Good To Glow

Summer is all about glowy skin. Not all of us are blessed with having that delightful natural radiance, but here's some tips on how to be good to glow -

Drink plenty of water. Health inside the body reflects on how you look on the outside. If you don't drink enough water it will show on your skin, hair and nails. Try to drink 2 litres a day, it may sound like a lot but once you get into the habit it's so easy and you will notice a difference. Hydration is key!
Exfoliate 2-3 times a week. If you have blemish prone skin don't use those nasty exfoliators with large beads in as they'll spread infection and irritate the skin, acidic exfoliating toners, like this one from Clarins, are much better. They will remove dead skin cells and help your skin to look fresh and a lot less dull.
Make sure you moisturise too, using a serum before moisturising will help lock in the goodness and you'll have baby soft skin in no time. I love Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.
Fake it with makeup! Stay away from the full coverage foundation, yes it may be good at hiding blemishes but you don't need it smothered all over your skin, especially in the warmer months. Let your skin breathe! Let your natural skin shine through and cover any imperfections you're more self conscious of with concealer, but try and embrace how you are naturally…honestly, no-one cares and if they do then they're not worth your time or energy.
Liquid highlighters or illuminators work the best for getting that summertime glow. NARS 413 BLKR is my current obsession. You can just dab a bit where you'd like to highlight (cheekbones, down the nose, on the brow bone), or mix a little in with your foundation for an all over dewy look. Another amazing tip is to mix a bit in with body moisturiser, or dab some down the centre of your leg to create the illusion of slimmer legs…thank me later, ladies!

What's your favourite product

to help you achieve

glowing skin?

x

InStyle Freebie - June 2014

Who doesn't love a magazine freebie? There's often some really great ones out there, especially at this time of year. I recently got the June issue of InStyle magazine, and with it you get a FREE nails inc. nail varnish, which normally retail for £11…the magazine is £3.90, what a bargain!

Nails Inc always do really amazing link ups with magazine, and this is no exception. With your InStyle magazine you can get 1 of 3 new and limited edition Nails Inc. shades from their Brazilian Collection, there's Sao Paulo Streets which is a light grey/beige shade, Sugarloaf Sunset which is a gorgeous bright pink and then there's the one I opted for, Copacabana Coral which is the most beautiful orangey red.

Copacabana Coral is a perfect colour for summer, it's bright and cheerful and also goes with a lot of different colours, which I always take into consideration as I hate painting my nails all the time.
I'm quite fussy when it comes to nail varnish, you'll know that if you read this post, but Nails Inc. have really impressed me. The consistency of the polish isn't running, but isn't gloopy either - you could get away with one coat, but I always like to do two. The brush is a nice size, and the colour lasts a long time on the nails before it chips. The only downside is it's not the fattest drying, but I can get over that. Oh, one more bonus, it's so shiny! Ahhhh, pretty.
This shade really is stunning, I adore it and feel like I'll be sporting it all Summer.

I would highly recommend going to the shops to pick up InStyle with one of the three Nails Inc. polishes. InStyle is a great magazine too, the June issue has got some good interviews in it, great fashion features, beauty tips for summer and more.

What's the best magazine freebie

you've ever got?

x

NARS Lovin'

Makeup lovers everywhere love NARS, everyone loves NARS, right? Right. So, when NARS sent me a little message saying they'd like to send me some products for being a loyal 'NARSissit' I was over the moon!

Only 2 days later I received 3 full size products in the post, all wrapped up in gorgeous black tissue paper and a ribbon. I got a duo eyeshadow in Tropical Princess, one of their illuminators in 413 BLKR and a lipgloss in Stolen Kisses.

The Tropical Princess duo eyeshadow (limited edition) definitely isn't a product I would have personally picked out, I'm very much a neutrals girl, however after swatching them I think I can make them work! I can blend the purple shade into champagne eyeshadow which would look very pretty, and the green shadow will bring out my brown eyes. It's always good to try new things.
The 413 BLKR illuminator is actually a product I've wanted for a while. The only highlighters I own are powders, so I was excited to try one in a liquid form, especially as summer is coming up and it'll give that gorgeous dewy effect. I have tried this out and I totally adore it, I can tell I'm going to be using it a lot!
Last, but certainly not least is my favourite of the bunch - Stolen Kisses lipgloss (from their new collection). I'm not the biggest lipgloss wearer, as I find they don't last long on me and you have to keep reapplying which is a bit of a faff, but I have been converted by this! The colour is absolutely beautiful, a very natural 'my lips but better' shade with slight shimmer running through it, and oh how it really does make my lips look better. It's gorgeously glossy, well pigmented, non-sticky, and it actually lasts a very, very long time. I need more from this range!

I want to say a huge thankyou to NARS for being so kind and generous. They didn't ask me to write this post, sponsor me or anything like that. I think it's so lovely to see such a huge brand valuing their costumers. I now adore NARS even more!

Do you own any NARS products?

x

Getting The Most Out Of Online Beauty Shopping

When it comes to online shopping I get really drawn in…I always manage to find so many things I want, and the mass of online deals or discounts makes it even harder to resist the urge to splurge.
If you're good at sticking to just the things you originally intended to buy then firstly well done, but also online shopping can actually really save you some money.


FeelUnique is a beauty bloggers favourite, with free worldwide delivery over £10, discounted prices, often the promise of free samples, and a 10% extra off on your first it's a definite winner. The site stocks a lot of brilliant brands too, ranging from high street brands like Rimmel and L'Oreal to high end beauty from Dior, YSL and more. What I particularly love is that if you're signed up with them you'll receive email updates with their offers, and trust me there are a lot of them! I constantly receive emails with a 10% off code, or 3 for 2 offer, it's brilliant.

CultBeauty is another site I love to browse. As the name suggests they stock all the 'cult' beauty favourites, so you know everything on there is of a high quality. Brands include Elizabeth Arden, Jouer, Alpha H and Kevin Aucoin. There are products on there that are difficult or impossible to purchase in the UK as well, so that's handy! However, you do have to pay for postage if your order is under £50 which is a bummer (however, if you sign up to their newsletter you get free shipping on your first order)!

LookFantastic is a more recent discovery of mine, but oh it is certainly fantastic. First things first, free delivery - winner! The site is full of offers, different ones every day…yesterday there was 'Beat The Clock', the idea is you can save up to 20% on your beauty buys, but the discount will reduce by 1% on the hour every hour. Today's is save 12% on your order when you spend £50. Other offers currently include - 25% OFF bareMinerals, FREE Benefit Lollitint Deluxe Mini when you buy 2 or more Benefit products and 3 for 2 on tanning products.

HQHair is another recent discovery, and it's a site I don't hear many people talking about…I don't know why! Firstly, ignore the name, this site isn't just a haircare site - they stock makeup and skincare too. Again, there's free worldwide delivery which scores it massive bonus points with me.
They stock some amazing brands, including NARS, Fudge, REN, TIGI and Urban Decay. They also constantly have a lot of offers going on, currently there's 20% Real Techniques, 3 for 2 on L'Oreal and 3 for 2 on nails.

There are a lot of online beauty shops out there, but those are my personal favourites and the ones I always check to see what current deals they've got going on.
If you're new to online beauty shopping I suggest signing up the sites newsletters, as this often gives you a discount on your first order - yippee!

Do you online beauty shop?

If so, where?

x

What's In My Work Bag?

I've just started doing some work at Kiss FM radio station in London, which is really exciting! I have to travel up from where I live near Brighton to Oxford Street in London. The things I carry in my bag are a bit different to what I carry day to day, so I thought I'd share the contents of my work bag with you.

My work bag itself is a cheapy, from Primark! I can't remember the exact price but it was no more than £12. It's a fantastic size and style for work, and has handy compartments inside.
Let's get the more boring things out the way first. An umbrella, I live in the UK so rain is to be expected and I don't want to be caught in a downpour. I always have paracetamol, Strepsils and plasters on me, because you never know when you might need them. When you're in London hand sanitizer is a must, especially as I have to get the tube, the one I have is just a simple Detol one, but it does the job.
I have a nail strengthening nail varnish, as I have unbelievably weak nails and I like to always make sure I have this varnish on as it helps a lot.
Chewing gum! Another must. I hate not having fresh breath, or having a funny taste in my mouth, so minty Extra gum is great for sorting that out. I always have a piece after my lunch.
Then we have my keys, my freelance pass so I can get into the building, and a very handy device - a portable iPhone charger. Any iPhone owner will know that these phones are great, but the battery life isn't very impressive. The Anker pink portable charger is a complete lifesaver. And of course, I always have my iPhone with me, as well as my iPod for music on the train.
A notebook and pen, part of my job is doing research for the radio shows so it's great to keep things jotted down.
My purse, which I've had for quite a while but I really like it. It's from Topshop, it's very simple but I like that's soft, not bulky and heavy but has enough compartments in it for all my cards (I have quite a few loyalty cards…they're the best).
My new sunglasses! It's May, so the sun is making an appearance more and more, and I have very sensitive eyes, these sunglasses from Warehouse are really gorgeous.

Lastly, the thing I think you'll be interested in the most, my makeup bag. I don't take many things with
me for work, but just a few in case I need to top up during the day. I know the day I don't take it will be the day I need something in it! Garnier hand cream - I hate having dry hands, and this one is non-sticky and quick drying - winner. Nars Luguna Bronzer, I actually carry this more for the mirror instead as it's a great size. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - my favourite! Real Techniques Blush Brush, it's a great multi-tasker. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, just for some touch ups. Rimmel Eyebrow pencil. Burt's Bees Mango Lip Balm, because who likes chapped lips?! And, of course, I have a couple of lip product choices, always. These ones are Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 19, and Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie.

What's the number one thing you have to carry in your

handbag?

x

P.S The Cosmopolitan Blog Awards are coming up! I'd be so happy if you could nominate me for 'Best New Beauty Blog' http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/campus/cash-and-careers/student-careers/enter  :)

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Galaxy*

If you haven't heard of the Apocalips Lip Lacquers from Rimmel then where have you been?! On Mars? The Moon? Were you born yesterday? These products have been talked about a lot in the blogging world since their release early last year, with everyone raving about them and buying all the shades. I did try them when they first came out and thought they were great, but I kind of forgot about them..until the lovely people at HQHair.com sent me the shade Galaxy to try out.

Galaxy isn't a shade I would have immediately opted for, especially around this time of year. It's quite a dark berry/plum shade with shimmer running through it, very much an Autumn/Winter colour. Don't get me wrong, it's super pretty and I'll definitely be reaching for it in the colder months, but for Spring/Summer it wouldn't be my personal choice.
The formation of these lip lacquers is lovely. They're a bit of a lipstick/lipgloss hybrid, as they apply like a lipgloss and have that liquid consistency but they're a lot thicker and extremely pigmented. When they dry they have quite a satin finish, and they're surprisingly matte, which can lead them to being a tad drying after a few hours but a quick top up solves that problem. The staying power is what really wins me over with these, they last ages! I didn't expect them to be quite so long lasting, but even if you're eating and drinking they'll last a good few hours, in my experience.

The packaging of the apocalips is one of my favourites from the high street. The tube is regular sized, but it's been jazzed up. You can see the shade of your lip lacquer at the bottom, then it fades up to black and the lid is shaped into almost an irregular prism shape, which I think is edgy, interesting and sticks to the 'apocalyptic' theme. I also adore the doe-foot applicator, so easy to use and picks up product really well.

Overal I think the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers are fantastic, real gems of the high street lip products. There are 10 shades, ranging from nude, to pink, to red, there's something for everyone. I'd definitely recommend trying these out if you haven't already, at £5.99 with free delivery at HQhair.com you can't go wrong.

Have you tried this product?

x

The Products I Reach For The Most - Spring 2014

I like to switch around products I use quite a lot, but I thought I would share with you the things I have been reaching for almost every single day throughout the last few months.

I've always been had a problem with foundation not sitting right on my skin. It takes me ages to buff it in so it looks natural, and it can look either cakey or cling to dry patches (whatever foundation I choose), but recently I've been using the Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Reviver and it's been sorting that problem out for me, it's becoming a holy grail product. Full review here.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation has quickly become my favourite foundation ever. I feel it just works well for my skin, it feels moisturising and fresh but still gives me a good coverage that isn't heavy.
NYX Blush in Taupe, I use this to contour. It's the absolute best shade for creating a shadow effect under the cheekbones on pale skin, far better than using a bronzer.
Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow palette. The best. All the shades are beautiful, creamy, pigmented, blendable and a dream. I use this every day! You can create so many different looks with it.
MAC Lipstick in Fanfare. I got this for my birthday in March and I adore it! It's a cremesheen finish, and I adore that formulation, the colour is so pretty and perfect for Spring.
Last but not least - Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent  is just the best powder for me. I have dry skin so I don't like powder to be heavy, which Stay Matte isn't. It's nice and light but manages to keep foundation and concealer set in place for a long time.

Which products do you reach for the most?

I'd love to know!

x