Pay Day Wish List

Bring on the end of the month! So many amazing pieces for winter! 

WEBSITES

Boohoo

Misguided

Asos

Celeb Style Crush - Millie Mackintosh

Made is now available on Amazon 

Sleek and on Fleek!!

Hi Beauties!

*Disclaimer: I apologise for the photo effects of the pictures - I'm trying to figure it out*

Anyway back to the post...

I've had a total hair re-vamp!! With months of tatted ends, knots and frying I've decided to take real care of the head of hair I've been blessed with. For too long I've just washed (with no conditioner!!) and just blasted with the hair dryer in my attempt to "save time" - and boy to I regret it!

L'Oreal Hair Expertise Supersleek Coarse Shampoo 250ml & Hair Expertise Riche Replenishing + Taming Conditioner 250ml

Oh sweet baby jesus these two dolls have been a life saver! I have a really thick long head of hair that is very coarse at the ends and can be subject to frizz now and again - These two together are the perfect dynamic duo. Hair feels soft, sleek and easy to work with.

  

VO5 Smoothly does It Frizz Free Creme 100ml + Tresemme Heat Defence Styling Spray 300ml

We all have those days where we just cannot be bothered to sit with that heavy hairdryer, sectioning off layer by layer blowdrying our hair to create a salon worthy style. Believe me if I could leave it to dry naturally and get away with it - I sure would! 

These two products help combat the natural frizz whilst protecting my hair from the heat from my hairdryer and styling tools. Together with the John Frieda Large Radial Brush I can create a sleek silky feeling barnet with very little effort.

What are your favourite haircare products?

Liss xx

July Birchbox 2015

Hi!

It's officially the start of summer and another month's Birchbox is here!

Although we can never really rely on the glorious summer weather to get us in the mood, you can always look forward to what goodies are coming in your box every month.

This month's box is a collaboration with French Sole, the flat shoe of choice for some of the most stylish women on the planet because of their comfy yet chic designs.  The box contains items to keep you fresh but summer/festival ready!

English Laundry No7 for Her 

Slightly tweaked to accompany the original No7 blend for men, the spray smells fruity and sweet which is very light for summer. I can't say I'm a massive fan, as it does smell very "Britney Spears/Paris Hilton" like, but I'd imagine if you just wanted a nice freshen up, it would be a nice little handbag sample to carry.

Yes to Cucumbers Facial Wipes

I can hear Caroline Hirons screaming as we speak! Now we all know that wipes are the not the best way to take off makeup/ cleanse. But as Caroline would say "fannys, festivals and flights" I have used the Yes to Cucumbers moisturiser and I quite liked it so hopefully I will enjoy these on holiday too!

Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash

I love getting samples like this when I have holidays/trips coming up! Perfect for packing instead of carrying round bulky bottles of body wash etc. This award winning wash uses naturally active ingredients to soften and hydrate the skin

Beauty Protector Protect & Oil

Hair Elixir Fans - where you at???!!!  I am in love! This is a lightweight hair oil that leaves your hair glossy and protects against UV rays and heat damage - smells gorge!!! Another that will be in my suitcase!

STYLondon Tempory Metallic Tattoos

I have been obsessed with seeing these metallic tattoos on instagram! The new number one accessory. I think they would look really cool on the beach, once my skin is a little more sun kissed.

Mirenesse iCurl Secret Weapon 24Hr Mascara

I am a mascara girl, but this just blew my mind! Using secret weapon tubing technology (i know, i know) this mascara coats and separates lashes for all day curls that won't budge all day. Now I am totally loving the new Loreal Superstar Mascara

BIRCHBOX IS AVAILABLE  @ BIRCHBOX.CO.UK 

£10 PER MONTH + P&P 

Liss xxx

Bank Holiday #OOTN

Hi!

Now apologies in advance for the poor quality iPhone pics, but just wanted to share my OOTN from the past bank holiday nights out! I was quite lucky that it was a dry weekend for the most part, because we all know how the great british weather can ruin a girls partying! If you follow me on instagram - link under my pic-----> follow me :) - you'll see that I had a ball this weekend! Now to the outfits. 

FRIDAY

Playsuit - Topshop sale (few months back) - £15

Blazer - Dorothy Perkins (YEARS ago) - Think i paid about £30?

Shoes - New Look Sale - £8

SUNDAY

Dress - Boohoo - £15 BARGAINNN!

Shoes - New Look - £8

Share some of your outfits!!

Liss xx

Faux the Glow - Autograph Golden Rose Highlighter

Hey Guys!

I am all about highlighters! But since I have a very unhealthy relationship with Mac MSF in soft and gentle (repurchased about 5 times), its hard for other to compete. Marks and Spencer was probably the last place I'd expect to find such a luxurious highlighter like this. Who knew?

This Autograph highlighter is such a soft versatile powder which can be either worn sheer or built up with a heavy contour, allowing you to wear day or night.

Light reflecting pearls provide a subtle luminous sheen which is long wearing and suitable for face and body. This is in the colour Golden Rose, and its 10g of sexiness!! 

I think this colour may look slightly better on me when I've got a bit of a tan, so definitely a must have for summer.  Highlighters are available for £15 from M&S

 Any other highlighters I should try?

Liss xx

ROYALLY GOOD - BIRCHBOX APRIL 2015

Hi!

There's nothing better than coming home on a Friday night (after your first week at a new job) and finding your April Birchbox has been delivered! And I think this one is most certainly fit for royalty...

So this months Birchbox is a collaboration with british heritage magazine Tatler to give us all that royal treatment. Laura Mercier, Liz Earle and Korres... Eek!!! 

LAURA MERCIER EYE PENCIL IN "VIOLET"

I'm not gonna lie I was a bit disappointed that I didn't receive the foundation primer.. because we all know that is probably the most talked about and celebrated product in the whole Laura Mercier line. And we all know how expensive it can be! But nevertheless, I was a bit sceptical about wearing a violet/purple eyeliner, especially with having blue eyes, but the swatch on my hand looks beautiful, consistency is creamy and easy to apply so I'm excited to add a pop of colour as a funky alternative.

LOLA BARCELONA NAIL POLISH IN "BORN"

Created exclusively with Lola Barcelona for this month's box, this shimmery nude shade contains hints of lilac for a fresh wash of colour. It kind of reminds me a little of Nails Inc "Porchester Square" but a little more on the lilac side.

NUMBER 4 LUMIERE D'HIVER SUPER COMB PREP & PROTECT

This strengthening and de-tangling spritz spray will save the day when your hair needs that added bit of TLC. Thick haired girls will be with me, anything that helps with knots, dry split ends is always a winner!

LIZ EARLE CLEANSE AND POLISH 

You can never get too much of Liz! Award winning, beauty editor favourite and skincare front runner,  you know I will always recommend this little beauty! And having a sample size of 30ml means I can either spread my love for Liz or use for my upcoming travels.

KORRES BERGAMOT PEAR BODY MILK

From the cult natural beauty brand, a lightweight lotion enriched with nourishing almond oil and sea butter. This smells divine!

Beauty Bonus...

BEFINE WARMING CLAY MASK

Befine are a range of products inspired by food. Now I know what your thinking, food for the face? But this hearty self-heating mask contains powerful antioxidants like pomegranate to help detox the skin. I always a lover of masks so hopefully this will be god enough to eat! ( I know cringe at that pun)

IF YOUR INTERESTED IN SUBSCRIBING TO BIRCHBOX FOR £10 PER MONTH + P&P AND RECEIVE SOME GOODIES EVERY MONTH THEN JUST CLICK HERE!!

Liss xx

NARS ALL DAY LUMINOUS WEIGHTLESS FOUNDATION REVIEW

Guess who's back? Yes it's me! Apologies for the blogpost slacking in the past couple of months, but I'm back now.. and whats better to come back with then a new foundation review!

About 2 weeks ago, I went to Harvey Nic's Beauty Bazaar in Liverpool One. Now if you are a makeup fanatic, you need to get your butt in there ASAP! Luxury at its height!

Now I'll be honest before going in there, I've never owned any NARS products. I know *GASP*. I've heard about the infamous NARS Sheer Glow so I thought, lets go for it! Unfortunately, they didn't have my shade in the Sheer Glow, but the lovely makeup artist recommended the newly released foundation- NARS All Day Luminous Weightless in the shade Mont Blanc.

The make-up artist described the foundation as full, natural looking foundation, which is not heavy and can last up to 16 hours. I am all about long lasting foundation- but still having your skin looking fresh and natural. 

After buying the foundation I was so excited to come home and try applying it myself to see which technique works best. I am so used to using my real techniques buffing brush so I thought it would be perfect. NARS recommend to warm one pump in the palm of your hands and work into the skin in small sections. And trust me one to two pumps is more than enough.

I am not about applying foundation with fingers. I just don't like it- yuk! Best way for me- DAMP BEAUTY BLENDER! Amen!!! 

The texture is very thin, but highly pigmented. I love full coverage foundation and I didn't have to use any concealer, which is a win-win in my book!

Overall I really love this foundation, although its not as long lasting as I would like. I wouldn't recommend wearing  foundation for upto 16 hours, but I could get about roughly 5-6 hours before I would need to powder or reapply slightly. 

Liss xx

Makeup Icon: Edie Sedgwick

Marilyn was the sexy one, Audrey was the classy one, and Grace was the elegant one. 

But when it came to the 60's coolest chick, it was all about Edie Sedgwick.

Nobody could quite master the wild child look like her- and she could do whatever she wanted, when she wanted, and no-one was going to stop her.

I recently visited the Tate Art Gallery in Liverpool Albert Dock to see the "Transmitting Andy Warhol" Exhibition before it was planning to leave my city. Now I'm the type of person to feel quite intimidated by visiting art galleries, as I'm not one of these people who necessarily "gets" and appreciates art. 

Of course I saw all the defining pieces Warhol had produced such as the iconic Marilyn Monroe pop art print, but I was really drawn in by the fashion elements of the exhibition. One piece I really loved included this style icon and Warhols biggest muse. I think its clear to see that her style is not going anywhere, and will inspire fashion and beauty for years to come. 

Lets talk makeup...

Its all about the eyes! BOLD, BLACK, THICK LINES. And don't even worry about being neat. Line the crease of your eye with a black or dark eyeshadow and then slightly run over your crease with a black liquid eyeliner. Then line the top lash line with the same eyeliner. Then add TONS of mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

Edie was also a lover of a thick brow. If you have fair brows, fill in with a dark brown eyebrow pencil or shadow- think Cara Delevingne but thicker...

The base is light but flawless. Either Bareskin Foundation/ MAC Face & Body would be perfect. You want to use something that is light- but buildable without being cakey. Nothing really on the cheeks as her eyes where the main focus.

High Five to Edie my nude lip lover!! Keep the lips minimal - natural and nude.

As I'm not makeup artist, if you would like a more in-depth, step by step tutorial on how to recreate this look, I highly recommend you watch Sam Chapman of Pixiwoo Youtube Video! She gets it down to a T.

Who are your makeup icons?

What's in my Birchbox? | January 2015

Hello!

First of all, apologies for the delay in this post! I did receive this right at the beginning of January- which was weird to see when I came home because I never receive it earlier than around the 15th. But as long as I get it it doesn't really matter does it?

The first 2015 Birchbox is in partnership with Woman's Health- the go to for all things health. what better time to partner up for the month that nearly all of us are deciding to improve their wellbeing. 

Let's have a look inside...

Korres Citrus Showergel | £18

This smells divine! A get-up-and-go citrus body wash will ensure skin stays hydrated all day. I used this after doing a workout and it is energising an revitalising.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum | £45

I love anything tat is going to make me look more radiant and alive in the morning! I usually use my Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask mixed in with the Cleanse and Polish just to give my skin a morning pick up. This oil free serum evens skin tone, boots radiance and moisturises for a glowing complexion. Wit Woo!!

Activbod Cooling Finish Lotion | £12 

This is to be used after a workout to re-energise and get moisture back into the body. I'm hoping that this is a quick dry lotion, because there is nothing worse that just wanted to get your casual gear on and having to wait for lotion to dry when all you want to do is relax after a hard workout.

Green People Intense Repair Shampoo | £11.95

I've started to get a right little collection of shampoo and conditioners! I always like receiving little samples because they are perfect for travelling (as I will soon enough!) and it's also great for trying new products without breaking the bank.  This natural shampoo strengthens and repairs without any nasties.

Stila Lip Glaze | £15 

Finally some makeup!! A gorgeous sheer lipgloss from Stila is a suits-all complexion colour and its obvious its a cult classic.

Embrace Matcha Green Tea | £24.99

Il'll admit - I'm a green tea lover! Matcha is 100% natural and has 10 times the antioxidants of regular green tea. Oh hello! You can even blend into smoothies and juices. I really cannot wait to try it!

LIFESTYLE BONUS

Birchbox Pilates Band | £7.99

I have one of these with my Beachbody Brazil Butt Lift Workout. They tone, increase strength and improve muscle endurance. And now my sister can do the workout with me and still get the same intense workout as me. Thanks Birchbox!!

WHAT DID YOU GUYS GET THIS MONTH??

Liss xxxxx

New Year Skin Detox - Changes for 2015

Everybody says it come January 1st- New Year, New Me. Resolutions can be hard to stick to, be it dieting, quitting smoking or drinking less alcohol, most of us never see it past January. 

I admit I am one of those people who always says " right, this year is the year, I'm gonna be the healthiest person come summer!" and I get to about half way through February and fall off the band wagon. 

I think the easiest way for me to stick to something is to set realistic targets. There is no point in someone like me depriving myself because I'm going to want it even more.

So this year, I've decided that I'm going to pace myself to try and become more healthy. I want to concentrate on my skin and feeling better about myself physically. So here are a few changes that I've decided to make :-

SKIN

Being a beauty blogger I am always tempted by products. I am so easily influenced! And 9 times out of 10 I go back to what I'm used to- mostly to fix the problem that my wandering eye has caused :(

I think the best thing for me, (and for my skins sake) is to stick to products that I know work, and have a simple routine. As you may know from a previous post- I am a Liz Earle girl at heart. 

STEP 1- CLEANSE

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish 100ml - £15.50 

This is the most important step in any skincare routine. One or two pumps to a dry face, I gently massage for about a minute and half to a dry face or full face of makeup. I then run the muslin cloth included and "polish" away the remains of the cleanser. The muslin cloth gently exfoliates the skins, without irritation, to leave the skin refreshed and revitalised. I usually do this twice if I have been wearing makeup- one to get rid of the makeup, and one to actually cleanse the clean skin. 

STEP 2- TONE

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic 200ml - £14.50

I use this on a cotton pad and sweep over the face after cleansing. You can buy the toner in a spray form for a refreshing spritz, even throughout the day. I think this product really helps to give some radiance back to the skin and make your skin feel clean and luxurious. 

STEP 3- MOISTURISE

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser 50ml - £20.25

The last step in simple skincare is to moisturise. This is probably the best moisturiser I have ever used- I know thats a dramatic statement to make, but it's no exaggeration. It is perfectly balancing, softening moisturiser which conditions the skin for a natural glow. I massage a pea-size amount onto my face and neck after toner, and that is the basically my morning routine down.

And for a little something extra :- 

• Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate- I love this at night before my moisturiser just for an added little boost of conditioning for my skin. The smell is so aromatic and actually calms with its use of 100% pure plant oils! It softens dry and mature skin and can balance oily/ combination skin. 
• Liz Earle Soothing Eye Lotion- Suffer from tired puffy eyes? This is the answer to your problems! Simply pour some lotion on some cotton pad and place on eyes for 10 mins. I even sometimes put them on when in the bath and it feels great!
• Bare Minerals Blemish Remedy- You all know I love me some Bare Minerals. This blemish remedy is great to just pop on either over makeup or just after your skincare to really get deep down and destroy those buggers! 

BODY

If you know me personally, you will know that I have a bit of an obsession with Miranda Kerr. Her beauty, fashion and lifestyle has always interested me and I've always tried to incorporate that into my own lifestyle. I was reading through her Kora Organics Skincare Line's blog just to look closer into the world of the former VS angel. She regularly talks about the benefits of dry body brushing. So when I was online looking at Liz Earle products, I noticed that Liz Earle actually sells her own body brush -why not go for it?

Dry body brushing is a natural healing practice which involves brushing all over a dry body, followed by a shower or bath.

Benefits of Dry Body Brushing:-

• Lymphatic Drainage
• Removes Toxins
• Decreases the appearance on cellulite
• Exfoliates the skin
• Strengthens skins pores
• Assists stimulation

You can buy Liz Earles Body Brush Here!

So far it seems to be working really well, I've been doing all of the above plus exercising and drinking a lot more water and green tea. Hello beautiful skin!! 

WHAT ARE YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS?

Liss xxxx

Foundation Review #2 | Revlon Colorstay 24hr Foundation

Hi Guys, and Happy New Year! 

So I thought I'd start 2015 off with a quick foundation review. I was getting ready for a night out with friends to bring in the New Year and wanted to try a new foundation. I'm having a real love/hate relationship with the Makeup Forever HD Foundation that I bought in New York in October- the coverage and longevity is impeccable, but it breaks me out!!! *sad face* And although you all know I love my Bareskin Foundation (review here) but unfortunately it tends to have a little flashback- and when you are on a night out- you want Kim K style coverage. 

I took a little trip to Superdrug to see what foundations where out there that wouldn't really break the bank just to try out. I remember that Revlon Colorstay was one of the first foundations I ever tried. I guess my makeup obsession kind of took off and forgot all about it. 

Revlon says-

‘' Want makeup that is flawless and weightless for 16 perfect hours? Revlon has the solution - ColorStay™ Makeup Normal/dry. Specially formulated for normal or dry skin, this oil-free, moisture-balanced formula gives you flawless looking skin. Makeup looks fresh and feels great for up to 16 hours thanks to the lightweight, comfortable feel from the SoftFlex ColorStay™ Formula. Medium to full coverage, with SPF 15 protection'' 

I'm so glad they have a different formula for two skin types. I obviously went for the normal to dry option. I seem to remember that they formula was quite thick, cake and matte looking the first time round- or maybe that was just my 15-year old self deciding that "more is more".

I tried this foundation for my New Years celebrations and I can say that I really enjoyed everything about it. The coverage is definitely medium- but buildable without being cakey. It felt light and I didn't even have to wear concealer for any blemishes- always a plus in my book!

I decided to get the shade "Buff" which I think it the second lightest shade they do. I wasn't wearing an fake tan for New Years so it seemed to match really well- and I could even wear it in the daytime too as it looks so natural.  They sen to have a really good colour selection of about 10 shades.

I used both my Real Techniques buffing brush and then pressed over with a damp beauty blender to make sure everything was evenly blended- and the results were really smooth flawless looking skin- that still looked like my own. 

The thing that I like most about this foundation is its longevity. Even after a lot of dancing, sweating, alcohol and even being rained on!- my makeup was still in place. If anything I had to top up a little which comes with every visit to the club toilets-  but thats just a habit. Even with the product having an SPF of 20 it didn't seem to flashback at all. Woo!!

 

The only thing I wish this foundation had is a pump. You don't really have much control on how much you are using and if you pour too much- its just a waste. I would imagine that with this foundation being retailed at £12.49 that it would come with some sort of pump?? Sort it out Revlon!!

Overall, I really love this foundation and feel like I have re-discovered an old favourite! 

Hope it you all had a lovely Christmas/New Year and Happy 2015!!

Liss xxx