Carmine February Box of Goodies.................

And so it is beauty box time again. Carmine is the only beauty box subscription that I now have, I have found that I enjoy the products that they include in there boxes the most and find new products that I really enjoy and will repurchase.

So on with the February box

The February Box is aimed to inspire us and help prepare us for spring. This month there are 3 full size products, 2 sample size and a bonus item. They are...

Andrea Fullerton Nail Varnish- Full Size

Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash - Full Size

Steamcream Steam Infused Skincare - Full Size

White Glow Professional Choice Whitening Toothpaste- Sample Size

Diego Dalla Palma The Lipstick- Sample Size

Yardley London Peony Fragrance- Bonus Sample

I am once again, really pleased with the contents of this months box. I am loving Balance Me products at the moment and am excited to try this gorgeous scented body was.

I already use White Glow and am a massive fan, I'm so pleased I have this travel size to take to Vegas with me.

Steamcream is a new concept from Japan. Its an all in one moisturiser that can be used on the face, hands, body, literally all over. I love the cute tin this comes in too, super cute and perfect for the animal print lover in me.

I'm also looking forward to trying out the Andrea Fullerton polish, my local Superdrug don't stock them 

(Boohoo) so this will be a great introduction to the now cult range.

I cant wait to review these gorgeous products for you.

What do you think of this months Carmine Box??

Mwah

Sleek, The latest offering, Blush By 3...............

These new Blush By 3 palettes from Sleek seemed to pop up on the radar out of know where.

Being a blush addict I picked up two of them from my local Superdrug. 

They cost £9.99 and as the name suggests hold 3 blushes.

Pink Spirit and Flame

As you can see these are colours that pack a punch. There are 5 altogether in the range, these 2 were by far my favourites tho. They are the two strongest in colour in the range, and just so pretty.

Like all Sleek Blushes we know and love they are super pigmented. The palettes each hold 2 shimmer and 1 matt shade.

Flame

L To R

Furnace, Bon Fire and Molten

This in the pan looks like the choice for coral lovers. Furnace is the truest Coral shade whilst Bon Fire and Molten are more on the orange and red side. You definetly need a very light hand with these!!

Pink Sprint

L To R

Pink Parfait, Pink Ice and Pinktini

And now on to the palette best suited to those of you who love a good bright pink. Pink Parfait is the deepsest of the shades, with almost plum tones. Pink Ice is a beautiful bubble gum pink. I used this today and im totally smitten. Great for the spring. Again you do need a light hand. And lastly Pinktini, a softer pink again with some plum tones.

I think that these palettes are great value for money. At £9.99 you are getting 3 high quality super pigmented blushes. If you are just starting in make up or looking to experiment with some colours you may normally steer away from, I think that these are a brilliant place to start from.

The palettes are exclusive to Superdrug. I hope to pick up one other in Lace...

Will you be getting any of these gems?

Mwah

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation, not for me I'm afraid...................

I thought I would share with you the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation today.

I have been using this for a few weeks now and feel I can give a fair and honest review.

I got the shade 400 Natural Beige, this is an ideal colour for me when I have a little self tan on, I was thinking ahead to Vegas when I choose the shade. I would say that it is only 1 or 2 darker than my normal shade so is ideal to mix if I want to.

My first impressions of this have changed in the couple of weeks I have had to use it.

 However I really cant decide if I like this foundation or not. It is said to be long lasting, up to 10 hours, but even with a primer I find that after 4 or 5 hours its looking uneven and patchy on my skin. 

It has a full texture, not watery at all and offers buildable coverage, light all the way to full cover. Sounds good. I find that if I do apply a little more to my skin, that it sits in my pores and looks dry and clogged. Not something I want from a foundation. 

I so want to love this foundation, it has everything I look for, long lasting, light to full coverage, light reflective particles, pore smoothing, line filling and Vitamins too.

But it just doesn't suit my skin. Do you know how to make this work for me? I am disappointed as this is the first Rimmel foundation I have tried. Which ones do you think are there best?

What are your favourite foundations?

Mwah

February Favourites.............

I didn't post a favourites at the end of January as there really wasn't any stand out products of the month for me.

I'm glad to say the February has been totally different, I have re found the love for some previous favourites as well as finding some new loves.

Its a real mixed bunch don't you think?

Makeup 

L to R

NARS Galapagos Eye shadow This shadow is by far y favourite brown EVER!! A bold statement I know, but so very true. A holy grail product for me.

MAC Fix +  This is one of my rediscoveries this month, I have enjoyed using this over my finished makeup to give a long lasting finish. Its also fab for freshens up on the go.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid This is my only MAC foundation and I must admit, Ive never been that impressed, however this month for some reason, I'm totally loving it. This shade is NW35 and can be a little dark for me in the winter months so I do blend it down my neck. Its just worked brilliantly for me this month.

FashionistA LipGlaze in  Pretty In Pink. I did a full review of this gloss earlier in the month. I am really impressed with them and love the long lasting glossy finish.

MAC Paint Pot In Morning Frost  This is from the Glitter & Ice Christmas collection and is such a pretty Taupe shade. I have just grabbed this as it is super quick and easy and gives a lovely looking finish.

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft&Gentle The perfect champagne highlight for my dry winter skin.

Soap&Glory Lid Stuff Whats Nude For super quick and easy natural smoky eyes on those rushed mornings.

Soap&Glory Mighty Mouth Lipbalm I have really enjoyed this lip balm. Its a fantastic balm to have in your bag, no messy fingers or worrying about your fingers putting dirt into the balm. A fab product that is also a great lip gloss.

Marshmallow Blends Strawberry&Champagne Lip butter This has become my Lip Butter of choice when I'm at home. I use it religiously before bed and several times through out the day. Smells Divine and leaves my lips super soft and smooth.

Nails

OPI Sweetheart For me the perfect Nude shade, I love how this looks on my nails. It is opaque enough that you get colour pay off . Simply beautiful and perfect for my now short nails from the 3 recent breaks I have had.

Brushes

Real Techniques Buffing Brush I haven't had this very long but since I got it, it has become my brush of choice for both liquid foundation and my MAC MSF powder. I love the soft bristles and how gentle they feel on my skin. I will be doing a full review of my Real Technique Brushes in the next couple of weeks.

MAC 217 If I could only have one eye shadow brush, this would be it. I find the 217 super versatile, from packing on lid colour to defining my crease or putting in my highlight, this brush can do it all!!!!

Sigma E05 Liner Brush  This is the easiest liner brush in the world. I find it had to make a mistake with this brush, it feels secure and stable unlike some other liner brushes. Its also the favourite liner brush of YouTube Beauty Guru Michele1218. If you haven't already check out her channel, please do!!!

Hair

VO5 Miracle Concentrate I have raved over this stuff more than once and wont bore you with it, to see more I have a full post here.

Wella Enrich Bouncy Foam I have been using this light weight non sticky foam in my hair before rough drying with a hair dryer. I find that it gives my hair a slept in look and some great volume without any reside or stickiness. My hair has a slight kink but usually if I use a hair dryer it will dry straight. I am enjoying using this as I am trying to cut down on the heat I use on my hair and this gives my hair a great look with no heat. Its a win win for me.

Wella Enrich Moisturising Treatment I have also done a full post on this gorgeous treatment. You can find the post here.

Face and Body Skincare

St Tropez Everyday Moisturiser for Face This is one of the best self tanning products that I have ever used on my face. It doesn't break me out, turn me orange or wear horridly. What you get is a beautiful sun kissed glow that you can build up or use less frequently. I loved this all last spring and summer and I have the feeling, I'm going to love it all this year too!!!

Soap&Glory Righteous Butter This has been my go to body moisturiser since I discovered it. It si by far one of the best body butters around, it leaves my skin soft without feeling heavy or weighed down like some others can. It has the beautiful signature Soap&Glory Pink scent. Loveeeee it!!!

I know this has been a long post, thank you for sticking with it!!

What have you been loving this February?

Mwah

17, a Small haul................

When I was last in Boots a few weeks back, they had 3 for 2 on No17.
There were a few bits that I wanted to pick up and so I took advantage of the offer. 

BB cream in medium £6.99

Peep Show Mascara £6.29

Instant Glow Oversized Animal Print Bronzer £5.49 ( I got this free on the offer)

I picked the Peep show mascara as I wanted to try out a mascara with added fibres like this one.

Cant wait to finish my current mascara and try it out.

I picked up the BB cream as a bit of an impulse. I love BB creams and tend to use them as primers as I can never find a perfect colour match. I have heard some good things about this and cant wait to try it out. Review will follow.

I saw the Animal print Bronzer on another blog and fell in love at first sight. I LOVE bronzer and animal print is one of my favourite things so it was a win win. This is a beautiful over sized bronzer and has a soft bronze finish on the skin. I cant see any orange tones which is great.

The only downside, the animal print patten in gold is an over spray, ill miss the pretty pattern, lol.

I will post reviews of all these items as I have tried them all properly.

Have you tried any of these items? What are your thoughts?

Mwah

Real Techniques, A haul......

I decided that the time had come for me to get some new brushes. I have my pro set that I use when doing clients but my personal brushes, some had lets say seen better days.

A range that has been very well received and I have heard numerous good things about is Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman from Pixiwoos.

The brushes have recently become available in Boots, I had some advantage card points that I had been saving for a rainy day and so I took the plunge....

I ordered (From L To R)

The Core Collection £21.99

Blush Brush £9.99

Starter Set £21.99

I don't know about you but I think this is a great price point. 

The Core Collection has the following, Pointed Foundation Brush, Contour Brush, Buffing Brush and Detailer Brush. They come in a small light weight carry case that can also double as a stand.

The Starter Set is aimed at eyes and has, Base Shadow Brush, Deluxe Crease Brush, Accent Brush. Pixel Point Eyeliner Brush and a Brow Brush.

I haven't used these yet ( need to wash them!!) but my first thoughts are that they are going to be fab. They are so soft its ridiculous. 

I cant wait to give them a go.

If you ;like the look of these brushes they can be bought from Boots both in store and On line.

If I love them as much as I think I'm going to, I think these be be making there way into my Client kit.

Have you tried these brushes yet??

Mwah

Soap&Glory Mighty Mouth Lip Balm...................

If you have seen some of my more recent posts you will remember that I have been suffering with very dry skin and lips this winter. All the chopping and changing of mild and cold weather with snow thrown in for good measure has left me searching for my ultimate lip balms and moisturisers.

Today I want to share with you the fabulous Mighty Mouth Lip Balm from Soap&Glory.

As well as being a Lip Balm, Mighty Mouth has XLarge Collagen Plump Peptide Complex to give your lips a plumping effect.

The balm itself has over 70% moisturising ingredients and promises to be hydrate your lips, leaving them soft and comfortable. It has a soft pink tint to the gloss and comes in a hygienic squeeze tube applicator ( my fave!! So quick, clean and easy!!)

One of my favourite things about this balm is that it doesn't have a sticky texture on the lips, I find that it feels more creamy, almost like a lipstick.

I love the feeling of this balm, it lasts beautifully and has a delicate vanilla smell that isn't over powering when its on. This has become my go to lip Balm at the moment as I get the glossy look of a lip gloss, the texture of a creamy lip stick and the nourishment of a fantastic Lip Balm.

The Balm costs £8.00 and is available from Boots both instore and On line.

To find out more don't forget to check the fab Soap&Glory.com 

Well done Soap&Glory, you have won my heart again!!!

Have you tried this balm yet?

Mwah

MAC Naturally collection .................

I know I'm a little late in posting this haul, its my MAC Naturally goodies that I picked up when the collection launched back at the start of the month.

Here is what I picked up

Blond Mineralize Skin Finish (LE)

L To R swatches

Blended

I am a massive lover of MAC's MSF's. I get a little twitchy when they are LE. However after missing out on this one in the Blonde, Brunette, Redhead Collection a few years back, I decided that this would be the one for me to get. Its a beautiful soft pink that I will bother layer over blush and use as a highlight shade.

Next up I got a couple of the lipsticks, A Perfect Day and Sweet Sunrise.

I have been loving Nudes at the moment and these seemed perfect for me.

A Perfect day is more of a peachy bronze nude and Sweet Sunrise a delicate peach.

I promise some lip swatches of these very soon!!

What did you pick up from the collection?

Mwah

A Latino Lovely.................

Just thought I would share this beauty of a lipstick with you today.
This is Latino one of the Moisture Renew range from Rimmel. 

The moisture renew lipsticks are some of my favourite from Rimmel, they leave my lips feeling soft and smooth and the colour lasts really well.

Latino is a soft pearl rose pink. It applies really smoothly and gives good pigmentation without looking heavy.

This is a great every day colour that's super easy to wear and goes with everything. Perfect to chuck in your handbag for freshen ups on the go. I'm looking forward to wearing it with a tan in the summer too :)

What are your favourite lipsticks at the moment?

Mwah



Wella Enrich............

I'm sure you have all guessed by now than I am not a natural blonde ( hold the gasps back people, lol).
When I had my long hair cut from below my bra to a bob last year I also made the decision to go to a lighter blonde than I had been previously. My hair after the cut was healthier than it had been in a long long time and split end free. Because I wanted to keep my hair healthy I decided that as well as my usual hair products ( heat protector sprays, Moroccan Oil, conditioning shampoos) I needed to bring in the big guns.

This is Wella Enrich Moisturising Treatment

The Enrich range from Wella is aimed at Dry and Damaged hair. It helps to lock in moisture into the hair and add back hairs natural bounce and in Wella's words Vitality.

I chose the Fine/Normal formula, there is also one for Thick/Course hair. Its a mask treatment, that replaces your normal conditioner. In general you leave it on for a few minutes. I have left it on my hair for up to half an hour before, for that extra burst of moisture. It is designed to be used about once a week. I however have found that I can use this every time I wash my hair (3 times a week on average). 

It doesn't weigh my hair down or make it limp and greasy. It leaves my hair soft and silky and feeling very healthy. I have also found that when I use this in the colder weather I don't suffer with static in my hair.

You can see how much of this I have used, this is my 2nd pot!! I run about a 10p size amount through the lengths and ends of my hair.

I really love this hair mask and have found that it helps my bleached blonde hair a great deal.

The Wella Professional Range is available from all good hair salons and costs £10.15RRP

Have you ever tried this hair treatment?

What are your favourite hair masks for coloured, dry hair??

Mwah





NOTD My Address Is Hollywood.........

Today I have one of the polishes from the Touring America range from OPI last Autumn.

The shade is My Address Is Hollywood. A beautiful orange toned rose pink with gorgeous gold shimmers running through.

IN the bottle the shade looks more pink but on the nails it has warm coral tones. It is such a pretty shade and i don't have another colour this in between pink and coral. Its lovely and soft.I only needed 2 coats for it to be totally opaque. It dries to a high gloss finish and is a dream to apply. 

A fab all round polish from OPI.

Have you tried this shade, what do you think of it?

Mwah