March Monthly Faves.....

Hi lovelies :) Hope you are all having a fab easter weekend indulging in your easter eggs. This month has completely flown by and i nearly forgot about doing my monthly faves. I havent had alot of products to go this month mainly with my skin playing up ive wanted to keep things to a minimum. 

The tea tree face mask is still going strong and with plently left i think at £10 from the body shop its worth the money. I use this once - twice a week and it really calms down those pesky spots. The mask is a gel like tecture which doesnt dry hard. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes and your skin is less red and so soft. At first the tea tree smell is abit overwhelming but it makes a huge difference to my skin and its a lovely treat at the weekend and in the middle of the week. Really enjoy :)

Again i dont think the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel needs an introduction from me. This is most certainly a holy grail product in my eyes. I would recommend trying to find a small size bottle to test it out before purchasing the bigger size as the price tag is abit hefty but is SOOOOO worth it!! Its a clearish consistency which is sort of inbetween a gel and a cream id say. Dont be fooled ladies just because this baby isnt gritty doesnt mean it doesnt do the job in getting rid of all the dead skin. You place this all over your face like a mask leave it on for 10 minutes or so and rinse it off. I love this product alot it has a lot of love from me and i would recommend this to everyone. 

The Origins drink up intensive mask is a new product for me. Having the smaller size i didnt really fancy in paying alot of money on something that i may not like but this certainly is a product that will firmly stay in my skin regime. The smell is so fruity and fresh which adds a little something extra. Its a rich moisturising mask that makes your skin feel hydrated when you wake up in the morning. I use this twice a week and my skin is never left dry. If you have dry skin then i would think this product would really help. 

The 17 nail polish is a gorgeous pretty orange colour. Ive been loving this colour to brighten up my nails and to get ready for summer time. Its transformed my mood when i think about going on holiday and i think it looks great to brighten up a cute outfit!!

So there we have my monthly faves. Not alot this month so hopefully next month i can experiment a little bit more. What have been your faves this month? :) any holy grail items?

 

 

High end buy: Lancome Hypnose Mascara....

Hi lovelies hope you are all doing okay :) sorry for the lack of posts recently i feel as though i havent blogged much with having so much on with uni lately. Roll on the summer!! Anyways ive been saving this review on this beauty for a few weeks as i really wanted to test it out and see what sets it apart if it does from the high street mascara. If any of you are my regular readers then you would know by know im a mascaraholic and to my lovely new readers i have a whole collection of mascaras way too many. I brought this little beauty as i fancied treating myself. 

 

Lancome is a brand ive always wanted to try but never ventured to it. Id love to try out the skincare and other bits they have :) This mascara is called HYPNOSE and its priced at £22. Yes its abit of a hefty price tag for a mascara. But is it worth it?

 

 

 

The packaging is a pretty silver and just gleams of luxury from my perspective. Its a lovely sized mascara with the company labelled in gold. The black and gold colour of the mascara really work again to give a very expensive feel.

 

 

 

The wand is a good size with small fine bristles that really work to get inbetween every single lash. What i really like about this mascara is that it gives a very natural lash look. Just the right volume and length for an everyday look. Even adding an extra coat can give it a more dramatic feel but its not too over the top. I found the mascara totally smudge proof and didnt budge throughout the day whatsoever which sometimes i find a few mascaras to leave abit of a panda look throughout the day. 

Now is it worth the price tag?... if you are after a luxury feel and a good quality mascara and application that will last you long enough then i would highly recommend. 

 

What sets it apart from the high street is the obvious packaging of the mascara and the high quality application. No smudge and a good wand applicator thats simple yet effective on the lashes. 

 

(Lashes both with mascara)

 

 

 

 Have you tried lancome products before? what would you recommend? :)

 

 

How to get a 'spring' in your step...

My all time fave seasons are spring and summer. I hate being cold and so the months where its warm and going on holidays is what i enjoy best!! After the cold months i tend to get of my so called hibernation time and embark on a few changes. The spring is such a pretty season where the birds chirp away and the nature come out to play. The weather is that tad bit warmer (not so far) and going on long walks is ideal. 

 

 

 

Spring cleaning is one of those times where it is definately needed after the winter season i accumulate so much stuff from christmas and have to have a good sort out. This is where i go through all my unwanted clothes, shoes, bags etc and get rid. I try to not see cleaning as a chore more of a process of unwanted things out meaning more time to shop for new things. Always a good way to see it :) By thinking like this is wont become a dreaded task and will be more enjoyable. 

 

The next thing i do which links on to the spring cleaning is organising. I like to swap clothes around into my wardrobe so introducing more weather appropriate items that can  be worn when the weather is abit warmer and swaping my winter boots for cute ballet pumps. Some of the times il put things onto ebay or donate to charity shops of the things that i dont want.

 

After the winter season i tend to feel very unhealthy after stuffing my face with food at christmas and the months after so i like to start getting healthy and exercise. I tend to do pilates at home and zumba at the gym at least twice a week. When the weather is warmer il go on walks and go swimming. Depending on my mood il either stick with light or intensive workouts but it really improves my mood and makes me think alot clearer. 

 

A new season means a new update to the hair and makeup. Even though i buy makeup on a regular basis i still like to stock up on spring like items such as pastel nail varnishes which are always in and lovely bright lipsticks which im getting more into :) This gives me a great boost with myself and help me get into spring abit more. 

 

What do you like about spring? anything that you do to get into the mood of spring?

 

 

Thinking and thoughts....

Today is a snowy day where i live and its so cold. I woke up this morning and was laying in bed just thinking to myself about what i want in life. Some of you reading this may think oh my god i dont have time to do this or you arent a morning person at all. Very rarely i have these sort of 'moments' as i like to call them where il think of something and just have abit of time out to question things. Growing up i always had a plan of when i wanted everything to happen and from 16 onwards everything i wanted to happen didnt so i stopped planning and wishing as you could put it. Especially this year ive wanted to be more spontaneous and just not worry so much!! I came across this article this morning and i thought id share it with you all. These are 15 things you should keep doing in your twenties. Even if you arent in your twenties they may appeal to you too :)

 

 

 

1. Keep searching. At one point it will become evident that you will never have everything figured out. A key to strength, positivity, and staying interested in your life and others around you is a premise-level approach that you still have things to learn and that it’s worth your time to learn them. Keep placing value in discovery and curiosity. Keep taking opportunities to extend your intellect to places you hadn’t expected.
2. Keep changing your mind. There is something almost taboo about belief inconsistency. Politicians who flop on their beliefs are considered poor candidates for re-election. One feels like something of a failure when s/he’s forced to admit that they were wrong. But I think it’s better to continually refine your worldview rather than force your way through reality by ignoring everything that runs counter to how you view the world. Malleable beliefs keep you humble, open to learning, more compassionate, and more relatable.
3. Keep trying to get what you want. It isn’t over until it’s over. There are realities that may stop you from pursuing your ideals, forcing you to compromise. Compromise is OK. But keep reminding yourself of what you truly want. Don’t let yourself forget what you want and what you think is good.
4. Stay productive. Life is long. If you believe in something, you have the time to commit to it and put your head down for six months or so to try and make it happen. You will not regret this later. When you’re too old to be a workhorse, you will not look back on your younger years and think “Damn, my only wish was that I spent more time mindlessly surfing the internet.” That’s not something that will happen.
5. Keep compromising. Your life post-graduation can often be the first time your ideals are really up against reality. Here you learn that compromise is a completely rational response. You won’t get through life a happy person if you’re unwilling to give and take a little.
6. Keep taking risks. Your 20s are not by default the only time in your life that you can pick up and go, or that you can try out different careers. The space where comfort and risk come together is a space where learning and growing are most likely to happen. If you get set in your ways and become unsatisfied but comfortable, you’ll never learn anything different unless you’re willing to put yourself in a scary position.
7. Keep going out. 20-somethings have the tendency to imagine that their 20s are the last chance they’re going to have to experiment, explore, and party. This is a false premise. Restaurants and cafes continue to let people over 29 through their doors. They even serve them alcohol. The point is that this is not your last hurrah.
8. Keep reading. After four to six years in school, it’s easy to take for granted the textbook-full environment that’s part of your daily life. But post grad, your textbooks get shelved — your new text books are balanced news websites and long-form journalism. Keep up with the intellectual climate — you won’t have the pressure of good grades to keep you in it.
9. Keep paying attention to your appearnace. The end of your 20s is not the end of being attractive. Maintaining a healthy level of self awareness about your appearance keeps you engaged with your body and helps you to have realistic expectations about your position as an adult. Obviously, don’t become a fanatic about it — but keep your level of self-respect high enough that you can still be proud of how you look — or proud of what you’re doing to get to a better place with your body — most days.
10. Keep freaking out. Maturity and adulthood do not equal an emotional flatline. Keep allowing yourself the occasional crisis, the occasional emotional breakdown, the occasional cry in public.
11. Keep meeting people. There is an idea that some people have that they are still ‘looking for’ their group of friends. Whether or not that’s you, don’t let a comfortable group of friends keep you from meeting new people. New people are entirely new sources of information and each new person you bring into your life represents greater opportunity for growth and personal change.
12. Keep taking advantage of your family. Don’t expect them to pay your way through the decade, but do realize that what family you have left won’t be around forever. You only get so much time to learn from their stories and experiences. If you have questions about your family’s history, now’s the time to ask them.
13. Keep surviving. One of the best ways to get through a hard time is to remember that it’s probably not your first or last time surviving something that was trying or difficult. We have a tendency to feel every heartbreak like it’s new, but the reality is that we’re seasoned pros at not getting our way. Getting our way wouldn’t feel so good if we weren’t experienced in disappointment.
14. Keep things in perspective. One of the most difficult things to do is to be patient before deciding that a setback means the end of your life as you know it. Break ups, layoffs, and drastic changes. Losing your shit over them never helps, though.
15. Keep failing. The path to whatever your notion of success is will likely not be linear. Don’t take continuous personal growth for granted. Just because you’re older doesn’t necessarily mean you’re wiser. Your 20s will be full of failures — let them happen and learn as you go.

 

After reading this again it just makes you stop and take a moment to think. Did this article inspire or motivate you at all? :) 

 

 

Wishing for.....

Jacket | Lipgloss | Dress | Bag | Mug

This is SOME of the things that i am wanting right now!! i say some as my list is rather long at the minute but i keep saying to myself i deserve a splurge ( trying to justify). 

The biker leather jacket style from River Island is one ive wanted for awhile. Its nice to break out from having a black leather one and will be perfect for spring when its abit warmer but not that warm that you still need something to pop on. Will go great with everyday outfits and also on a night. 

The Nyx lipgloss is one ive been lusting after for a couple of weeks. It has a glittery sheen and has alot of pretty colours to select from. Im trying to venture out more into lipglosses so this is one im really excited to try out. 

The dress from New Look is my perfect dress. I had one of these dresses before but it ripped so sadly its gone!! I love the style of it so plain but yet you can do so much to style it up. Think the little beauty be perfect for on holiday. Need it in my life. 

The bag from Aldo is super girly and has me written all over it. I love that its so spring like and is an ideal size to carry things around without being too big. I especially like the white coloured one as again i think it will brighten up any outfit.

The biscuit pocket mug ive seen in urban outfitters for £12 but ive seen them floating around on ebay for less. I just think its so a clever idea. Its a large mug so you have plenty to drink from and can store a biccie to go with it!!

Anything from my wishlist that takes your fancy? :)

 

NOTD...

 Another gorgeous colour of nails on today :) Following on from my other recent NOTD. Its the Maybelline Colour Show By Colorama in Coral Craze. Its a beautiful colour shade and has quickly become my favourite colour that im obsessed with. It just makes me in the mood for summer and is perfect for brightening up outfits too with a splash of this on our nails. 

Superdrug £2.99 (There was a deal on buy one get one half price)

Are you loving the colour coral too for spring/summer?

FHI Go Straighteners Review....

Ive been holding off for awhile straightening my hair as ive wanted to give my hair abit of a break and ive seen so much improvement in the strength of my hair. I decided to treat myself to some new straighteners. 

The FHI range is a big brand in the USA and ive heard that apparently its the equivalent in quality of GHDs. After so much research and reading reviews i thought i would take the plunge in getting some. 

 

These lovely beauties have a variable temperature of 210°C which is reached within seconds and can be turned with the dial to the selected heat. It has floating tourmaline plates which produce negative ions to stop static. 

The whole range of FHI straighteners are beautiful with different thicknesses and temperatures a whole range to choose from. The Go straighteners are a budget buy at £34.99 here. But ooze in quality. 

As soon as the parcel came i was so excited to try them out and i was not disasppointed. Being compared to GHDs it had alot to live up to but ive absolutely loved the results. They leave my hair completely straight as anything but with a nice little shine too. They heat up like a dream and are so quick with the heating time. Ive loved how the plate is abit thicker just making it that more easy to straighten thicker sections. Amazing value for money and i would love to try out more heating equipment from this brand and i would have to say the straighteners are as equal to GHDs so if you are on a tight budget and dont have the money to spend as much then  i would recommend these so much :)

Would you try these out? :)

My little blog.......

So today ive read alot of mixed messages whether google reader is going and gfc but just incase i thought id write a mini post just to keep you up to date where to find me :)

 

I just want to thank all my readers how much it means to me on how far my blog has come in 2 and abit months. I love blogging and i love being able to speak to you all!

 

So where to find me......

 

Twitter: LovexBeauty91

Hello Cotton:http://www.hellocotton.com/mypage/lovexbeauty

Bloglovin:  http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4545759/

 

And of course if any of you lovely people want a chit chat or a talk about anything at all. Im here to help and chat away :) My email address is: love-x-beauty@hotmail.com

 

 

Review: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

Hi Lovelies :) hope our week is going good!! Mine has been so stressful with uni work but ive now finished for 3 weeks yayyyyy!! so plenty of shopping and haul posts to come im sure!!

So Origins wasnt a brand i was familiar with at all and didnt even know existed. I only started to know recently about this brand through watching youtube and blogs and im so glad i did. One of my friends is doing an internship sort of thing with the brand so has given me a few mini samples. The one i was actually planning on purchasing was of course this product 'Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask'. I was so happy with this sample and couldnt wait to try it out. 

First of all i havent read anyone mention the packaging. On first impressions with olive green kind of colour and trees as a header it just stands out as quite a natural earthy product. Sometimes i never bother to actually look at the packaging in detail but this one caught my eye and made me think about the ethics behind it. 

Onto the product. This intense moisture mask contains Avocado and Apricot Kernel oil which deeply quenches the skin. Its ideal for dehydrated and dry skin and it makes your skin super soft and hydrated. 

The smell of this product is so fruity and fresh. The consistency is quite thick but not overly thick and is best to apply it about 30mins before going to bed as not to get it all over your pillow!! When waking up my skin felt and looked the best it ever has especially since the colder weather leaves skin more drier its totally replenished it. This is a product that i will buy in the full size and will be one of my staple products. I used this for over a week and the results are so good. I think i will try other Origin products as this one has totally won me over :) 

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask £20.00 

Have you tried this product or other ones from Origins?

Cocorose London Shoes.....

Following on from my BAFTA gift bag win i also received some gorgeous shoes that were exclusively designed for the BAFTAs. Unfortunately for me they didnt fit as i have very teeny fit so the girls behind Cocorose kindly offered to let me choose another pair and in my size :) Below are the original shoes sent which as you can see are one of a kind.

 Cocorose London was founded in 2007 which started trading within Londons East End market before gaining exposure through retail stores. The brand is now stocked in boutiques and department stores and is an award winning boutique designer shoe brand. 

The shoe is in the style of a foldable ballet pump which comes complete with a travel purse offering women a unqiue and stylish alternative to wearing heels. They are so useful for handbags, travel cases and on the go. It always comes with a mini shoulder bag which can be used to put heels into when switching footwear and is cleaverly folded in the back pocket of the luxury travel purse. 

 The shoes that i chose are the Wandsworth White and Orange pair. (£45.00). What i liked about this particular pair was that it was really suited for the spring/summer season. I loved the colours together and i personally love wearing bright colours throughout summer so i was chuffed!! They have leather insoles and are double cushioned inside which makes the shoe so so comfy to wear. Ive been after a pair of folding shoes for a long time especially on nights out when your feet hurt and are getting abit swollen so its a perfect solution. 

Here are some of the other designs that are available to buy: 

http://www.cocoroselondon.com/

What do you think of these shoes? would you buy them? :)

NOTD.....

 

This beautfiul dark deep purple with a slight shimmer is called 'Purple Gem' by Maybelline and its the Colour Show by Colorama. I got this on a deal in superdrug buy one get one half price (£2.99). I love the slight shimmer to it and in the light it has a lovely little gleam to it :)

Have you tried the colour show range?

Charles Worthington BAFTA goodies....

First of all ive never won a competition in my life and when im on twitter il retweet a few comps that are going and then il just forget about it. Well i had a huge surprise when i had a mail from Audi Uk to say i had won the BAFTA gift bag eeeekkkkk :) it contained so many lovely prizes and 2 trips away!! 

Now the bag that it all came in is such a unique and will be treasured bag. Its absolutely massive and the detail is incredible. Sorry for the not so zoomed in photo but by the envelope it just says' and the BAFTA is awarded to'.... The inside of the bag has the cute BAFTA envelope which is a lovely little pocket. 

Onto one of the best parts of the goodies. Inside was a Charles Worthington Salon At home box which again will be treasured. 

Opened up inside contains 3 products. A volume and bounce instant amplifying volume treatment, shine booster diamond shine gloss treatment and a strength and repair miracle repair elixir oil. As soon as i opened the box the smell is absolutely gorgeous from these products and i was so excited to try them out. 

The volume treatment is collagen enriched and is ideal for all hair types. It creates maximum bounce and body to your hair. I love again that it has the BAFTA logo on the product another keepsake!! This is a rinse out jelly texture that works to lift the hair from all angles which leaves it fully conditioned for full voluminous hairstyles. After shampooing you apply this product onto your hair and massage for 30 seconds or so. By blowdrying upside down the volume is insane. My hair was so full of volume even with fine hair. It looked fuller and was able to get a nice but of oomph at the roots for the hairstyle i was going to. So a massive thumbs up!! Also big congratulations to Charles Worthington for being the official hair stylists for the BAFTAS fifth year running :), 

The next product is the diamond shine gloss treatment. A dramatic shine and glossy finish with powdered diamonds. Its enriched with luminoll complex and is a rinse off formula. It smoothes the hair whilst nourishing the hair cuticle for a dramatic shine from the inside out!! You apply this product on dry hair not applying much to the roots leave on for 10 minutes whilst blowdrying on a low hot heat which intensifies the shine and then rinse out with warm water then follow with shampoo and conditioner. I had never tried a glossy shine product before so i was really looking forward to the results and i was not disappointed. My hair looked so shiny. healthy and nourished. My dark brown hair looked so glowy and the colour looked at its best. I will continue to use this beauty as the difference it makes is stunning. 

The last item is the miracle repair elixir oil. This is a deep conditioning oil with a weightless finish ideal for all hair types. It has a blend of five oils including argan oil which nourishes, smoothes and makes the hair appear more silky. Applying 2-3 pumps through the mid lengths and ends of the hair. Ive found using this product nearly every time ive washed my hair that its really helped to build up the strength of my hair and has helped it grow loads. Ive also been using it has a hair mask too just to add abit more nourishment to the rest of my hair and its really worked. 

Ive enjoyed using these Charles Worthington products and have seen such a difference in my hair that i think i will be purchasing more hair care from this brand. 

Have you tried Charles Worthington products? what are your faves? :)

Jemma Kidd Make Up Secrets Book Review...

This book is actually my first purchase to do with beauty. Im very picky when it comes to books. I like it be knowledgeable, simple and engages me. Before i got this book i had read alot of reviews on it and was skeptical whether i would feel the same or not. 

So abit about Jemma kidd.... Jemma is a makeup artists who has worked with many fashion designers and photographers and of course famous people. Her amazing work has been featured in a bunch of magazines such as Vogue and Elle. She was a spokesperson for Max Factor and Rimmel and for 5 years she wrote a weekly column for you magazine. 2003 saw Jemma found the Jemma Kidd Make Up School in London where it offered a range of professional/non professional course. She has developed and produced 2 make up ranges. 

Inside the book she shares her wealth of knowledge from working in the beauty industry and addresses the key make up issues and answers questions that many women want to know. The book is split into two parts. The first part making make up work covers the basics, formulations, which products to use, how to apply them and how also how to wear colour. 

In the second part of the book its the problem solver where she addresses key beauty concerns such as how to take care of your skin, dealing with dark circles and blemishes.

 

First of all the images are absolutely stunning! They are so clear and really brings the book to life. I love Jemmas writing style of educating women without patronizing them and instead gives them the tools to use makeup with confidence. The way the books is so simple yet knowledgeable aswell so it isnt too basic either. From reading this book ive learnt tips and tricks i never knew existed which will bring me confidence in the areas i dont like on my face. When i first brought this book i thought i might just read it then never look at it again but ive been back reading it more and more whenever i want to learn something more. This book is really worth having if you are wanting to learn more about makeup abit more in depth and something you can build on. The price of this book is £16.00 and i think its worth every penny for the quality of the book and the information. 

 What beauty books do you love reading?