Glossy Box

Hello Lovelies,

As mentioned in the last post I've been a bit away with fairys and all tangled up in exam mode. So, now I'm back to having time to have a bit of a look about. The first thing I've discovered is the Glossy Box. I don't know if many of you had previously heard of the Birch Box scheme in America. But, I had and for a while now I have had a touch of the green eyed monster. However, the other day I found out in the UK there is now an equivalent.. the Glossy Box. As you can imagine I'm extremely excited about this. The only issue is that now I have to wait until July to receive my Glossy Box.

So the concept. You pay £10 per month and in return receive 5 luxury product miniatures, in beautiful packaging for you to try out. This is great as you could potentially find something AMAZING, and not have to pay the full size price to do so.

Have a lovely day
Peace, love, hugs
Emily

 http://www.glossybox.co.uk/

Back with a bargain

Hello Lovelies,

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, I've been bogged down with university exams. But, they're all finished now so you can expect to be seeing a bit more from me. As a returning gift I thought I would bring you a few of my favourite bargains to be had online.

Generally, I love ASOS. There are some many bargains to be had, especially now considering they have 20% off brands. This covers beauty, accessories clothes and more. This includes 20% off NARS products, Essie nail polishes, a vast range of Benefit products, St Tropez self tan, various Bare Minerals products, Illamasqua and much more.

Another great offer to check out is the boots 10 Advantages Points per £1 on purchases over £15. I know I'll certainly be stocking up on this offer as it justs means I'm buying products earlier than I would have normally. This offer is available until 30 May 2011.

Lastly, until midnight tonight Bobbi Brown online are giving a Rich Lip Colour Trio and Vitamin Enriched Face Base sample with orders over £50.

Speak soon.
Peace, Love, Hugs
Emily

Is it really cheap and cheerful?

Hey you lovely lot,

I've got a million and one things to do today and funnily enough blogging these are the easiest and most enjoyable to do so here I come. I have never been much of a try it out kind of person. But, I think I need to be. There are some great bargains to be had out there. I recently placed an order for E.L.F.(eyes.lips.face) which is great. But, I thought I'd look into some more affordable makeup. Yesterday was the turn of the natural collection. Everything in the line was £1.99 and 3 for 2 in Boots. I got 6 items for under £8. How can you argue with that? The packaging is nice and pleasant. There is by no a means a huge selection of colours, but I'm sure that everybody could find something. My favourite so far has to be the little lipglosses, they're the right size, cute and there's a fair few pretty colours. Below are the products I purchased:

This is a tinted lip gloss: it's a natural/nude colour, I can't find a name for it sorry.

I then got two lipsticks:
Candy mist:

The best description of this is a candy floss colour mixed with a bit of a nude colour and shimmer.

Then Apple Blossom:

This is just a basic nude colour.

Two blushers:

Pink Cloud:

This is light pink colour, pretty and easy to wear

Sweet cheeks:

This is a pinky/peach colour. This is slightly darker than pink cloud.


Lastly I got a cover up cream in Fair:

I do have a few face value complaints. The products don't seem to be sealed correctly, so I was finding myself rummaging to the back of the collections as I was worried that somebody could have used my item as a tester instead of the tester. Also, one of the blusher palettes came loose. I'm just a bit worried about it smashing now. These are minor complaints and the price I think outweighs it so far.

I'm not expecting these products to work wonders. It totalled under £8 for 6 good sized items, which is reason to buy them enough. I'll let you know how I get on as I give them a fair go. Is there anything you'd recommend to me from this collection? What have you found? Swatches to come with review.

Peace, love, hugs,
Emilyx

Emilys Bargain Bonanza

Hello you lot,

With sales galore about at the minute, it's hard to know where to start your shopping. On my recent shopping trip, I found only one thing on sale and the rest were full price bargain beauties. Granted the items I am about to show you are from both Primark and H&M so you would expect them to be cheaper. But, I didn't think when I walked in Primark yesterday I'd find anything to particularly blog about.

The line of £3.99 skirts from H&M always seem to amaze me, suffice to say I have one in every pattern and colour. They're so easy to wear, great for nights out or days in. The best part of these skirts is that they are so wearable and there's a colour/style for everyone. I tend to wear mine with a tucked in tee, but you could easily team it with a looser top. This is definitely a holiday staple, great for going out to the bar in for a few cocktails, or great when you just want to do a bit of shopping or sightseeing. This is the one I got yesterday, as I said it's £3.99, what more could I ask for?:

I'm truly baffled. I've never been much of a Primark lover, I can admit that. But, yesterday I think I may have found what everyone else raves about. I spent £16 on 5 items I love. That's just over £3 each. Tucked away in the back they had a range of printed vest tees, all coming in at £3 each. I'm speechless. These printed tees are right up my street. Great for wearing with shorts, really casual yet with a bit more substance than a plain one. There were a lot of different styles in this range with various prints and colours, I picked my favourite three up but I'm in no doubt I'll probably pick up another along the way. Here are the pictures of the 3 I picked up, let me know what you think:

I accidentally stumbled on this top which I think I love the most.  The nude colour is so right for me and also I love the little tie detail at the bottom, it seems to be really in right now. The thing I love about this top is that, I don't feel stomach concious in it, the tie is far down enough that if I'm having a bloated day, I'll be good. At £4 I won't complain.Let me know what you think:

Last but not least is my sale item and bargain of the week. A leather look chocolate bag for £3 reduced from £8. I was over the moon with this bag it really made my day. I need one of those in between bags which aren't too small to fit all my daily stuff in, but aren't huge bags which weigh me down. This is one of them. I know I'll get a fair bit of use out of this. Let me know what you think:

My only complaint about my whole shopping trip was that there was a lack of size choice. So, items I would have picked up I couldn't. I think it's ridiculous for a shop to have 20 size 20's and nothing in between. However, I do think it's great for Primark to start stocking more of a range in bigger sizes. I don't know if they did before on everything, but it seems like they're rolling it out. I'm noticing it more. I did buy a few more items, but these weren't bargains. If you do want to see them let me know and I'll post them up. If you want any ideas on how I'll be wearing the items above pop me a comment or e-mail and I'll let you know.

Peace, love, hugs
Emilyx

I went to Mac to buy one thing. I came out with...

Hello you lovely lot,

Today is a great day because I've just purchased some long over due MAC items. It's sort of a to me from me Easter gift. The sight of my goody bag below makes me smile instantly, so although my bank balance may now not feels so cheery I am:

Everyone needs nudes and earth tones in their eye shadow palette, but I think I take this concept to the extreme. If I'm completely honest I'm a kind of play it safe girl. I don't tend to flirt with bold colours, they just don't appeal to me. One day I'll be more adventurous, promise. Here are the eye shadows I purchased today:

Brule

Naked Lunch

Sorry about the lack of swatches, they weren't showing too well on my phone camera. Will add them when my new camera arrives. On a side note both of these are beautiful shadows and I'd say key staple colours to have in a palette. If I could recommend only one, I'd narrowly say Brule. Brule is a matte colour whereas naked lunch is more sheer and shimmery. They're both everyday shadows. Great on their own for a simple look or great teamed with others to make a more sophisticated eye.

I used to work from Mac pots, so as I'm making the switch to pans I had to buy myself a trusty mac palette. De-potting here I come!

This holds 15 shadows.

The actual product I went in for was the Studio Fix fluid foundation as I fancied a change from my regular foundation. I got this in shade NC15 however, when I start to tan up I will be swapping to NW15. If you're unsure about if you're NC/NW and what shade you should be using ask the staff in store.

I always get a pump to go with it out of habit.

Then I picked up another 190 foundation brush, I have no reasoning behind this other than I love it so much and it works well with the foundation. (Even the MUA in MAC said so herself.)

And, that's it. :)

So a fond farewell
From a very happy girl to you lovely readers
Peace, Love, Hugs
Emily x

P.s. if any of you know of a lovely brush roll please let me know as I'm in dire need of a new one.

Everyday Essentials: Part 1 - Even more Haircare

Hello lovelies,

Hope you're all enjoying the Easter holiday. Before I get into the bulk of the post I'd like to share with you one of my easter gifts. I'm only sharing as I thought it was really cute and a bit different from purchasing an easter egg from a store.I'm easily pleased. :) The idea was that I got to have all my favourite treats and the added bonus of keeping the storage afterwards.

I have to admit I never used to be as careful and thoughtful with my hair as I should have. I now have realised how unforgiving my hair type is and have tried to break this bad habit. I'm always on the look out for new products that work for my hair and protect it because in all honesty the fried hair look isn't the way to go.Both the products featured below I use regularly and find they work for me. That's not to say they'll be ideal for your hair, but if nothing else take away the essential idea that you need to protect your hair from heat damage and condition it to keep it looking and feeling good.

The two products featured are relatively new to me and I stumbled upon them by accident. The first is Toni&Guy Iron-it Heat Defence Spray, this does what it says on the can. I came into posession of this product when I visited my friend at university. I'd forgotten to pack mine, so when we went shopping I found a boots and just gave it a go as it was reasonably priced and a respected name. When I first used this product I instantly new I'd like it. It smells nice and fresh, not too over powering, it's like a mist so it doesn't clog your hair and consequently lasts for a while. It does genuinely seem to help prevent heat damage and leaves my hair in good condition after a few rounds with my GHDs. I should mention this is for straight styles and costs £6.63 in boots and is slightly cheaper on the Toni & Guy website. http://www.boots.com/en/Toni-Guy-Iron-It-Heat-Defence-Spray-200ml_39853/ http://store.toniandguy.com/s/browse/products/toniandguy/straight/14

The last product is Aussie Luscious Long Leave in Conditioner. This too was an accidental purchase. I've used the Aussie leave in conditioners for a while now and always stuck to the Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave in Conditioner. However, this one time I was in a rush and picked up the product I now use by mistake. I'd not really intended on using it, but I was caught short and so thought anything is better than nothing. Now that I've stuck with it because I like it that much I don't remember how the other product was. This too smells very fresh and is nice on the nose which is always pleasant. It doesn't clog my hair up, leaves it in good condition and lasts for ages, so I like it. It's a bargain at £3.68 in Boots and can be purchased in major English supermarkets, super drug and numerous other places. http://www.boots.com/en/Aussie-Luscious-Long-Leave-in-Conditioner_38756/

Other items of worth to have in your beauty kit are clamps and bobby pins. Clamps are great for sectioning hair and sweeping it off the face. They can also be used for styling your hair. Bobby pins or kirby grips are a staple item, they secure things in place and for me they tend to help make a bad hair day less of a sham. Both items can be found widely and are affordable.

Speak Soon
Peace, Love, Hugs
Emily x

Makeup and Me.

Hey Lovelies,

Saw this mini- makeup interview when i was looking through blogs and I thought I'd give it a go. :) 

♥  How old were you when you started wearing makeup? ♥

From early on in life I'd always play about with makeup whether it be with play makeup or a bit of mascara. I gradually wore makeup, it started minimal and slowly increased. I'd say I started really wearing makeup seriously and knew what to do with it when I was around 13.

♥ How did you get into makeup? ♥

This is a strange one. As a child we all had our kiddy makeup, but I was fortunate enough that my mum took a course to learn about all things makeup and beauty wise when I was a little girl, about 4 or 5. I loved using(destroying) her makeup, even though she probably thought oh gosh! The real turning point I think, when I realized I loved makeup was my last school disco in primary school. Mum always put a bit of mascara on for me etc, but this year because I'd been watching her applying it, I did it myself.That was the first time I ever applied makeup seriously and I've not gone back since... my love for it just continued to grow.

♥ What are some of your favourite brands? ♥

I'm a go to kind of person, I know what I like and where I like it from. Some of the brands on this list I'll have one or two products from, but I love them and use them religiously, so I guess that makes them my favourite, right? I'm a self confessed Mac junkie, so that'd be a start. Other brands which make up my staple items are Lancome, Clinique, Dior, Chanel, Benefit,Bobbi Brown, YSL and NARS.

♥ What does make-up mean to you? ♥

Without sounding cheesy... it's an art form essentially, and for that I love it. Make up has the power to inspire, reflect and gives a platform for people to create and express themselves. I'd be lost without it really.

♥ If you could only wear 4 products on your face what would they be? ♥

Tinted moisturizer, liquid eyeliner, maybe cheating I'd go for a lip/cheek stain and mascara.

♥ What is your favourite thing about makeup? ♥

It's not a one size fits all thing. Makeup breaks any boundaries and goes from extreme to understated. You can do with as you wish.

♥ What do you think about drugstore makeup vs high end makeup? ♥

It’s focused on far too much. Granted we all want great products that work for us and sometimes these are easier to source within a high end company. But, I feel it's just sad that there's so much emphasis on having MAC or Chanel or other high end brands when there are more affordable options. It brainwashes people. The whole idea behind makeup is making a product work for you. This is lost. Essentially, it doesn't matter as long as it looks good on you. If a foundation is not your shade, then it won't look good even it is high end. I personally own a lot of high end makeup, but I'm not shy on trying and using drug store brands. I do wholeheartedly feel that there are good drugstore products that outshine some high end products, and the other way around. Some people need to realise that just because it's high end doesn't mean it's amazing.

♥ What is one tip of advice you can give to a beginner? ♥

Don't jump into purchases. Don't purchase things because you think it's MAC, it'll be good. Try things out and don't be afraid to ask. Ask about skin types, shades, coverage etc. There are a lot of people out there and especially on beauty counters who are more than happy to help and have lots of knowledge to share. On a side note, in terms of brushes I'd say buy cheap. This sounds absolutely ridiculous however, with cheaper brushes you'll learn what you want and what you truly need out of brush. This is invaluable when it comes to purchasing a really good quality brush. You'll have a better idea and starting block on what you want from that brush and they're great for practicing cleaning etc with because it's not as much of a risk than with a high end brush. I've know beginners to have high end brushes and because they're not cleaning correctly, they're eroding the glue away and the brushes are falling apart, which isn't great at all.

♥ What is one makeup trend you never understood? ♥

This is not an official trend, but I see it day to day and I'm sure we all do therefore it's an unknown trend within people. People who wear the wrong shade of foundation and end up with a face that is three shades darker than their neck. It honestly baffles me. 

♥ What do you think of the Beauty Community on Youtube/Blogger? ♥

How can you fault it? If you do a bit of research you can save yourself money by not wasting on hyped products. They're great for people who want to learn about makeup. It's free and makes makeup more accessible, which is the best.

♥ Who is your style icon? ♥

I'm a bit of an eclectic one. I tend to dip in and out of icons so easily. I'd say I look to people like Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Florence Welch, Kate Bush, Blondie, everyone and anyone really. I also like the Parisian approach to makeup, I think it's beautiful.

I'd love to hear about yours.

Keep Smiling,

Peace, Love, Hugs, 

Emilyx

Everyday Essentials: Part 1 - Haircare

Hey you lovely lot,


Everyday Essentials review here we come. Out of all items mentioned in this blog post, if you do not have one get yourself a tail end comb. They're cheap and can be an absolute saving grace. So, here goes nothing:


Firstly, in my hair bible I have my trusty GHDS.  

I realize that a lot people have them. They are great... they straighten effectively, they curl effectively and most of all quickly. One stupid thing I particularly liked is the plug, if you have a pair of GHDs or have seen them you will know that the plug is quite big and stands out. This is absolutely amazing for me, because in the morning when I'm feeling dazed I tend to clumsily plug anything in and wonder why magically things aren't working.. but because this plug is so noticeable I have no issue. I'd say if you're in need of a new pair of straighteners, you're unsure what to get for your birthday gift or you've had a pair which has broken and you're unsure about re-investing do it, get yourself a pair of GHDs. They can be found in hair salons or if you wish to purchase online you can do so here: http://straighteners.ghdhair.com/ or here: http://www.asos.com/Beauty/A-To-Z-Of-Brands/Ghd/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=1904&WT.oss=GHD&WT.oss_r=1&oss_pv=1&DCSext.oss_url=1 . 

One thing I could not live without is a tail comb (I think that’s the name). 

These are really cheap and are great for teasing, separating and slicking things back. They are great for ensuring that products are combed through the hair effectively and I know friends who find them good when using home hair dye kits. They are pretty easy to track down and you can get them for under £1. I have two one with a plastic end and one with a really thin metal end. I use them both all the time, but love the metal ended one for sectioning hair. The Chanel style buns are in, and I feel that I can do the style more justice with one of these as I’m better able to slick the hair back and get rid of lumps and bumps. One of the best under £1 items I’ve got. This is more expensive than I paid but I'm sure there's cheaper options: http://www.boots.com/en/Trevor-Sorbie-Tail-Comb_868082/ 

A recent edition to my collection is the V05 volumizing spritz.

 This product was a last minute buy. It is reasonably priced and is straight forward to use. I have thin hair and teasing tends to work for a limited period of time. I have found this to help with making my hair a bit fuller. It smells good and you don’t need to use that much. This product doesn’t seem to clog up my hair or dry it out which is essential for me as it's prone to both. This is widely available too and is about £3, so if you’re unsure what to do and are a sufferer of thin lifeless hair like me and you don’t want to spend excessive amounts on a product, I’d recommend this. http://www.superdrug.com/styling/vo5-heat-defence-volume+lift-spritz-150ml/invt/307130/ You can get this in UK supermarkets too for a similar price.

The second part of this will follow soon and will contain a conditioner, heat protector spray and some other little essentials. 

Speak soon lovelies,

Peace, Love, Hugs

Keep smiling

Emily x

I am a bit of a sheep when it comes to E.L.F.

Hi Again... only me,
In the past I've heard of E.L.F. cosmetics (eyes.lips.face) and I've always felt that I've never really had a need to venture down that route. I've always felt covered if I wanted a good cheaper end product.  However, yesterday I heard a fellow Mac junkie rave about a few of the e.l.f. products, so this really got me interested. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least! The website is so easy to use and accessible, there's so much choice, like tons of choice and you get to create a wishlist. The cheap prices and good colour range on the products made me eager to try some and has wound up with me having a rather extensive wish list. I was a bit unsure about what to purchase and mainly ended up ordering a few of the basic brushes. I don't know if my initial reaction is based on the fact that I assumed there would be so little choice and I didn't feel like there'd be anything for me. There's not as much as choice as other make up brands. But, I'm sure there's something for everyone.

 Below there will be a list of what I ordered  and the prices in UK £ and US$ when possible. They do have special offers on in both the US and UK and advertise it willingly, which is even more of a bargain. Delivery too seemed reasonably cheap, and I got plenty of order confirmation, so I'm happy with that.

I have my reservations on the quality of this brand and don't expect miracles because I'm paying a small amount in comparison to what I would expect to pay. I think this could be a really exciting discovery for me and if all goes well I'm sure I'll be testing and incorporating some of these products into my daily routine.

The list I finally decided on:
Brushes:
Elf Concealer Brush: £1.50/ $1
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~38.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/tools/brushes_and_applicators/concealer_brush
Elf Total Face Brush: £1.50/$1
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~39.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/tools/brushes_and_applicators/total_face_brush
Elf Eyeshadow Brush: £1.50/$1
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~41.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/products.asp?dept_id=2105
Blending Eye Brush: £1.50/$1
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~45.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/tools/brushes_and_applicators/blending_eye_brush
Eye Crease Brush: £1.50:
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~223.htm

Make-up set:
Beauty Encyclopedia - Everyday Eyes: £6/$5:
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~184.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/eyes/sets/beauty_encyclopedia_basic_eye_edition

Blush:
Tickled Pink: £3.50/$3
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~160.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/face/blush/studio_blush

Eye Products:
Eye Widener:£1.50/$1
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~53.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/eyes/eyeliner/eye_widener
Eye Primer & Liner sealer:£3.50/$3
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~116.htm
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/eyes/eyeliner/eye_primer_and_liner_sealer

This is where you can find E.L.F.:
UK: http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/
USA: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/
Various EU countries: http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/customerservices.htm - Open the delivery tab and scroll to the bottom or alternatively there are country flags at the top of the site.

Hope you're as excited as me,
Peace, Love, Hugs
Emilyx

Everyday Essentials: Part 1

Hey again,

Sorry again, for the poor picture quality.  I'll keep you updated on the camera saga which hopefully should be resolved soon.

Anyway, the point of the post is to share some things I'd simply be lost without. Everyone has these, some you will know, some you won't and some you'll use different brands. I am by no means saying these are the greatest out there and that there is a one size fits all attitude to products, but they are what I like and what I go to religiously.

The first one is a bit of a mixed bag...
You can expect:
GHDS (Investment) -  and a reason you've probably never thought of to justify your purchase
Converse(Investment/Essential) - my claim to fame. I was way ahead of the converse trend and already bagged myself a pair so knew how practical and comfortable they actually wear.
Tail end comb (Essential) - Cheap as chips.
V05 volumizing spritz (Essential for hair lacking volume) - I couldn't live without it.
COCO Chanel Madamoiselle (Try before you buy Investment) - Don't judge a book by its cover
Garnier Skin Naturals summer body (Summer Essential) - because Tango isn't the way to go.
Brogues (Investment/Essential) - simply done.
Dior Show Extase eyeliner/mascara (Investment) - Instant amazement.
Toni & Guy Iron-it Heat Defence Spray(Essential) - Good haircare
Models Own nail polish in black (Essential) - Easy
Clamp (Essential) - Does what it says on the tin
Benefit Valley of the stars (Travel Essential) - Products which are great on their own
Bobby pins/ Hair Grips (Essential) - For bad hair days and general use
AUSSIE Luscious Long Leave-In Conditioner (Essential) - Hit and miss
Anatomicals Help the Paw hand cream (Essential)- When we need a little skin pick me up
MAC waterproof mascara (Good to have) - The other option.

Speak soon always keep smiling,
Peace, love, hugs,
Emily x

Minor Dilemma

Hey all,

This is a spare of the moment post. I accidentally stumbled upon the stats bar whist trying to get to grips with how to use blog spot. I found that people had actually visited the page and felt really guilty that there was nothing of value on the page for them to look at. I was going to delay posting as I had a freak camera accident and cut a long story short mine broke, so  I was going to wait until I stumbled upon a new camera... but, now I'm not. This does mean that temporarily you will have to put up with poor quality pictures courtesy of my Blackberry, so sorry for that. To try and make it up to you I will be posting a fair few things in a short space of time. :) Firstly you can look forward to my first part of Everyday Essentials and secondly a little note on an order I placed today. 

See you soon and remember to keep smiling

Peace, love, hugs

Emily x

Little Things

There are things in this life that make it a bit more worth while... Special things, things you take for granted and  things you simply couldn't live without. I realized this very recently and so created a blog in hope that someone somewhere out there in this big wide world may find something that they too could learn to love from me... or, could save money and avoid some products which aren't so great. You can expect to find reviews, recommendations and an honest opinion on all things beauty related. 


Emilyx