensive, but I loved the fit of my last one, and the colour of this one. I think the last ones were exactly the same, but like.. £20, because of the normal dark blue colour. Lame! So yes, my total spending of the day totalled way.. way.. over £70. Sad.. this has been upsetting me tonight, even if everything was actually a relatively necessary buy!

I got a lipgloss in H&M, and we also were invited to BodyShop's V.I.P event (which wasn't a V.I.P event AT ALL.. they ended up not taking the 20% off of my bill because I didn't show my membership card. And uh, the email said the event was just for members. They DID give me £5 off my next purchase though.. which actually turned out to be a better deal.. But still made me spend more today!), and I got like 2 things there: White Musk gift set for Christmas for my cousin, and a mango soap for meeeee <3:

 The lipgloss was £0.99 - bargain! Haven't tried it though but the shade name is adorable: "Aruba". Been there, done that, loved it. It smells REALLY sweet though, so we'll have to see if I can handle it. Mango smells adorable, and considering my cousin spent the summer smelling White Musk everytime we went there, I'm guessing she'll like it!

I concluded the night by meeting my boyfriend at the bus stop after his return from London. Then we ordered in take-away and pigged out to watch Hot Fuzz :)

<3yu