Dark lipsticks for Winter

Hello there!  Happy New Year!  I hope you had a great Christmas holiday.

A few weeks ago I wrote this post about things to do when the days get shorter.  One of the things I wrote about was changing up your make-up.  Now that we are deep in to winter I thought I would elaborate on some of the ways I change up my make-up for winter time.  Wearing dark lipstick is one of my favourite things about winter as I think you can get away with it more in the darker months.  I only really felt brave enough to try out some darker lipsticks last winter so I don't have many in my collection yet.  Here are some of the ones I have been using recently.

L'oreal Blake's Pure Red - I bought this lipstick because I wanted a blue toned red in my collection.  It isn't super dark but is still much darker than the more orange toned reds I own.  It's highly pigmented which is good and relatively matte which helps it to last longer on the lips.  It's quite strongly scented, the scent reminds me of parma violets which I like but it could put some people off.  A great date night red.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in shade 107 - A recent purchase, I wrote about it here.  Even darker than the Blake's red, it is even more blue toned, almost purple toned.  The formula is similar to the L'oreal one in that it is relatively matte but this formula is creamier as well.  This is also strongly scented!  One of my favourite shades right now that I wish I could wear more often.  I need to go on more nights out!

Topshop Lip Bullet in Get Me Bodied -  I'm wearing this in photo above.  I love this dark plum shade.  I bought it recently in the Topshop sale, it was a mini lipstick in a Christmas bauble.  For a mini you still get quite a lot of lipstick and it fits so easily in to a small bag.  It is matte giving it longevity but you definitely will want to moisturise your lips before you wear it or it will cling to any dry places.

Misslyn Shade 119 - The creamiest of the four as it is not a matte shade.  This is the first dark lipstick I bought.  I decided to buy it because it was relatively cheap and I was not sure how a dark lipstick would work for me.  This is the darkest shade of the lot and although it is more comfortable to wear on the lips it is not as long lasting.  The pigmentation is good though and the shade is a super glam, super dark plum for when you want to make a bold statement!


If you're going to go for dark lipstick and are relatively pale like me I find you need to add some blusher to warm up your complexion so it doesn't look too draining.  I also like to make sure I'm wearing a bit of eye liner or else I find my eyes disappear a bit!

Do you turn to a dark lip in the colder months?  Do you have any recommendations of other lipsticks in the dark plum shade I might like?  I hope you're having a great start to 2016!

Recent empties

Hi there!  It's been a few days hasn't it.  Winter time is the busiest time for the theatre so it's been go go go at work.  I've been pretty exhausted by it.  Yesterday our show of the Nutcracker was cancelled which meant I had nothing but ballet class in the morning but I spent most of the rest of the day asleep in bed or curled up on the sofa.  I've been so tired and I rarely nap so I must have needed the sleep!  I'm feeling much better today which is lucky as we have another show this evening.  I think it's because I had a good rest yesterday that I've finally found the energy to come and write on my blog!  I thought I would do a little post on the products I have finished most recently.  My husband will be glad I can finally throw away the empty pots!

Lumene Vitamin C Night Cream - I bought this a while back in the sale and I really really liked it.  I have dry skin, particularly during the harsh winter and this was really thick but still absorbed  very well in to the skin.  I like the idea of the vitamin C as well as any extra radiance is welcome in the winter.  When I bought this it was just before they reformulated the packaging.  It has a pleasant fruity scent.  I didn't buy another pot for ages even though I liked it because it was quite expensive (for me).  I found it this weekend in another sale so I grabbed another pot.  I've only used it once but the cream seemed lighter than before so maybe they reformulated to product too, although it still seemed really good.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Nivea Pure and Natural Night Cream - I bought this because it was a good price and because of the natural ingredients.  It seemed like a good moisturiser, though it doesn't do anything special.  It was quite thick and even a little too heavy for me in the summer.  It didn't make my sensitive skin sting which is good but other than that it just does what it says on the tin-moisturises.  However once I had purchased and tried the Lumene night cream this cream was relegated to the back of the shelf.  When I tried to use it again after a while it had basically turned into wax, which didn't surprise me because the cream really was quite waxy.

The Body Shop Blueberry Body Butter- Love this, great light fruity smell, sinks in to the skin really well and is cooling and soothing.  I use this to calm the eczema on my arms.  I just wish it was a bit cheaper, I buy this when it's on offer!

Body Shop Chocomania Beautifying Oil - Super yummy sweet scent.  More praline-y than chocolate-y scent but yummy all the same.  I really like this smooth oil.  The lemon one was my favourite but since they discontinued it this seemed a good alternative.  I would buy this again and use it in winter as it's too sweet for summer!

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Body Cream with Kukui Nut - Very strongly scented.  Sweet smell, reminiscent of caramel.  This was too strongly scented to use on sensitive areas of my skin but worked fine everywhere else such as on my legs for example.  The scent would really linger and the cream was very rich and moisturising.

New Lipstick Purchases

Hello!

I have recently aquired not one but three new lipsticks!  One of these was given to me by my Mum and too were purchases, although I did buy them in the sale which always makes me feel better haha.  Both lipsticks were less than 5 euros so I think I got a pretty good deal there.  The two lipsticks I bought were the Manhattan All In One lipstick in Tender Tulip, shade number 420, and the Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in Wine, shade number 107.

I had been looking at the Manhattan lipsticks for a while, thinking that they seemed good quality for the price having swatched them on my hand.  I hadn't made a purchase however because I couldn't justify buying a new lipstick or pick a favourite shade so when I saw them on sale it seemed a good time to get one.  I went for Tender Tulip because it seemed like a nice everyday shade.  I wouldn't call it neutral, it's maybe a shade or two brighter than a natural lip colour but I wouldn't call it bold so I feel like I could wear it with any make-up look, dressed up or down.  It's like a neutral soft corally pink.  I think the formula is lovely, it's creamy which makes it really comfortable to wear on the lips.  The pigmentation is also high and I think this is a really great product for the price, even the non-sale price.

The lipstick that my Mum gave me was the Pure Colour lipstick by Estee Lauder in the shade Cream Tea.  This lipstick was a free gift with purchase and the shade is something I would never usually go for.    It's a nude that's quite brown with a hint of pink in it.  It's quite a dark nude for me but I thought I would give it a go and see if I can make the look work for me.  I find that duller or more brown toned nudes can make me look a bit drained so maybe it will work well with lots of blush!  The formula is nice and creamy though and the pigment is very good.

The Kate Matte Lipstick I had seen on a number of blogs and it really did look like the perfect autumn berry shade.  It was also on sale and I had been looking out for this with the view to maybe purchase so I snapped it up.  I only have one other really dark lipstick in my collection so felt that I could use another addition.  I haven't worn this as much as the Manhattan one as it isn't a colour I would wear every day but on the couple of occasions I have worn this I have been in love with the shade.  As I'm quite pale I feel like I have to up the anti on the rest of my make-up to get away with it so it's definitely something I would be more likely to wear on a night out than during the day.  I love having a more grown up glamorous shade of lipstick in my collection as I mostly own pinks. The formula is more matte than the Manhattan or Estee Lauder ones so not as comfortable to wear but still not terribly drying in that it would put me off wearing it.  Pigmentation is good, and the smell is a bit strange but I actually really like it!

I have a couple more new lipsticks to show you too in another post, my collection is getting a bit out of control!

Till next time :)

Preparing my skin for my wedding day

Hello!  Sorry, I know it's been ages since I blogged.  As usual the main reason is work has been so busy.  We are staging a new production which première's next weekend so that's been taking up all my physical and mental energy.  I also came down with a kind of flu which knocked me out for about a week.  So yeah, that's what's been happening in my life for the past couple of months!
I'm sure I promised at some point I would write about what I did to get my skin in good condition for my wedding day.  Obviously everyone's skin is different so these things might not work for you, but I thought you might be interested to read what I got up to.
I'm usually pretty lucky with my skin which I think is partly down to having an active job where I dance around all day.  My main problem is dryness which I tackle with moisturising regularly, apart from my forehead which tends to be oily, so I guess that means I have combination skin.  Being a ballet dancer also means I have to eat a pretty healthy diet and I do notice a difference when I'm eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and drinking lots of water.  I get spots from time to time though so I wanted to up my game before my wedding day to give my skin the best chance of being spot free.
Things I did lifestyle wise were try to snack on fruit instead of chocolate as much as possible.  I actually snack on chocolate fairly frequently so I made an effort 3 weeks or so before to by fresh fruit to snack on instead.  I also made sure I was drinking enough of course (water, that is!).
Other than that I headed in to Boots to seek out some skin care essentials that would help keep my skin clear.  I do find salicylic acid works well for me when I have a breakout so I looked for products that contained that but which were also not too expensive as I probably wouldn't use such harsh products on my skin all year round.
The three things I bought were: the Boots Skin Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion, Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Charcoal Facial Mask, and the Skin Clear One Touch Spot Stick.
Every morning and evening I would wash my face with my usual face wash, Garnier's Pure Active Blackhead Clearing Scrub and then I would usually follow that with a sweep of the Deep Clearing Cleansing Lotion on a cotton wool tab.  I would moisturise afterwards with my usual morning or evening moisturiser.  In the evenings I would follow up any potential blemishes with a dab of the Spot Stick gel.
Once or twice a week I would use the Tea Tree and Witch Hazel mask which was probably my favourite of the three items I bought and one I have been wanting to use regularly ever since.  It smells delicious and my skin felt soothed and less oily after using it.
It's hard to say whether it was down to using these products or pure luck but I was fortunate enough to have clear skin on the day!  Now I only use the Deep Clearing Cleansing lotion when my skin is getting particularly bad as it feels quite strong to use on my skin every day.  Of course I still use the spot stick to target any spots that might pop up.  I find it helps to stop me messing about with them and making them worse.  If you're wondering why I ended up buying everything from Boots own range it was purely for economical reasons, I think there may have also been a special offer on at the time!
Obviously as I had good skin on the day I was pleased with all the products even though I wouldn't use such a harsh regime on my skin normally,
Hope this was helpful to you!  I'm off for a bacon sandwich, so pleased I finally blogged :)

Moisturising Empties

Hello!
I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  I have had a long relaxing bath so I am feeling well and truly chilled out.  As someone who suffers from bouts of eczema I get through a lot of moisturisers.  Even when your skin is clear of it you are supposed to keep the skin frequently moisturised to prevent an outbreak from occurring again.  This stash is a selection of items I have recently used up over the last 6 months or so.  I thought I would share my thoughts on them all with you.

The Body Shop Body Butter in Coconut
This body butter I bought the mini version of specifically to keep in my handbag.  The texture of it was creamy but slightly waxier than some of their other body butters I have used in the past.  The smell was delicious but this did seem to irritate my eczema when it was flared up which other Body Shop body butters haven't in the past.  It was great to use though on areas of skin that weren't sensitive and even my sensitive skin when the flare ups had calmed down.

Burt's Bees Fragrance Free Shea Butter and Vitamin E Body Lotion
This Body Lotion is perfect for my eczema prone skin.  It is the perfect consistency, not too thin or too thick, just a soothing creamy lotion.  There's no waxyness to it which means it completely absorbs in to the skin and I can even use it during a flare up without irritation.  I have also nearly finished the Aloe and Buttermilk version which absorbs even more easily in to my skin than this one.  Both I've repurchased in the past and I probably will do again.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser
Fav, fav, fav day cream for my face!  Smells great, paraben free, SPF 30 and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.  I feel like my skin looks fresh and glowy when I use this.

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Beautifying Oil
I feel like I have a lot of Body Shop products on here but that's because they are usually in my price range, especially as I only usually shop if there's a sale on.  I don't think they do this version of their oils any more which is a shame because I loved it.  I took it on holiday with me and could not get enough.  It felt so moisturising and my skin drank it up after long hot days at the beach.  Such a nice fresh lemon-y scent which went down a treat on my sensitive skin.  I tried the Olive scented one and could not get on with it at all.  It seemed far more strongly perfumed and maybe because of that it irritated my skin.  I hope they bring the lemon one back!

Joik Moisturising Body Oil with Lemon and Bergamot Essential Oils
Initially I compared this unfavourably with the Body Shop Beautifying Oil, because I preferred the stronger lemon scent and the thicker, silkier texture of the Body Shop Oil.  Coming back to this Joik oil later on though I appreciated the slightly thinner texture  more because it seemed to be quickly absorbed by my skin, which is good when you're pressed for time.  The scent is light but not artificial and the product is 100% natural, bonus!

NSpa Shea Butter Body Butter
This has a very thick and slightly waxy texture.  The scent is strong and very sweet but not unpleasant if you like sweet scents.  My skin found this irritating during a flare up but when my skin was calm this was nice to use.  The cream is very moisturising and long lasting because of the thick texture.  It feels like it forms a protective layer over the skin.  Really good for dry skin that needs protecting from the elements but maybe not suitable for very sensitive skin.

Quite a collection.  There are actually a couple more but I think I'll save them for another time to prevent this post from getting any longer!  I hope you have a lovely evening

Twirlybirdie :)

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara Review

Hello there.  It's the weekend, yay!  Although I'm performing tomorrow afternoon I'm still enjoying the relaxing feeling of knowing it's Saturday night already and I don't have to get up as early tomorrow.
A little while ago I picked up the L'oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara in the sale.  I think I had read it was good on line before and I wanted to give it a go.  Quite soon after purchasing it my other two mascaras both dried out so I ended up using this every day much earlier than I had expected to.

The mascara wand is not a full brush like I am used to but more like plastic combs placed around the head of the wand.  I've always avoided buying this kind of wand in the past because I didn't think I would get on with it but thought this time I'd give it a chance.  It took a little getting used to as I have to make sure I'm using the wand with the spokes in the right place on the lashes to coat and separate them.  Using the wand in the wrong place can just coat the lashes with the formula too heavily.
The formula does seem to do the trick in terms of lengthening the lashes.  I also seem to be able to get a nice curl in my lashes out of it too.  It takes a little more work than I'm used to but I am satisfied with the result.

I don't think it's a bad mascara at all although I will have to see if once this runs out I would buy it again or go back to a mascara with a full brush on the wand like I'm used to.

Till next time

Twirlybirdie

September Beauty Favourites

I know it's already nine days in to October but I still wanted to write about my favourite products from September.  This month was a strange one as the weather definitely shot from warm to pretty chilly towards the end of it.  That kick started my cravings for more autumnal make-up shades but as those were towards the end of the month I think I'll link them to October instead.

These are the products I noticed I had been using more than usual.  One of them was the Lumene Pure Radiance Eye Cream.  My under eye area has been looking pretty dark lately so I thought I should probably start taking care of the skin better.  To be honest the only thing I really think makes a difference is getting lots of rest but just in case I've been using this eye cream.  It is labelled as containing Vitamin C which is something I tend to go for in skin care and is meant to help eliminate dark circles.

I've been using the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Matte Finish Lipstick quite a lot on nights out.  I trust it to stay in place and love the bright pink colour.  I have shade 02 Frambourjoise.
On my cheeks I've been reaching for the blush in my Too Faced Glamour to Go palette as it's quite a subtle soft pink.  I go red naturally anyway so don't like to go too heavy on blush, particularly in the warmer months.

I've been using this Lumene Eyebrow Shaping Wax to keep my eyebrows in place.  I've been preferring more natural looking brows recently so this is all I wanted to use.  This keeps them in place and also adds a hit of colour as the wax is brown.
The Art Deco Perfect Teint Concealer is something that I hadn't been that keen on when I first bought it.  I have since found that  applying it, and then leaving it for a few seconds to dry a little before blending it in is the key to making it work for me.  I find the shade is quite light and brightening for under my eyes.

Topshop Gloss Ink In Sugar Rush

Hello there!  Ever since I bought Topshop Gloss Ink in Smitten I've been, well....smitten.  Ha, I had to.  Seriously though, I was so impressed with the staying power of the bright pink lip stain that I was determined to buy others.  I thought I needed a day/work version, something as long lasting and pretty but in a more natural shade.  Enter Sugar Rush.  The perfect everyday pink.

I love the shade.  It really is my natural lip shade but with a slightly more enhanced pink hue to them.  Plus the glossy-ness is quite nice.  The formula is really nice to apply using the soft doe foot applicator and it smells good too.  It smells super sweet which suits my taste fine, I mean it is called Sugar Rush after all!  It has a slightly gel like consistency which feels like it should be very sticky but isn't.

So far so good.  Unfortunately the down side of this shade is that it doesn't seem to have the lasting power of Smitten.  Maybe it's something to do with the high pigmentation of the colour of Smitten that means it still seems to be lingering on my lips even into the next day, but with Sugar Rush as soon as I had gone out for some lunch I needed to re-apply it.  The thing I loved most about the Gloss Ink was the lasting power so this was disappointing.  Maybe the other brighter shades will have the staying power of Smitten but Sugar Rush doesn't stain the lips as well.  Never mind though, I still love the shade and will just have to keep re-applying it for the time being!

Make-up Factory Sensitive Mascara

Hello

I hope you are having a nice evening.  I have a chocolate marble cake in the oven.  It's the first time I've tried the recipe so I'm excited to see how it turns out!

I was given this Make-up Factory mascara in Sensitive as a Christmas present.  I've never used any products by them before.  At the moment I'm using the Clinique High Impact mascara which I really like but there's always room for a second mascara in my life. 

The brush is actually quite similar in shape to the High Impact one but the bristles are much stiffer.  I prefer the softer brush on the Clinique mascara but this one still does a fine job of lengthening and separating my lashes.  I would say I get less of a curl when I use this one than I do with the Clinique.

I still use this though and keep it in my bathroom for days when my Clinique mascara is in my handbag and I can't be bothered to fetch it because I am that lazy.

Here is a scary close up photo of me wearing this mascara.
It's nearly time to get the cake out the oven, yay!
Till next time :)

Twilrybirdie

Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Make-up remover

Hello!

It is actually sunny today.  For the first time in about one week the sky is not covered in clouds!  I wanted to just stay outside and wonder round and round because of the sunshine but it wasn't that warm and I'd probably start to look a little weird.
I've nearly used up this make-up remover from Garnier.  I like to use paraben free products so this make-up remover from Garnier's Simply Essentials range was purchased specifically because it was affordable and paraben free.  It is also suitable for sensitive skin which is good as my skin can be quite sensitive.

I don't tend to wear waterproof make-up so I can't really comment on it's effectiveness for that but I find it does a fine job with my non waterproof make-up.  It does have a slightly oily texture to it but you will probably be washing your face after using this so any left over residue will be removed anyway.  The soothing 2 in 1 make-up remover consists of two layers, a cleansing water and a make-up removing oil.  You have to shake the bottle to mix the two layers of liquid inside it.  Then I put it on a cotton wool pad and hold it over my eye for a moment or two to give it time to work and get rid of the many layers of mascara I'm usually wearing.  I also use it on the rest of my face if I'm wearing make-up on it.

If you have sensitive skin I would recommend this.  I will probably be buying this again.

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Topshop Gloss Ink in Smitten

Happy Saturday!  It's still a work day for me but I'm happy knowing I have a lie in to look forward to tomorrow.  The weather here has warmed up quite a lot although it's still quite overcast.  I'm still feeling chilly enough to be enjoying my hot tea in the evening and lighting candles though.  Sometimes when it's dark and gloomy a bright lip colour is needed to brighten the day.  When I was at home for Christmas I picked up a Topshop Gloss Ink in Smitten.  Well what can I say, I was....smitten.  Haha, sorry.

This is one of the brightest lip sticks I've ever owned!  Not only is it super bright, highly pigmented colour, but it manages to be glossy as well.  I've never known anything glossy to stay on my lips for longer than say 1 hour but the first day I wore it out I popped in to a cafe for a drink with my Mum.  After drinking my coffee I got out the Gloss Ink expecting it to be desperately in need of re-applying, when what did I see in the compact mirror?  It was still almost perfect!

I genuinely couldn't believe it was still on my lips and it made me really want to buy more different shades to try out.  I haven't got round to that ( maybe after a few more pay days!) but I have worn this out a few more times.  I would say that it is gorgeous and glossy but watch out because it does transfer!  You don't want to accidentally smudge it with your hand and end up staining your face.  Other than that I would really love to try this in a more neutral shade for general day time activities. maybe the light pink Sugar Rush?.  

I hope you enjoy your weekend!

Twirlybirdie

Garnier Skin Naturals Pure - Shine Control Moisturiser

Hello,

how are you?  It's snowy here, blizzard like.  It's been either cloudy or sunny whilst I've been at work and already getting dark once I arrive home so I've not had much opportunity to take photographs in nice natural light.

On a sunny day I was able to photograph the Garnier Shine Control Moisturiser which I was lucky enough to find on sale at home during Christmas time.  I had this years ago and would of repurchased it but found it quite difficult to locate abroad so I forgot about it.  The skin on my forehead can be quite oily so I tend not to put moisturiser on it but with the harsh winter weather I've been getting a few dry patches.  I remember this moisturiser to be really non greasy and mattifying.  I spotted it in Superdrug for under 3 pounds in the sale for a 75ml tube which seemed like quite a decent amount compared to other tiny amounts that everything seems to be sold in these days.

The formula seems to be exactly the same as I remembered it.  It is a light blue coloured cream almost gel like in consistency.  It has a reassuringly clay-like scent.  I find a little goes a long way.  After application the skin does look quite matt and feels non-greasy but moisturised.

 I wouldn't say it lasts all day although I'm not the best guinea pig for that as I work up a sweat for a living.

If you want a moisturiser that doesn't make your skin feel greasy this definitely works and is good value for money.  It contains white clay and zinc which makes it calming and non greasy on the skin.  I find it doesn't block my pores or irritate my skin which can be very sensitive.  It's also still on sale on the Superdrug website so it's a great time to test it out for cheap!

I tend to only use this on my forehead and use the Body Shop Vitamin C moisturiser on the rest of my skin as that needs more moisture and I appreciate the SPF it contains.  If the Garnier moisturiser contained SPF then it would be perfect!

I'm going to a 90's themed party tonight so terrible make-up and fashion is on the cards!

Till next time

Twirlybirdie :)

Natural soaps - Nurme Seep Cleansing Facial Bar and Goats Milk and Chocolate Soap

Hello!
How has your day been?  I've been lucky to have a day off today.  Waking up without the alarm going off was bliss.  Another bonus was that it was sunny.  One of the positive sides of the temperatures plunging to below -10 is that you get more winter sun.  It's just a shame that it's too cold to stay outside!

A couple of months or so ago I decided I wanted to try products which were as natural as possible for washing as my eczema had flared up quite badly.  I had no idea if it was something I was using, or eating, or thinking or what that was causing it but I decided to buy some products that was as natural as I could find for using on my skin.

I came across an Estonian brand called Nurme Seep which had a sticker on their soaps saying that they are 100% natural.  Sold.  I ended up buying the Goats Milk and Chocolate soap and the Deep Facial Cleansing Bar.

Both theses soaps smell amazing.  I can smell the essential oils in them and I've even noticed my bathroom smells so much nicer with them in there.

I really like the Chocolate and Goats Milk soap.  I find that it isn't drying or irritating for my skin at all, in fact it feels moisturising, perhaps from the goats milk?  I really like using it and the only thing I don't like is that it is disappearing quicker than I would like.

The facial cleansing bar smells a bit earthier and richer, probably because it has activated charcoal in it as well as lavender oil.  This foamed up much more than expected and feels soft and cleansing to use.  I feel like I have to be really careful not to get it near my eyes because I think the essential oils could be irritating.  I like using this but when my skin is bad I do feel like I need something stronger with salycilic acid in it.  I've been using this together with my usual Garnier face washes and am glad to have something more gentle to use when my face doesn't feel like it needs stripping with stonger stuff.
My foray in to the natural soaps world has been a positive one so far, particularly with soaps for the body.
Vegetarian shepherds' pie is in the oven, cooked for me by my fiance.  Yum!  So until next time :)

Twirlybirdie

Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for eyes- Lots o' Latte

Hello!

I'm enjoying my Sunday off work, the first for a while as we've been performing recently every Sunday.  I hurt my neck a couple of days ago which was quite stressful so today consisted of a trip to an out of town shopping center to buy a foam pillow to see if that will help.  I've been pulling the muscles in my neck quite frequently in the last two to three months so need to try something to stop it happening.  I'll let you know how I get on!

When I was home for Christmas late Christmas Eve I was left on my own waiting for my family to turn up to Debenhams.  My sister had forgotten to phone me to let me know they'd taken a little detour on their way, typical!  I ended up wondering around the beauty section for so long I started to feel like I was looking a little weird and had better purchase something!  Haha.  I managed to test out quite a few Clinique products in that time and really took a liking to the colour of the Lots o' Latte Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for eyes.

I really like the packaging of chubby sticks, they're really easy to use.  I've also been obsessing over neutral colours I can wear to work recently and this fit in with that really well.

The colour comes out a little darker on these images than it does in natural light (of which there isn't much around these parts lately).  It's a nice soft wash of colour that lasts a while.  It has a slight shimmer to it.  It does sit in the crease after a bit but all my cream eye shadows seem to do that.
I'm happy with this and can see it getting a lot of use.  I've bought a few new eye shadows recently as I seem to be going through a bit of an eye shadow plus mascara faze in place of my old eyeliner plus mascara routine.
I would love it if you would subscribe to my blog!  You can use one of the links in the right hand sidebar.  I hope you enjoy the rest of you Sunday :)

Twirlybirdie!

Body Shop Skincare haul - Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion, Pore Minimiser and Vitamin C Skin Reviver

Hello!

I hope you are having a nice day.  I'm sat listening to the racket of the flat next door being refurbished.  Drilling and hammering a plenty is my music today and I'm doing my best to stay calm and not get irritated even though it literally sounds as though they're hammering in to the wall of our living room.
There is a Body Shop where I live but it's much more expensive than shopping at the one in the UK so when I went home for Christmas I decided to pick up a few products I've been wanting to try out.

I've been having some trouble with the skin on my forehead just before Christmas.  The pores seemed blocked and came up in quite a few little bumps which was really irritating.  I had this happen once before a few years ago when I was really stressed but I didn't think my stress levels were much higher than normal this time round so I couldn't figure out what it was.  I really wanted some sort of lotion that I could put on my skin and just let it sit and feel like it was doing something so that I wouldn't be attempted to mess around with it.  The Body Shop Tee Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion sounded like what I was looking for and as it was 3 for 2 on skincare I picked up the Tee Tree Pore Minimiser and the Vitamin C Skin Reviver.

I haven't been using these products for more than about 3 weeks so I don't know how they will fare long term but I've been enjoying using them so far.

I use the Tea Tree Night Lotion after I've washed my face and used a blackhead clearing cleanser.  It says to put it on after moisturiser but I've only been using it on my forehead which I don't normally put moisturiser on as that tends to make my forehead break out more.  It has a slightly tea tree like smell and is quite light.  I use just a small amount where I feel I need it.

The pore minimiser I have also been using on my forehead during the day either on it's own or under make-up.  I find it has a mattifying effect more than anything which I like and this is also not too thick that I feel like it will break me out.  It also has a subtle tee tree smell.

The Vitamin C skin reviver I picked up on a whim as I thought it might be like a serum and I've been wanting to try a serum for ages.  In reality this is more of a primer than a serum in texture.  It is a clear gel like formula with a slight iridescence to it and a pleasant scent.  It's very silky and when you spread it on your skin and feels like it sits on top of it like a silky layer.  At first when I put it on I can't really notice a difference but then after a couple of minutes I look in the mirror and my skin looks matte with a slight glow.  I don't know how much of a difference it really makes but I like putting this on my skin.  I used it under my foundation for a show and it worked well for this but made my eye lids too slippery for my eye-shadow to adhere to.  Other than that I've been wearing this more or less everyday for work mostly because I like how it feels and if it's giving me for of a glow than I wont complain!

I think I need to give these products a more long term test to really gauge results but I hope this gave a little insight in to how they might work.

Till next time

Twirlybirdie :)

Life lately: Reading and writing

Hello!

Autumn is well and truly upon us and I am trying to adjust accordingly.  I try not to let the overcast weather get me down too much by distracting myself with the cosier things in my life.  It's nice to be snuggled up in my apartment and finally make use of all the crafty bits and bobs I buy myself and then neglect for too long.  In summer I'm obsessed with being outside.  If it's sunny I have to be outside and can't stand been cooped up indoors so I suppose now is time to enjoy life indoors!

I wanted to share this super cute 5 year diary my boyfriend bought me about a month ago.  I've been staring at them in the bookshop for absolutely ages but because I knew I could get one much cheaper back in England I never bought it.  Well I think he had had enough of me staring at them and one day he came in to work with one as a surprise gift!

The cover design and inside is just gorgeous.  The edges of the pages are lined with gold.

You answer a different question that is at the top of each page for every day of the year, for 5 years, and see how your ideas change over the time. 

I've enjoyed writing in it even more than I thought I would!  I think it would make a great gift.  They are produced by a company called Potter Style and I think you can buy them on Amazon in the UK.

Today I've been suffering from really bad stomach cramps so my lovely boyfriend bought me Vogue to read when he went to do the food shopping.  Another surprise gift!  I know I'm a very lucky girl :)

The horrible weather is another great excuse to cosy up with a magazine. There's even ballet on the cover!

Here's a peak at my knitting too.  I'm trying to knit a cosy throw for winter.  I have a feeling it's going to take me a long time though!  I'm knitting with mohair wool which feels luxurious!  I have to knit 2 then pearl 2 and I keep losing track of where I am!

What do you do to feel cosy when the weather gets colder?

Until next time, stay cosy :)

Twirlybirdie

Too Faced Glamour to Go Pocket Palette : Review

Hi there!

Recently I have become obsessed with the Too Faced make-up range.  It only recently arrived in department stores here and it really stands out, mostly because of it's super cute packaging!

I've been playing around with the testers for weeks but unwilling to splash out on anything because of the price.  In the end I decided that one of these Glamour to Go Pocket Palettes would be the best value for money and I would get to try out a few different products in one go.

Firstly the packing I'm such a sucker for.  It's so girly and cute and I love the small, portable size of this palette.  It's great that it has a mirror and a good range of 8 different eye shadows.  There is also a pretty pink blusher, a bronzer and a lip gloss.  The one thing it is missing is a set of brushes.  So you will have to carry something with you to apply the make-up with if you're taking this to use on the go.

My favourite colours to use so far in the palette are the bronze/gold or the pink eye shadows during the day.  They are both quite iridescent subtly shimmery shadows.  I like the brown shadow which is quite matte and natural looking but I've not used matte shadow much in the past and need to experiment with it a bit more.  The white shadow seems to be between a matte and a shimmer.  There is a plummy/grey shadow, a silver shadow, a dark grey and a black.  There are shadows in the palette for both day and night and I've even used them for my stage make-up!

I like the light pink blush, it's a natural and subtle pink.  I don't really know how to use bronzer but it's a pretty sparkly brown/gold which I'm sure would look great for summer.

The lip gloss is a transparent and sweet smelling shimmer.  I don't wear lip gloss normally but I can imagine I might use a dab of this in the middle of my lips over some lipstick for a night out.

I've not owned this palette for long but I've been enjoying using it most days since I bought it!  I wish I could afford to test out other products from this brand.

Otherwise I have been trying to cope with the colder weather and earlier nights.  I think it is time to get out the candles to try to cheer myself up about the end of summer!

Till next time :)

Twirlybirdie