PRIMARK AND H&M HAUL

Hey gorgeous people. I did a bit of shopping again, oops! On Saturday I had a 'me day'. I had my fave sandwich (cheese & onion) sat on a bench then wondered off into H&M where I picked up one item featured here. Then I went to Costa for some tiffin and a cappuccino. OMG heaven!

I was in and out of a few shops, but the one that I spent the rest of my pennies in was Primark.

NAVY CHECK NIGHTSHIRT - MEDIUM (10/12) - £8

I have been after a shirt dress for some time, but I find that they are too short (even for short girls like me) or just too expensive. I can not see any obvious signs that this is a nightshirt and so I am going to wear it as a dress or long top with leggings.

5 PACK BLUE, OFF WHITE & GREY MARL SOCKS - SIZE 4-8 - £2.50

I thought I would get shades different from just black all the time, but that are still quite neutral. Cheap as chips for 5 pairs!

P.S. LOVE... THIS 4 PK FASHION NAIL FILES - 50P IN THE SALE

I love the coral and printed styles. I am hanging on to summer as long as I can.

PINK/SILVER GLITTER DOME CUP - £3

I like having a straw as I find it helps me to drink more throughout the day. I am a firm believer in water being one of the best things for our bodies.

WHITE CUBIC ZIRCONIA FRONT & BACK EARRINGS - £2

I have not tried this style of earring yet. These are great also because you can just wear the silver balls if you want to.

WHITE CUBIC ZIRCONIA NECKLACE - £2

I don't usually wear matching jewellery, but I had to pick this up too because I think it's great to team with simple tops for a little glisten to catch the eye.

H&M CORAL V NECK JUMPER - XS - £7 IN THE SALE

There was only an XS and lots of MED left which looked too big so I took a chance and it fits perfectly. Such a great shade to perk up any day and bring out the blue in my eyes.

DESPICABLE ME MINIONS BURNOUT CORAL T-SHIRT - 10 - £3 IN THE SALE

I think I will wear this as a PJ top, but still isn't it great. I know not everyone is a Minions fan, but they just make me happy :)

P.S. LOVE LIP LINER CRAYONS (L-R: 01, 02, 03 & 09) - £1 EACH

I have read good things about these lip liners from Primark and although I don't use lip liner that much I am hoping these will change that.

P.S. LOVE FOUNDATION STICK (LIGHT) - £2

I want to try this a face highlight rather than a foundation, but I may also use it as a concealer. It does also come in shades medium and dark, but I prefer an ash tone to contour with so I didn't get one of those.

ZIP THROUGH HOODED SWEATERS - BURGUNDY, OATMEAL & BLACK - 12 - £7 EACH

I wanted some casual sweaters that were easy to take on and off so these are perfect. The black is a staple shade and the burgundy which seems to be very popular at the moment is very much an autumnal shade. The oatmeal adds freshness to an outfit without being as bold and crisp as white. These feel so soft and have handy side pockets. They also come in many colours.

So that's everything lovelies. I hope you find something here you like. Share your Primark finds also in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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BEAUTY FAVES 2014

Hello my lovelies. I thought it would be good to remind myself and share with you my favourite beauty products of 2014. Here they are with links to reviews so that you can see why I loved them :)

MAX FACTOR SKIN LUMINIZER FOUNDATION

REVIEW

FCUK CONNECT FOR HER EAU DE TOILETTE

REVIEW

VASELINE SPRAY & GO BODY MOISTURISER COCOA RADIANT

REVIEW

IMPULSE BODY FRAGRANCE SWEET SMILE

REVIEW

I love loads of the fragrances in this range, but this was my fave for 2014.

NIVEA POWDER TOUCH ANTI-PERSPIRANT DEODORANT

REVIEW

NIVEA SUN PROTECT & REFRESH INVISIBLE COOLING MIST

REVIEW

SOAP & GLORY GLAD HAIR DAY SHAMPOO

REVIEW

PURE EXFOLIATING COMPLETE CLEANSING WIPES

REVIEW

CRYSTAL CLEAR LIFT AWAY THE YEARS

REVIEW

Let me know your favourite beauty products from 2014 in the comments below.

Images not my own.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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POUNDLAND'S NEW MAKE UP GALLERY

Hi lovelies I have another bargain post for you today, but this time we're talking new affordable make-up on the high street from one of my favourite bargain stores POUNDLAND.

With each item in the 100 strong range costing just £1 there are an array of products that I am dying to check out including:

Long lasting foundation with UVA/UVB filters

Volumising and lengthening mascara with conditioning formula

Quick dry nail polish

Sheer lip gloss with moisturiser

Pressed powder with Vitamin E

as well as concealer, eye make-up and lipstick.

Initially the range is being rolled out in 480 stores so check out this link to find the nearest for you.

If you have already managed to pick up some items let me know what you chose and your thoughts in the comments below.

Image not my own.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK MAKE-UP

Hi sweeties. In my last post I shared with you a wearable Halloween outfit for day or night. The make-up look from that post is inspired by Alex Vause from Orange Is The New Black so here it is.

Above image from source

Products Used:

BENEFIT POREFESSIONAL

MAX FACTOR SKIN LUMINIZER FOUNDATION 45 WARM ALMOND (PR SAMPLE)

BOOTS NATURAL COLLECTION COVER-UP CREAM FAIR

MUA HIDE & CONCEAL COVER UP STICK FAIR

W7 HONOLULU BRONZER

MILANI GLIMMER STRIPES ALL-OVER COLOUR 05 HONEY GLIMMER

NYX THE CARIBBEAN COLLECTION I DREAM OF ST. KITT PALETTE (THREE LIGHTEST SHADES)

MUA MASCARA SHADE 4 (BROWS)

PRIMARK BEAUTY FELT EYE LINER PEN BLACK

SMOOCH BLACK LASH MASCARA (GIFTED)

99P STORE FATE LIPSTICK (FROM PACK OF THREE)

BARRY M LIP PAINT 54 (OVER FATE LIPSTICK)

I realise that my lips are lighter than the Alex Vause picture, but I wanted a brighter look. To be honest the winged liner is more of what I wanted to bring out in this look.

Let me know what you think of this FOTD/FOTN look in the comments below and don't forget to check out my WEARABLE HALLOWEEN FASHION OUTFIT also.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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MAX FACTOR SKIN LUMINIZER FOUNDATION 45 WARM ALMOND

Hi everyone. I have another make-up item that was sent to me to review for you which I absolutely love.

MAX FACTOR SKIN LUMINIZER FOUNDATION 45 WARM ALMOND

Claiming to be the secret to healthy-looking, flawless skin. With light reflecting particles for a gorgeous, healthy glow. Offering a medium coverage while evening out skin tone and correcting imperfections. Skincare benefits include a hydrating formula to replenish the skin's natural moisture balance. The result is a luminous skin finish creating a 'lit from within glow'.

The coverage of this foundation I would say is medium/full as it's easily very buildable. I used my fingers to apply it without any patchiness. The result was a flawless finish without the need to apply as much concealer as I usually do. 

It does not feel heavy on the skin for this type of coverage and lasts really well throughout the day. It did not cake up on my dry areas, but there was a a very slight fade of product on my chin at the end of the day. Hardly noticeable to be honest though. 

The finish of this foundation I would certainly describe as flawless. It does look more natural on the skin than others that give this kind of coverage. More healthy, but not obviously luminous or highlighted. If a dewy foundation is what you are after this probably isn't for you. 

I do love the swirled look of the foundation (see above photo) as you can see how much you have left in the tube which is great. The pump works really well dispensing an easy to control amount of product. The pump part of the tube does look and feel a little cheap and plasticy, but as this would not affect how the product works this would not put me off purchasing it.

I would recommend this foundation for all skin types as I think it would last well on oily skin and not cling to dry areas. 

The shade warm almond was a little dark for me, but surprisingly not as much as I thought and instead gave me a healthy look. I would pick up the shade Light Ivory in the future I think. This foundation comes in 6 shades which is a shame as I am sure more people would try this foundation if there were more hues. 

Currently at a reduced price HERE!

I hope you found this review helpful. Let me know your favourite Max Factor foundations in the comments below with reasons why.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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AIRBASE MAKEUP HIGH DEFINITION HOME USE AIRBRUSH MAKE-UP SYSTEM

Hi sweeties. I am back today with an airbrush make-up review for you. Yes you heard me right airbrush make-up and HD none the less.

All of the above photos have not been edited so are true in colour and tone.

The compact Airbase Makeup High Definition Home Use Airbrush Make-Up System and it's contents.

Currently includes a free Perfecting Primer worth £27.50! Other items in my kit were the Airbrush Thinner & Cleaner, Foundation in Light Medium FO02 & Medium FO03, Blush in BL02 Peach and a Mini Eye Shadow Palette.

Includes a light up mirror unit with compressor, mixing tray for foundations if using a brush, nozzle tool, airbrush nozzle, retractable hose, power plug, airbrush and product cup (shown below).

So now that I have shown you the results and the kit what do I think about the system? I was excited at trying a new way to apply my make-up, but a little nervous that I may end up spraying the floors and or walls of my house with make-up which is why I laid towels on my kitchen/diner floor to try this out. I however had no need to worry as the mist of make-up that is dispersed does not spray everywhere and is only released when you pull back on the green lever, even when the system is turned on. The make-up does not run once sprayed to your skin.

The Perfecting Primer feels lovely on the skin. Very silky and a good base for the product to cling to.

Once I had put all the parts together and emptied some foundation into the cup I could not get any product out. After adding more foundation to the cup and some thinner in case the foundation was too thick for the airbrush which it didn't look to be it still didn't work. I then tried tightening the nozzle (red part) more with the nozzle tool and the product started to come out. So as not to make the same mistake as me tighten the nozzle with your fingers, then give a half turn using the nozzle tool to allow the correct airflow through the airbrush. I applied the lightest shade of foundation all over my face and neck, paying extra attention to blemishes which you can move the airbrush a little closer for, but not too close or you will end up with obvious patches like I did. They were easily sorted though as I pressed a tissue over the area or just used my fingers to blend and went over the area again not so closely.

The darker foundation I used to contour my face. I simply sprayed out most of the previous foundation left in the cup onto a tissue and added the darker foundation to the little bit that was left to hopefully give a more seamless effect to my base and no obvious contrast, just definition. I think the foundation gives a matte slightly powdery finish once it has dried. It looks great in photos, but in real life I thought it looked like I was wearing more of a heavy base than I usually do. My boyfriend didn't think it looked that natural. I think the tones of foundation were okay to create a base and contour for me, but perhaps a little too dark and yellow toned. Not the worst match for my skin tone though.

Again I sprayed most of the remaining foundation out and applied the blush.

The eye palette I applied with my own make-up brushes:

white on my brow bones

gold to the inner corners and inner lids

purple in the crease, outer v and under the eyes

pink in the crease

blue on the outer v

grey in the crease, outer v and under the eyes

The mascara and lip gloss in this look are my own.

There was no need for me to use concealer with this make-up due to the medium/high coverage. Therefore this system I would perhaps recommend for those with rosacea or acne. The effect of this foundation was seamless not patchy as long as I did not get too close while working in circular motions.

Once you have this airbrush set up and working it's kind of fun to apply make-up in this way. I know I have been applying make-up differently for years, but for me I think it would take me too long to apply make-up like this though on a daily basis. 

Although the unit is not obviously noisy I apply make-up for work at about 6am so I know my boyfriend wouldn't appreciate me using this first thing. 

The lid on the product cup was quite tight so that made filling it with product a bit difficult to do trying to get it on and off, especially as there is a little hole in it that is meant to be there. 

The cleaning of the equipment was a bit hard to do because some of the parts are small and/or hard to reach and you don't want to cause damage to the more delicate parts of equipment. As you wouldn't want to leave make-up to dry in it I know I would get fed up of doing that every time I used it. 

Spraying the product on my skin was not an unpleasant experience though at all. It did not irritate my eyes (make sure you close your eyes when spraying close to them) and I did not feel like I was breathing in product through my nose or mouth.

I am very glad to have been able to borrow this system and experience using these products. If you love trying new things and being creative with make-up then maybe this innovative way of applying make-up is for you.

Find the kit here for more information as it is currently on offer for a limited time! Choose 3 make-up products to be included in your personalised kit from 7 shades of foundation, 2 blush shades or a bronzer.

Leave me your thoughts in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

OXYGENETIX OXYGENATING FOUNDATION

Hey there sweet peas. I have a foundation/skincare review for you from a brand that is very new to me and kindly sent me a sample.

OXYGENETIX OXYGENATING FOUNDATION

When asked if I would like to try this foundation I jumped at the chance as a good make-up base and flawless finish is a make-up lovers dream. Well it is in my book anyway. 

This breathable foundation has a 'healthier skin' formula while providing complete coverage. Said to be summer friendly: sweat proof, transfer resistant, water-resistant, staying put all day, great for sensitive skin, covering and calming redness/sunburn and containing SPF25 (can also be used over a high SPF suncream). It can be slept in because it's good for the skin, but I did not do this as in my mind it is still make-up. It does not clog pores. There are no oils, fragrances, dyes or parabens.

Claiming to be far superior to any BB or CC cream as it soothes, heals and replenishes moisture loss while giving a flawless, natural finish. 

This medically based foundation safely camouflages with the ability to soothe laser work, surgical scars and third-degree burns. Also working well for skin issues such as wounds, rashes, cracked, dry skin, acne, rosacea, eczema, bruising and other skin conditions. Recommended also following chemical peels or microdermabrasion. The healing process is sped up due to the product formula.

Available in 7 blue based and 7 yellow based shades which can be mixed for the perfect combination of tone.

I asked if I could try the shade Pearl as I think this blue based shade would have been the best suited to my skin. Unfortunately I was sent the shade beige which is yellow based. It did add a nice warmth to my skin and I made it work, but obviously it wasn't the best shade to try as I wanted to try a blue based shade. I thought I should make that clear as part of this review.

Here is an example of me wearing the foundation in this video.

I think you will agree that it looks pretty flawless. This was on a very hot day when I was very stressed so it did well. I am wearing it here with my liquid concealer applied under my eyes and on only a couple of blemishes as the foundation covers so well. 

When I tried it for the first time along with my more heavy stick concealer it looked amazing for about an hour then began to go patchy and separate so if you stick with a lighter liquid concealer or simply build the foundation up you should be fine.

This is a very buildable product, but usually I would only use one pump to cover my entire face and neck. I did not use powder to set my base, but then I don't usually use one anyway. 

It did last really well every day that I have worn it for the last few weeks. It felt light on the skin evening everything out to give a very natural medium coverage that could be built to a more full coverage.

I applied it with a stippling brush, but it's recommended to be applied with a sponge or a foundation brush.

Here you will find more product information.

To purchase this foundation try beautyisskindeep.com or effortlessskin.com

Are medically based foundations something you have already tried or would like to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

SKINCARE & MAKE-UP : PORES, MOISTURISING & FOUNDATION

Hi sweeties. Happy Monday to you. It was my first day back at work today after last week off and it feels like I never left. Anyway on to more interesting things. I have 3 reviews for you today including skincare and make-up.

T-ZONE CLEAR OUT NOSE PORE STRIPS

I have linked above to Fragrance Direct where they are currently selling these for £2.50. If you want to buy them in store you will probably be able to pick them up in Boots, Superdrug or supermarkets. There are 6 strips in each pack. I have had this pack for such a long time as I am really bad at remembering to use them. I used the last one the other day and it still worked really well so they don't dry up. These anti-bacterial strips are designed to remove blackheads and spot causing bacteria. 

After washing your face pat dry. Then wet on and around the nose. Peel the strip off the plastic backing and apply the sticky side to your nose. The curve will be at the tip of your nose and the sides will wing out onto the inner part of your face slightly. Press and smooth onto skin to ensure contact. Allow 10 mins to pass. The strip will now feel stiff. Gently peel from each side pulling towards the centre and lift away from your nose. 

The sensation is weird. It's kind of that pleasure pain thing like pulling off a plaster. It will feel uncomfortable because you are opening up the pores and pulling the dirt out. Plus it's stuck on so pulling it away is going to feel not quite right. Do not worry though as when you see the gross little bits of dirt and grime stuck to the strip that is no longer on your face you will be satisfied, but a little grossed out too. I use a wipe over my nose to remove any sticky residue afterwards and moisturise.

SIMPLE KIND TO SKIN REPLENISHING RICH MOISTURISER

You can pick this up in Boots and most supermarkets I'm sure, but I have linked to Superdrug above as you can try the 50ml size for just £1.50 or buy 3 for £3.00 at the moment. The lid looks to be a screw top whereas mine is a flip lid. I would recommend this product for those wanting something without fussy ingredients. If your skin is sensitive or just needs a break from product overload then this simple product will be a good moisturiser to use on a daily basis.

BOOTS NATURAL COLLECTION COLOUR FOUNDATION PORCELAIN

Suitable for normal/combination skin offering a medium coverage.

I would say this gives a light/medium coverage as it's very buildable. I applied this with my fingers as I would a BB cream. It glides on easily, feeling smooth and almost moisturising. I have dry skin and it did not cause me any problems. My only reason for not wanting to repurchase this is that the shade porcelain is too dark for me and appears to be the lightest shade. The shade range is not very extensive with only 5 in it's collection. Online all shades look very similar apart from perhaps almond. If you can find a shade to suit you though I would recommend that you try these as they are very affordable. These are £1.99 and there is currently a 3 for £5.00 offer on selected Natural Collection cosmetics.

So what are your favourite blemish treatments, moisturisers and foundations at the moment? Let me know with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

Make-Up Reviews: Natural Collection, 99p Store, MUA & E.L.F.

Hi there lovelies. I have 4 make-up reviews from different brands for you today.

Boots Natural Collection Liquid Eye Lines Black

I can't find this on the Boots website, but I think I paid around £2.00 for this 8ml product. The brush on this eyeliner is very thin and flexible. You can see a close up of the brush in this haul post, link! The line you get from this product is extremely thin and precise so would be great for those who just want to enhance and deepen their natural lash line than have an obvious eyeliner look. I however prefer a slightly thicker line which is the only reason I would not repurchase this product. The pigment is very black and stays on well, but my brush has started to splay out and go a little gloopy so I am throwing it away. I have had this product for almost 2 years though so it has lasted very well.

99p Store Passion Foundation

This foundation was very easy to use. I applied this with my fingers. It was very buildable and quite a good colour match for my skin, although there is no actual shade on the bottle. The formula is very light like a mousse cream. The scent smells a bit like a pretty older lady who takes care of herself. Quite floral. I would repurchase this product. I can not find it on the website I'm afraid.

MUA Mascara Shade 4 ~ £1.00 for 5.0ml

I purchased this product at Superdrug linked above, but you can also order it at muastore.co.uk. I did pick this up for the occasional time I like to wear brown mascara as it's so cheap, but recently I have been using it on my brows. It's a perfect colour match that fills in my sparse areas while holding my brows in place. I would repurchase this for sure.

E.L.F. Studio Blush Mellow Mauve ~ £3.95 for 4.75g from eyeslipsface.co.uk

This was a very disappointing product from E.L.F. The colour when I first purchased it in this haul was very subtle and after only a couple of uses there was no colour pay off at all. It kind of got lost within my make-up for a while and I persevered trying to build it up excessively recently, but to no avail. This one is going in the bin which is a shame because I love so many of E.L.F.'s other products.

What have been your favourite make-up finds recently? Let me know with reasons why in the comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

Make-Up Face Product Favourites For 2013

Hi lovelies and Happy Thursday! Today I am going to do my first ever favourites post. I know it's rare for a blogger not to have favourites posts, but I just tend to review products as I use them. The end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014 however has got me thinking about products that I continue to use frequently. So here is my pick of favourite make-up face products for 2013.

Milani Glimmer Stripes All-Over Colour 05 Honey Glimmer

I picked up this multitasking product at Poundland in the summer. You can find that post here. I use the lightest 2 shades together or separately as a highlighter on my brow bone, cupids bow and tops of my cheeks. The darker shades I swirl together to use as a bronze blush. Swirling all of the palettes shades together gives lovely luminous bronzed glow to the cheeks so no need for a separate bronzer and highlight. I am just careful when using it in this way to make sure not to apply the product far below my cheekbones or too high. I can also create simple or smokey eye looks with this palette. I usually use 1, 2 or 3 of the shades. I think this palette may be discontinued, but I have seen it on Ebay and Amazon. I just wish I had picked up the other shaded palettes from this collection when they had them in Poundland. 

Chit Chat Foundation Oatmeal

This foundation I picked up in the same haul post mentioned above. This has a very light to medium coverage depending on how heavily you apply it. I love to use my fingers with this product. It's not runny or stiff. The formula is a cream texture that is very easy to work with. It has a clean and fresh scent when I sniff the bottle, but I don't feel that I notice any scent when applying it. I have never had any streaking or clinging to dry patches with this product. It actually feels quite moisturising. This shade is oatmeal which matches my pale skin very well. It's quite yellow toned. At the time I noticed another shade which was more pink toned, but I don't actually know the shade name. I would certainly pick this up again as it's so inexpensive and great for everyday wear. This 30ml tube I would say has lasted about 4 months as I have tried other products too.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher Expose

This is a gorgeous warm toned blush that works well both with my pale skin and with fake tan. It is quite pigmented so it's best to add a little at a time and build it up as desired. It gives a very natural, healthy glow. I have worn this shade through all seasons. I would definitely say it's an all skin tone shade. I am not sure if Illamasqua are discontinuing this blusher, but it is showing on the Debenhams website linked above. It has sold out, but hopefully you can pick it up in store. It is more on the expensive side of £18.00, but I will never get bored of using this blush and it is unmistakable in quality by the way it feels and looks on the skin.

E.L.F. Studio High Definition Powder Translucent

In my January 2013 E.L.F. Haul I picked up this product even though I still hadn't finished my previous tub because I love it that much and at 50% off I just couldn't resist. I have very dry skin and for a long time I didn't think that powder on my face was a good idea, but trust me with good skincare and the right products you can wear it. In the above haul link you will see my full review, but for flawless skin this product is magic. The only downside is that the tub does look messy, but as it's translucent it won't leave colour pigment wherever you are applying it so don't worry :) This tub is £6.00, but E.L.F. always have great sales so keep an eye out for those!

I have used a few face primers and concealers too, but I didn't feel that I loved them enough to put them into a yearly favourite. I will however let you know if I find exceptional products of this nature in 2014.

I am writing other favourites posts too including other make-up products and skincare so keep an eye out for those.

If you would like make-up looks using any or all of these products please let me know in the comments below along with any questions about them you may have.

Love to you all